The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is excited to announce that we are returning to South by Southwest (SXSW) from March 10-19 in Austin, Texas!
Each year, SXSW brings together creatives and industry leaders for 10 days of discovery across various events, including sessions, music and comedy showcases, film screenings, exhibitions, and networking opportunities. HRF is thrilled to bring human rights to the forefront of discussions and host two panels at next year’s event. Register today to join us.
Dictatorship in the Digital Space
Increasingly sophisticated technology has provided new avenues for authoritarian regimes to target activists, stifle dissent, and encroach on civil liberties. From shutting off the Internet to preventing protesters from organizing, installing spyware on activists’ phones, and spreading disinformation on social media, dictators are becoming bolder in manipulating technology. Yet activists continue to harness the power of innovation to overcome barriers put up by dictatorships.
Drawing upon their experiences, “Dictatorship in the Digital Space” panelists will explore how regimes abuse technology and how the tech industry can unite to protect human rights globally.
March 14, 2023
4:00 – 5:00 PM CT
Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon K
Fighting Back Against Monetary Colonialism
Much of France’s African empire fell away during decolonization, but 15 nations — including Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, and Chad — still use the CFA Franc and thus remain under its control. France has historically devalued the CFA Franc to buy cheaper goods at the expense of the 183 million Africans in the CFA zone. As a result of this monetary colonialism, CFA nations rank among the poorest African nations. What’s more, France has supported dictatorship across the African continent for decades as it prefers autocrats who can impose the CFA system instead of democrats who might choose to change it.
In this panel, “Fighting Back Against Monetary Colonialism,” participants will discuss their battle against monetary colonialism and how Bitcoin may play a role in helping turn the tide.
March 15, 2023
4:00 – 5:00 PM CT
Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon DE
