UN Warns Digital Age Threatens Global Human Rights

Digital technologies such as AI are transforming digital ecosystems.

Over the past several decades, digital technologies have transformed nearly every aspect of human life, revolutionising developments across multiple sectors, including healthcare, education, and commerce. However, these changes have also raised new concerns about preserving human rights in an increasingly digitised world.

On 11 July, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR), Volker Türk, addressed a high-level event marking the twentieth anniversary of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), highlighting the growing risks associated with digital technology. With society now more connected than ever, people are increasingly vulnerable to discrimination, breaches of privacy, and restrictions on freedom.

“The risks are far-reaching: affecting privacy, the job market, the right to be free from discrimination, the right to access information and express oneself – even our shared perception of reality,” said Türk. “It is precisely in the face of massive change that we need more human rights, not less… Our rights provide the blueprint to help us manage the enormous challenges posed by rapidly evolving technologies.”

Since the rise of digital technology, human rights organisations, state governments, and civilians have all voiced concerns over potential violations of privacy. Many digital applications today rely on surveillance and data aggregation systems to collect user information for targeted advertisements and social media feeds. However, this leaves millions of users worldwide vulnerable to data breaches, potentially exposing personal information to exploitation.

According to a press release from Amnesty International, biometric surveillance systems – such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanners – as well as spyware, are routinely used by governments and law enforcement to gather information on human rights activists and journalists. This data is often weaponised for abuse, including blackmail, stalking, doxxing, intimidation, and harassment, violating numerous fundamental human rights.

“The surveillance industry must no longer be afforded a laissez-faire approach from governments with a vested interest in using this technology to commit human rights violations,” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International.

“Clearly, their actions raise larger questions about the wholesale lack of regulation that has created a wild west of rampant, abusive targeting of activists and journalists. Until the industry as a whole can show it respects human rights, there must be an immediate moratorium on the export, sale, transfer, and use of surveillance technology.”

In 2018, law enforcement agencies began using investigative genetic genealogy (IGG), a technique relying on DNA evidence and user data from genealogy databases to identify suspects or victims of crimes. This technique has proven highly effective, solving over 600 cases as of 2023. According to Barbara Rae Venter, a renowned genetic genealogist, this method streamlines investigations, comparing it to finding a “needle in a haystack.”

However, many users argue that it sets a dangerous precedent for using personal information. A study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that most genealogy services do not inform users whether their data is accessible to law enforcement. Moreover, there is always a risk of false positives, which can have severe consequences, especially given existing biases in the criminal justice system. For example, police might focus on individuals based on genetic markers linked to race or ethnicity.

Prosecutors and courts might also disproportionately target such groups based on potentially faulty evidence. Experts warn that this information could even become accessible to employers in the future, raising further risks of discrimination.

The recent rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has also raised concerns about discrimination. According to Amnesty International, governments are already deploying algorithm-based AI technologies across sectors including healthcare, immigration, and employment. Many of these programmes carry a high risk of algorithmic bias, as algorithms often flag statistical outliers. Depending on the sector, such bias could disproportionately harm vulnerable populations.

In social welfare delivery programmes, algorithmic bias could severely restrict human rights by denying support to those who need it most – such as disabled individuals or ethnic minorities – who are classified as statistical outliers and thus overlooked. Additionally, these groups face a higher risk of workplace discrimination, as AI systems may automatically exclude them based on atypical characteristics rather than merit.

According to UN Women, women, people of colour, migrants, and LGBTQIA+ individuals are at higher risk of digital violence and abuse. A global study by Plan International found that roughly 53% of women and girls have experienced some form of online harassment. Amnesty International also highlights the rise in hate speech and incitement to violence on social media platforms.

To make the digital world safe for all, it is imperative for governments to address the regulatory gap, hold the tech industry accountable, and operate with greater transparency. While new technologies continue to emerge with the potential to revolutionise lives, robust regulations must be introduced to protect vulnerable groups and ensure that personal data is used ethically and securely.

“We have a window of opportunity to make a difference,” said Türk. “We must join forces – states, technology companies, international organisations, civil society, and others – to work towards an inclusive and open digital environment for everyone, everywhere.”