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Civil society was the target of RightsCon’s cancellation
This is the week of the RightsCon conference that wasn’t. RightsCon, the leading international Internet and human rights conference organised by civil society group Access Now, was cancelled by the Zambian government just five days before it had been due to commence. The roundtable that my Center for Online Safety and Liberty (COSL) had organised to present the Drawing the Line Watchlist—part of the conference’s Futures, Fictions, and Creativity track—was just one among hundreds of sessions affected.
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The cancellation has been attributed to pressure from China over the participation of Taiwanese delegates at the event. To that extent, both China and Zambia share responsibility for this deplorable act of censorship. But focusing too narrowly on these actors risks missing the larger story. Around the world, governments—including those that present themselves as liberal democracies—are converging on a common approach: expanding state power over online expression in the name of safety, particularly child protection, with consequences that increasingly resemble the very authoritarian practices they claim to oppose.
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The Latest from Our Blog
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Medical School Berlin workshop
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Perspectives on Child Sex Stories – A Panel DiscussionSeptember 28 at 7:00–9:30 BST, 8:00–10:30 CEST, 16:00–18:30 AEST, 23:00–1:30 PDT To date, little to no empirical research exists on text-based depictions of sexual interactions involving underage characters (for an overview, see Lehmann et al., 2025). From a theoretical point of view, these so-called child sex stories have been proposed as a protective factor (e.g. providing …
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What I Learned Building Age Verification for a Platform With a Billion Users
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A few years ago I sat in a room where a small group of people decided how a platform with over a billion users would try to figure out who was too young to be there. I helped build that system. It is a strange thing to be in that room, watching smart, well-intentioned people try to solve a problem …
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Beyond the Filter: Cyber Harassment Support
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In this episode of Beyond the Filter, Brandy and Jeremy host Varsha Vaishali, founder of Cyber Harassment Support, to explore the multifaceted issue of cyber harassment. They delve into practical support strategies, the evolving landscape of online abuse, and innovative solutions to make digital spaces safer for all. Key Topics: The core mission and scope of Cyber Harassment Support (CHS) in …
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A Petition We Endorse
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Net Rights Coalition, 132 other Digital Rights Stakeholders endorse statement condemning the Government of Zambia’s Abrupt Disruption of RightsCon
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Due to the abrupt cancellation of RightsCon, many of the organizations that wanted to be at the convention were left resolved. The sudden disruption of the conference surrounding Internet and human rights was enacted by the Zambian government after China pressured them due to Taiwanese delegates were scheduled to be at the event. Revolted by this decision, the Net Rights Coalition created a petition with the intent of condemning the Zambian government for failing to host one of the world's most important conferences on digital human rights. The Center for Online Safety and Liberty has signed this petition, as well as almost 200 other organizations, and our missions will not falter due to higher powers bending the knee to corrupt governments.
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Join us in our mission!
We at the Center for Online Safety and Liberty are a small, hard-working organization composed of individuals who deeply care about human rights across the digital space. Our team is comprised of those who volunteer to be activists, technology specialists, media professionals, and so much more. This organization is always looking for altruistic, hard-working, and kind-hearted people who want to change the world with small actions. If you are looking to contribute to your community in a meaningful position, C4OSL is hiring part-time volunteers.
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We are currently looking for more volunteers to join our cause. We regularly post new and open roles that need to be filled to help further our mission. Right now, our organization is in need of a podcast producer to help with our Beyond The Filter Podcast, so if you are a media-savvy individual, we encourage you to apply. Commitment to your role is 10 hours a week, and scheduling it around your life is extremely flexible since it is remote. The staff at C4OSL are made of supportive individuals who can help you with any issues that may arise, as well as collaborate on any projects.
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Our team works incredibly hard to inform the public on important matters relating to online issues. If you are interesting in joining this organization, we encourage all to apply, no matter your skills or background. With your help, we can grow our nonprofit even bigger and help spread our mission to more corners of the world. If you are passionate about legal advocacy, cyberbullying, safer hosting, and/or supporting fans, we would greatly appreciate your contributions to our team.
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Team Member Profile
My name is Joan Kinaro, and I am delighted to introduce myself as the new Membership Officer at the Center for Online Safety and Liberty (COSL).
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First and foremost, I want to say a heartfelt thank you. Your continued support means the world to us. It is because of members and donors like you that COSL is able to carry out its vital work advocating for online safety and digital rights for everyone.
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I am truly excited to be stepping into this role, and my top priority is making sure that you, our valued community, feel appreciated, informed, and connected to the work your support makes possible.
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My most recent role was a digital marketing consultant at an organization called Lifting The Load For Single Moms. I created and designed posters as well as edited videos that told real stories of single moms. I made sure that the content I created aligned with the organization’s mission and voice, and above all, it was engaging. Moreover, I managed and monitored social media platforms, making sure the single moms' Facebook group was active by fostering conversations and sharing resources. Lastly, I supported stakeholder and donor communication by translating programs into simple, compelling stories.
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I view creativity as something that lets us see how the human mind works, thinks, and feels. In so doing it lets us see your thinking process and also how one tells stories. I use AI as a tool that lets me refine my ideas and improve efficiency, not as a replacement for my original ideas or thoughts. To me, AI refines my work, but the original creativity and ideas are all me.
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During the “Every A Life Universe” campaign, I noticed shortly after publishing that a graphic showing the number of children, women, and men killed during the recent Israel–Palestine war had inaccurate statistics. It was a sensitive piece of content, and the inconsistency could have misinformed our audience and harmed our credibility. I immediately flagged it, took the post down, verified the data from reliable sources, and corrected the visual. We reposted with accurate figures and used the moment to tighten our fact-checking process, especially for high-stakes content.
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I’ve worked with accessibility practices mainly through adding captions to videos so our content can be understood even without sound. I also try to keep my writing clear, simple, and easy to follow so it reaches a wider audience. When creating content, I’m mindful of using inclusive language that reflects and respects the communities we serve. I’m still growing in areas like alt text, but I’m intentional about learning and applying it where possible.
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In the meantime, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, suggestions, or just want to say hello. I would love to hear from you.
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Center for Online Safety and Liberty
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Support our work!
Pledging your monthly support for our work is the best way that you can support us, because it gives us the stability to plan ahead. You can pledge your support at three levels.
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Keep In Touch With Us
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