I seem to spend a lot of my working days reading, writing, and speaking about the harms and risks of our increasing digitalization, especially artificial intelligence. Granted, this all gets channelled into plans and actions to address harms and strengthen benefits: what individuals, institutions, networks can...
A recent WACC Europe discussion featured a presentation by journalist Ingo Dachwitz on the largely invisible workforce, concentrated in the Global South, enabling artificial intelligence and social media feeds. The myth of artificial intelligence When Mark Zuckerberg appeared before the US Congress in 2018, facing questions...
According to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, social media platforms have become a “toxic, unpunished world” that “children were never meant to navigate alone.” This sharp critique, delivered at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on 4 February, reflects growing global concern about the unchecked power...
Amid escalating global clampdowns on civic space and ruthless legal attacks on journalists and the media, Trust Conference 2025 asked a pressing question: Is it too late to save democracy, which stands on free and independent media that hold the powerful to account and enable...
In recent years, a lot has been said about the “extractivist” nature of today’s digital information ecosystem. While there has been some focus on the environmental impact of digital devices, the extractivism accusation has been directed primarily at the economic model of Big Tech, which...
What does it mean for a grassroots advocate for communication rights to attend a United Nations global policy summit? For Patience Zirima from Gender and Media Connect, a WACC partner in Zimbabwe, engaging in the recent World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 High-Level Event...
Advancing digital rights, connecting billions, and democratizing data will cost money. After the last week’s World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 High Level Event it is clear: if we want to achieve digital justice and inclusion, we need to discuss how this process will...
Water and digital technologies – we can’t live without them. But while people in many parts of the world are running short of water, digital technologies are consuming more and more. Amazon, Microsoft, and Google operate data centres that take vast amounts of water from some...
A socially isolated young person in the United States turns to ChatGPT for advice on how to deal with depression. A coffee entrepreneur in Finland asks AI for the exact mix of beans to blend the perfect cup. Robots take food orders from diners in...
The right to freedom of expression alone is not enough to protect democratic communication and public debate, which are the cornerstones of society. This right, while essential, does not create avenues to address power imbalances in how people communicate and shape public opinion. A tech mogul...