Nobel Peace Talks - From smear campaigns to extreme surveillance

Nobel Peace Center

Learn how new technology is used to double down on demonstrants and activists in Iran. Activists used social media effectively in the Iranian protests after Mahsa Jina Amini’s death in September 2022. But the regime is also using new technology to double down on activists and on ordinary women and girls: Face recognition is used to surveil and identify girls and women who are walking on the streets without a headscarf. More than a million women have received SMS warnings threatening that their cars will be confiscated because they have been seen driving unveiled. And a number of women’s activists have had their social media accounts removed and have been targeted with organized smear campaigns. Iran’s government is but one amongst a growing global list of rights abusing governments using technology to suppress their population. In this event, co-organized with Amnesty International Norway, we look at how technology is used to target women and human rights defenders and discuss what can be done to protect their rights. You will meet: Mahsa Alimardani, Senior Researcher, Article 19. Gerald Folkvord, Political Adviser, Amnesty Int. Norway Moderator: Samina Vabo Ansari, Founding Director, Social Sustainability & Tech A PART OF NOBEL PEACE TALKS The event is a part of the Nobel Peace Center’s event series Nobel Peace Talks, with topics related to the Nobel Peace Prize 2023 to Narges Mohammadi.