At RightsCon in Taipei, activists reckon with a US retreat from promoting digital rights
1 min read
Summary
US President Donald Trump’s decision to cut 90% of funding for USAID will have a profound impact on digital rights across the globe, according to a recent article in MIT Technology Review.
Nikki Gladstone, director of RightsCon, said the conference reflected a world where restrictions on civil society participation, democratic backsliding and companies divesting from upholding human rights are becoming increasingly commonplace.
Cindy Cohn, director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said the scale and speed of the attacks on people’s rights was “breathtaking”.
The article highlighted how oppressive regimes around the world are using trumpian justifications to raid and harass civil society organisations, while internet platforms are becoming less willing to engage with local communities.