SXSW: The High Stakes War for Internet Freedom

Date

Time

Location

Hilton Austin Downtown

Austin, TX

Event graphic for South by Southwest (SXSW) 2022. March 11-20, in Austin, Texas. Black text on bright green background, with light green and purple bars and circles creating a pattern.

SXSW: The High Stakes War for Internet Freedom

Date: March 14, 2022
Time: 11:30am – 12:30pm CT  //  12:30 – 1:30 PM ET

[ In-person event. Not online. ]

Internet freedom around the world is dramatically declining, as authoritarian governments crack down on online access. They’re blocking social media platforms and, in some cases, shutting down internet service completely. These shutdowns are happening in the days surrounding an election, stifling voters’ ability to connect and access information. States are punishing social media platforms for moderating politically-driven misinformation — and the COVID-19 pandemic is giving them more opportunities to censor critical speech.

How should the global community respond to these threats to online freedom of expression? And as policymakers in democratic nations grapple with their own questions of regulating big tech, how can they advance a vision grounded in democracy and human rights?

Featuring:

Nicole Bibbins Sedaca
Freedom House

Francis Fukuyama
d.school, Stanford University

Erica Hellerstein (moderator)
Coda Media

Mallory Knodel
Center for Democracy & Technology