Update on RightsCon 2026
Following the host government’s announcement that RightsCon 2026 has been postponed, and subsequent guidance from the organizers advising against travel to Lusaka, all Internet Society and Internet Society Foundation–organized events will no longer take place as planned.
We were looking forward to engaging with participants from across the digital rights ecosystem. We remain committed to this community and to our partnership with Access Now, and will continue collaborating with partners worldwide to advance a safer, more open, and globally connected Internet.
We look forward to future opportunities to engage, advance shared goals, and strengthen our collective impact.
| When | Where | What | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 May 2026 10:45-13:30 | Workshop, In-person | Assisting the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) in running Internet Shutdown Simulation Exercise | FOC, Internet Society (Robbie Mitchell) |
| 6 May 2026 09:00-10:00 | Workshop, in-person Room 4 | Understanding your rights starts with measuring what’s wrong | Internet Society (Robbie Mitchell) |
| 6 May 2026 14:00-15:00 | Dialogue, online | Disconnected in crisis: reframing connectivity in disaster zones as a human right | Internet Society Foundation, Lodz Cyber Hub, United Nations University – CRIS (Dan York) |
| 6 May 2026 16:30-17:30 | Dialogue, In-person Room AG09 | What’s at stake for digital rights, the Internet, and civil society in today’s global climate? | Access Now, Internet Society, Digital Futures Lab (Sally Wentworth) |
| 8 May 2026 09:00-10:00 | In Person, Room 5 | The anti-encryption effect? Standing up to encryption threats in Africa and beyond | Internet Society (Dawit Bekele) |