In both democratic and authoritarian contexts, technologies are being deployed in ways that erode, and in some cases effectively dismantle, human rights.
Technology use risks facilitating or amplifying repressive practices and systems, and becoming an instrument of authoritarian governance.
Surveillance technologies are being expanded and entrenched with the purpose of exerting control over entire populations and/or specific groups of people such as journalists and human rights defenders.
The authoritarian use of technology is ultimately having a ‘chilling effect’.
Some technologies are disproportionately intrusive by design and should not be used.
Technologies’ use is often incompatible with the rule of law, lack redress and raise mass impunity risks.
A lack of transparency facilitates the authoritarian use of technologies.
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