Human rights principles Archives | Digital Watch Observatory

Digital Public Goods Alliance roadmap incorporates UNESCO Open Solutions

UNESCO announced that its Open Solutions have been included in the Digital Public Goods Alliance’s roadmap as part of its membership.

Roadmap activities focus on Open Solutions supporting knowledge ecosystems and information resilience by advancing Open Educational Resources as digital public goods, mainstreaming equitable open access to knowledge ecosystems, unlocking open data for research and learning, and strengthening Free and Open Source Software, according to UNESCO.

Mariya Gabriel, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, said: ‘The inclusion of UNESCO’s Open Solutions— Open Educational Resources, Open Access, Open Data and Free and Open Source Software— in the Digital Public Goods Alliance roadmap, underscores our commitment to knowledge as a public good and to multilateral cooperation. Through these open systems, UNESCO supports Member States in expanding access to information and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.’

UNESCO said its Open Solutions support the discovery, use, and adaptation of digital public goods that help reduce structural barriers to knowledge. It added that they prioritise multilingual access, equitable participation, and the reuse of educational, scientific, and public-interest resources.

UNESCO described the Digital Public Goods Alliance as a multistakeholder initiative that supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by advancing the discovery, development, use, and investment in digital public goods. It said these include open source software, open data, open AI models, and open content that adhere to applicable laws and best practices, are designed to do no harm, and contribute to sustainable development.

Liv Marte Nordhaug, Chief Executive Officer of the Digital Public Goods Alliance Secretariat, said: ‘Through its Open Solutions, UNESCO is advancing open and inclusive knowledge ecosystems while strengthening the development and adoption of digital public goods that expand access to shared, interoperable resources and enable equitable participation in the digital age.’

UNESCO also said its engagement in the alliance contributes to implementing the UN Global Digital Compact and the United Nations Pact for the Future, reaffirming that knowledge, and the digital systems that underpin it, must remain a global public good, governed in the public interest, anchored in international human rights standards, and accessible to all without discrimination.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

New law strengthens protections for healthcare patients in Brazil

Brazil has introduced a new legal framework establishing a nationwide Statute of Patients’ Rights through Law No. 15.378. The law sets out protections and responsibilities for healthcare patients across public, private, and insurance services.

The statute guarantees patients’ key rights such as non-discriminatory treatment, access to clear and sufficient medical information, confidentiality of health data, and the requirement for informed consent before treatment decisions.

Additional protections include the right to a companion during care, access to interpreters or accessibility support, and the ability to seek a second medical opinion. Patient responsibilities are also formalised under the law.

Individuals are expected to provide accurate medical history and follow prescribed treatments. They must ask questions when needed, respect healthcare rules, and inform professionals of any changes in their condition or decision to discontinue treatment.

Compliance measures include publishing rights, assessing healthcare quality, promoting research, and providing complaint channels. Violations are treated as human rights infringements, reinforcing the law’s legal and ethical importance in Brazil’s healthcare system.

By embedding principles such as informed consent, non-discrimination, privacy, and access to information into law, it strengthens individual autonomy and dignity in medical decision-making.

In broader terms, it reinforces the idea that access to safe, transparent, and respectful healthcare is an essential component of fundamental human rights, not a discretionary service.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Student AI rights framework unveiled

A newly released ‘Student AI Bill of Rights’ in the US outlines a proposed framework to protect learners as AI tools become increasingly widespread in education. The initiative aims to establish clear standards for fairness, transparency and accountability.

The document highlights the need for students to be informed when AI systems are used in teaching, assessment or administration. It also stresses that students should retain control over their personal data and academic work.

Another central principle is accountability, with students given the right to question and appeal decisions made or influenced by AI systems. The framework also calls for safeguards to prevent bias and ensure equal access to educational opportunities.

While not legally binding, the proposal is designed to guide higher education institutions in developing responsible AI policies. It reflects growing efforts to define ethical standards for AI use in education in the US.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UN commissioner calls for human rights-centred digital governance at GANHRI conference

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk told the annual conference of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions in Geneva that digital technologies are affecting human rights in areas including conflict, surveillance, online violence, and civic space, while protections have not kept pace.

Türk said ‘while our rights fully apply online, the systems to protect them have yet to keep pace.’ He referred to social media hate speech, surveillance, online violence against women in public life, and the use of digital technologies in conflict.

The speech set out two priorities for national human rights institutions: using digital tools in their own work, and strengthening protection of human rights in digital spaces. Türk said this includes documenting the human rights impact of digital technologies, using existing laws for accountability, and helping shape new legal frameworks.

On AI, Türk said: ‘This evidence should be used to push for accountability under existing laws. It should also inform the development of new legal frameworks, in line with the Global Digital Compact’s vision of inclusive and accountable digital governance, based on human rights.’ He added: ‘This also means advocating for mandatory human rights due diligence in the design, development, and deployment of AI systems.’

Türk also said the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is launching the Human Rights Data Exchange, which he described as a way to bring together fragmented data on human rights violations and support earlier and more coordinated action. He also referred to a new Global Alliance for Human Rights (GAHRI), which he said seeks to place human rights at the centre of global debate and decision-making.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Dip l o chatbot!

OHCHR seeks inputs on protecting human rights defenders in the digital age

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has issued a call for inputs to support a report on how new and emerging technologies are affecting human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, in the digital age.

Issued under Human Rights Council resolution 58/23, the call sought submissions by 31 March 2026 and forms part of a wider effort to examine how digital technologies are reshaping the conditions under which defenders work, communicate, and stay safe.

According to the OHCHR, the report will look at how digital and emerging technologies affect the work, privacy, communications, and security of human rights defenders. The call notes that digital tools have transformed both how defenders operate and the threats they face, with consequences for their safety online and offline.

The questions set out in the call are organised into four broad areas: legislative and regulatory measures, digital communications, privacy restrictions, and corporate responses. The OHCHR specifically asks for information on online safety and cybercrime laws, internet shutdowns, platform attacks, content moderation, surveillance tools, biometric surveillance, encryption, AI-related risks, and how companies assess and respond to harms affecting human rights defenders on their services.

The OHCHR invited member states, civil society, industry, and other stakeholders to submit written inputs in English, French, or Spanish. Those submissions will inform online consultations in April and the preparation of a report to the Human Rights Council under resolution 58/23.

Why does it matter?

Because the call treats the digital environment facing human rights defenders as a governance issue in its own right, rather than only as a technical or security concern. It brings together surveillance, platform accountability, encryption, AI, online harassment, and internet shutdowns under a single human rights framework, while signalling that the OHCHR wants evidence not only on state conduct, but also on how private companies shape civic space in the digital age.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

EU delegation in China calls for sustainable e-commerce and safety standards

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) completed a visit to Beijing and Shanghai to address pressing e-commerce challenges affecting the European single market.

The delegation studied local business models and market supervision frameworks, engaging with Chinese regulators, e-commerce platforms, and the EU company representatives.

The discussions highlighted the surge of parcels from China, which now account for 91% of small shipments to Europe, and the resulting pressures on fair competition.

MEPs stressed that regulatory compliance must be consistent across all operators, ensuring consumer protection is not compromised by disparities in market practices or enforcement gaps.

The delegation urged representatives of e-commerce platforms to implement preventive measures, reinforcing accountability in areas such as product safety, customs compliance, and the removal of unsafe goods from the market.

MEPs underscored that these standards are essential to maintaining a sustainable and secure e-commerce environment for European citizens.

The visit, the first in eight years, demonstrated the EU’s commitment to safeguarding consumer rights, strengthening international cooperation, and ensuring digital commerce evolves in a manner that is fair, transparent, and safe for all citizens.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Call to scrap cookie banners gains traction

A new study argues that cookie consent banners should be scrapped, claiming they fail to protect user privacy and instead create frustration. The research highlights how repeated pop-ups have become a defining feature of the modern internet.

The paper suggests that cookie banners, originally introduced under data protection laws, have led to ‘performative compliance’ rather than meaningful consent. Users often click through notices without understanding them, weakening the purpose of privacy regulation.

Researchers say the system may even normalise data tracking by encouraging habitual acceptance. Instead of improving transparency, the approach risks obscuring how personal data is collected and used across digital platforms.

The study calls for regulators to move beyond banner-based consent towards more effective privacy protections. It argues that current rules may hinder the development of better solutions by giving the impression that the problem has already been addressed.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UK expands efforts to boost digital inclusion

More than one million people have been helped to get online through a national digital inclusion plan led by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The initiative targets groups including older people, jobseekers and rural communities.

The programme has delivered over 22,000 donated devices and funded more than 80 local projects with £11.9 million. Support includes improved connectivity, access to affordable services and training to build essential digital skills.

Efforts also focus on strengthening long-term capabilities, with the government taking control of the national digital skills framework. Updates will reflect changing needs, such as online safety and the growing role of AI in everyday life.

British officials say the plan is helping people find work, manage finances and access services more easily. Further expansion is expected as authorities work with industry and charities to reach more communities.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Swiss survey highlights concern over big tech and digital sovereignty

Public concern over big tech companies is growing in Switzerland, according to a new survey by gfs.bern conducted on behalf of the Mercator Foundation Switzerland. A large majority of respondents view major technology firms as primarily profit-driven, while also expressing unease about their broader influence on society and politics.

Survey findings show that 90% of respondents believe big tech companies are mainly motivated by profit, while 94% support stronger protections for children and young people on social media platforms. Concerns extend beyond commercial behaviour, with 84% worried about political influence from the countries where these companies are based and 82% fearing increasing dependence on firms from the United States and China.

Overall perceptions in Switzerland remain mixed: 21% of respondents express a positive view of big tech companies, 40% hold a neutral stance, and 38% report negative impressions. Similar attitudes have been observed across Europe, where surveys in countries such as France and Germany indicate that many citizens consider existing regulatory frameworks insufficient.

Despite concerns about corporate influence, attitudes towards digitalisation itself remain broadly positive. Around 58% of respondents see digitalisation as beneficial overall, and 53% believe it offers personal advantages. However, only 48% think it benefits society as a whole, while 46% perceive its impact on democratic processes as negative.

A strong majority expects public institutions to take on greater responsibility for managing digital transformation. Around 88% support government efforts to ensure transparency in AI decision-making, while 86% want human oversight in critical situations. High levels of trust in Swiss authorities suggest public backing for a more active state role in shaping digital policy and safeguarding democratic values.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

France moves toward social media restrictions for children under 15

Legislative efforts in France signal a shift toward stricter governance of youth access to digital platforms, with policymakers preparing to debate a ban on social media use for children under 15.

A proposal that forms part of a broader strategy to address concerns over online harms and excessive screen exposure among adolescents.

The draft law in France extends beyond access restrictions, proposing a digital curfew for older teenagers and expanding existing school phone bans to include high schools.

These measures reflect increasing reliance on regulatory intervention instead of voluntary platform safeguards, as evidence links prolonged digital engagement with risks such as cyberbullying, disrupted sleep patterns and exposure to harmful content.

Political backing for the initiative has emerged from figures aligned with Emmanuel Macron, reinforcing the government’s position that stronger oversight of digital environments is necessary. The proposal also mirrors developments in Australia, where similar restrictions have already entered into force.

A debate that is further influenced by legal actions targeting major platforms, including TikTok and Meta, amid allegations that algorithmic systems contribute to harmful user experiences.

The outcome of the parliamentary discussions in France is expected to shape future approaches to child safety, platform accountability and digital rights governance across Europe.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!