The Changing Landscape of Human Rights in the Digital Age
— by Dorcas Kongwie In the ever-evolving digital landscape, the very foundations of human rights are being tested and transformed. Like a tightrope walker navigating the dizzying heights of technological progress, we find ourselves grappling with new challenges and unprecedented opportunities in the pursuit of a more just and equitable world. The Changing Landscape of Human Rights in the Digital Age Before the widespread accessibility of technology or anything digital, a lot of people had concerns about the impact it would have on humanity in the long run. While others embraced it, others vowed not to get involved or even use anything related to it with little knowledge that technology has come to stay and has become a part of our lives. Their anxiety is felt considering the pace at which technology is evolving-there are emerging ways of doing things every passing second. The only way out is to accept it and learn how to evolve with it. It is not wrong to say that technology has positively impacted lives, for instance, it has provided platforms for marginalized voices to share their experiences and mobilize support globally. Also, how would life have been after the Covid-19 pandemic that hit the globe in 2019 and 2020? Technology plays a huge role in our individual lives. On the other hand, it has its own downside. Imagine a world where your most personal thoughts, conversations, and moments are just a click away from being shared, analyzed, or manipulated, it has become a tool for control and surveillance, so it is a YinYang affair or maybe a double-edged sword. A Ray of Light With Digital Revolution Gone are the times when sharing a human rights violation meant hoping a journalist might listen or the newspaper publishes it. Now, a smartphone can broadcast injustice to millions in seconds. A single video can spark global movements, topple oppressive narratives, and create instant solidarity across continents. Take the Kenyan youth who took to the streets to protest against an unfair financial bill in June 2024, with the use of social media like X, millions of people supported that protest even without traveling to Kenya. Take the Arab Spring or global climate protests – these weren’t just movements, they were digital revolutions. Activists who once whispered now roar through social media, turning local struggles into international conversations When Your Data Becomes Their Weapon Despite the government and other countries buying into the technology, there is a question mark about the invisible watchers. Freedom comes with a price. Every tweet, every search, every digital footprint is potentially a piece of a massive surveillance puzzle. Governments and corporations have developed an almost omniscient ability to track, predict, and influence our behaviors. The Human Cost of Connection Who’s Really Writing Your Story? Fate, God, or yourself? Digital privacy has become an oxymoron, your data is never private when it is online. Our personal data is bought, sold, and traded like a commodity. Facial recognition, fingerprints, scents, predictive algorithms, and data mining have transformed human experiences into marketable insights. Take this instance where your medical history, political views, and personal preferences are just data points in a corporate database. Where an algorithm might decide your job prospects, creditworthiness, or social standing before you even get a chance to speak, you are privately judged and jailed before you even speak to defend yourself. The Wide Divide That still Persists To date, there are still areas and people who are still in the dark when it comes to technology, especially in the global south. Technology promised universal access but delivered a new form of inequality. In many parts of the world, digital connectivity remains a privilege. While some scroll through infinite content, others struggle to get basic internet access. This divide isn’t just about technology – it’s about opportunity, education, and fundamental human potential. Potential Solutions The solution to this is not rejecting technology, that is highly impossible since it has gone beyond the ends of this world and has become ingrained in our lives. The solution lies on: The digital age presents a dicey landscape where technology simultaneously threatens and at the same time enhances human rights. There can be a balance if we harness technological potential while mitigating its risks. Governments need to work hand in hand with technology companies, civil society organizations, and individual citizens to create a digital ecosystem that respects, protects, and fulfills human rights.