Science & Technology

Among the pressing human rights challenges for Europe as discussed at the FRA Forum 2024 under a valuable cross-generational perspective, it is worth highlighting insights on election impact, civic space promotion and protection, as well as digitalisation and AI impact.

Welcome to our sixth Curated series, which provides a space to reflect on conversations developed in the context of the Fundamental Rights Forum 2024 in relation to various issues concerning some pressing human rights challenges of our time and the significance of preparedness to overcome them.

As the EP elections approach, ICT present both opportunities and challenges for election campaigns. While a European regulatory framework for ICT usage is emerging, its adequacy is yet to be tested in the forthcoming elections. European human rights standards serve as a guide for the integration of ICT, allowing to leverage ICT's potential for democracy.

Global technology giants are shaping the future of African politics in complex and myriad ways. Big tech offers powerful tools to engage citizens and enhance democracy. However, tighter regulation and greater accountability is needed to combat voter manipulation, misinformation and privacy concerns.

There are potential applications of ChatGPT and similar AI language models in identifying offensive and violent language online. Analysts can play a role in refining these models – something especially crucial for languages spoken by limited populations.

Bullying through electronic means, specifically mobile phones or the internet, has emerged and is often collectively labelled cyberbullying. With youth using digital technologies for educational and recreational purposes, there has been an increase in social problems in the cyberspace, exposing them to different forms of cyber violence.

Children are tracked and monitored in their daily lives and are also targeted on the basis of their location. This is a form of real-world behavioural targeting. How marketing to children in the digital era works and what impact may it have on their rights?

The age of technology is shaping the current and future challenges to human rights protection. Academia can foster spaces for dialogue and exchange of views, such as the 2023 Euregio Summer School which is in a cooperation with the Global Campus of Human Rights and focuses on the interplay between human dignity, human rights and digital technologies.

In South Africa, the shifting from physical to virtual education due to COVID-19 has created inequalities among learners from urban areas who could continue with online schooling and learners from rural areas and also learners with disabilities who were deprived of their right to education.

The nexus between human rights and tech is more foundational to the evolution of the international human rights legal project than we normally think.