Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2017 Report Launch

About the Event

On November 15, 2017, Stanford’s Global Digital Policy Incubator (GDPi) hosted the first-ever West Coast launch of Freedom House’s Freedom on the Net report. Together with Michael Abramowitz, President of Freedom House, and Sanja Kelley, Director of Freedom on the Net, GDPI convened a multi-stakeholder panel to discuss persisting and emerging trends in the restriction of internet freedom.

Larry Diamond speaking at the Freedom on the Net 2017 West Coast Launch

Video: Watch the Freedom on the Net 2017 West Coast Launch

The event featured opening remarks by Professor Larry Diamond and Freedom House President, Mike Abramowitz. Sanja Kelly, Director of Freedom on the Net, presented an overview of the 2017 report, in which she highlighted government's increased use of social media to thwart democratic practices and values online. Following the presentation of the report, Eileen Donahoe, executive director of GDPi, moderated a diverse panel composed of human rights activists, academics, and private sector professionals from around the world.

Manipulating Social Media to Undermine Democracy

This year's report highlights increased efforts by governments to manipulate information on social media. The use of bots or paid government commentators, for example, has proliferated over the past year.

Multi-Stakeholder Panel

GDPI Executive Director Eileen Donahoe moderated a panel of human rights activists, academics, and private sector representatives from around the world to discuss the saliency of the report's findings.

Explore this year's Freedom on the Net 2017 Report, available on the Freedom House website (link below)

Freedom on the Net 2017

Key Findings and Trends

"Fake News," Bad Bots, and Troll Armies

Governments are engaging in online content manipulation, weakening the quality of discourse in countries like the United States, Mexico, the Phillipines, and many others.