The Chinese Government Just Got the World’s Largest Digital Rights Conference Canceled
RightsCon 2026, the world's largest digital rights conference, was abruptly postponed in Zambia amid allegations of Chinese government pressure to exclude Taiwanese participants and censor discussions on China's digital authoritarianism. Access Now, the organizing nonprofit, cited foreign interference from the People's Republic of China as a key factor in the disruption of the event. Zambian officials cited pending security clearances and diplomatic protocols as reasons for the postponement, though no official cancellation notice was issued.
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Vittoria ElliottZeyi YangBusinessMay 1, 2026 12:49 PMThe Chinese Government Just Got the World’s Largest Digital Rights Conference CanceledAccess Now, the group that organizes RightsCon, says Zambian officials asked it to exclude Taiwanese participants if it wanted the event to proceed as planned.Photograph: Xinhua News Agency/Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyRightsCon, the world’s largest digital rights conference, was canceled this year due to pressure from the Chinese government, according to the nonprofit organization that organizes the annual event.In a statement, Access Now says it was “told that diplomats from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) were putting pressure on the Government of Zambia because Taiwanese civil society…
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