Reflections from RightsCon 2025 in Taipei
On behalf of Wikimedia Australia, Elliott and Belinda recently had the privilege of participating in-person at RightsCon, held from February 24–27, in Taipei, Taiwan and online. This global summit explores human rights in the digital age and provides a unique platform to engage with leaders, advocates, and organisations committed to advancing digital rights and open knowledge. Given the state of the world, human rights online and offline are more important than ever.
RightsCon offered us valuable opportunities to connect with Wikimedia Foundation staff and affiliates from around the world. With our global colleagues, we discussed shared challenges, how to grow and sustain community engagement, and strategies for enhancing inclusivity within Wikimedia projects. It was also invaluable to attend some of their presentations and hear first-hand of the opportunities they are creating and the challenges they are addressing, such as increasing government regulation and the ongoing issue of copyright material in AI training data. On many occasions we were able to provide feedback and input from our Australian perspective and experiences.
One of the key highlights for Belinda was presenting a joint talk with Lotus Rana on the report by Distinguished Professor Bronwyn Carlson released last year. The report "I really like Wikipedia but I don't trust it: Understanding First Nations peoples' experiences using Wikipedia as readers and/or editors," sparked important conversations about cultural representation, trust, and inclusivity on global knowledge platforms. Centering First Nations voices in this discussion underscored the need for more culturally sensitive and culturally appropriate approaches within the Wikimedia movement and beyond.
The summit also highlighted the increasingly significant role public policy and advocacy is playing in protecting and promoting free knowledge. With recent legislative and political actions creating new compliance barriers, discussions emphasised the importance of ensuring that regulatory frameworks support open access to information, digital inclusivity, and the safeguarding of online spaces for free expression. These insights reinforce Wikimedia Australia's ongoing commitment to advocating for policies that protect the integrity and accessibility of open knowledge platforms in Australia, across our ESEAP region and around the world.
Beyond Wikimedia, the summit provided insights from a wide array of sessions (running well into the night!) focusing on the intersections of technology, human rights, and governance. From discussions on safeguarding digital spaces for young people, to promoting ethical AI, the learnings from these sessions will inform our ongoing work – now and throughout our 10-year strategic plan –to ensure that open knowledge platforms are accessible, safe, and inclusive.
RightsCon reaffirmed the importance of collaborative approaches in advancing human rights online and galvanized the communities that champion that. Wikimedia Australia is committed to being an active participant in these conversations and partnerships to help build a more equitable and inclusive digital future – one with access to free knowledge at its centre.
We look forward to continuing these vital discussions with our members, community and networks going forward.
Useful links:
Image attribution
RightsCon 2025- Wikipedia Test by LPulecio-WMF, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
