Wednesday, October 26, 2022 7:00am-8:20am ET

The rights to unencumbered artistic expression and participation in cultural life are fundamental human rights, essential to live life meaningfully. In recent years, digital platforms and social media networks have become an important outlet for creative expression. Despite being critically significant in launching and sustaining the careers of many artists, these online platforms have also made artists increasingly vulnerable to censorship, regulation, and surveillance. Consider the example of Malaysian political graphic artist Fahmi Reza, who has been arrested multiple times for posting artwork that is critical of the government. His arrests have been justified under the guise of legislation that seeks to curb “fake news,” or the spread of information that is considered detrimental to national security – laws that became particularly popular during the pandemic. Governments are not the only actors behind the digital censorship and repression of artists: powerful social media companies are often also complicit in these practices through the imposition of vague community standards and faulty algorithms, which can frequently lead to the removal of artworks or even artists’ accounts. In a world where data is paramount and the internet is unavoidable, how can artists navigate the complex and often dangerous streets of cyberspace to express themselves freely and fearlessly? This panel seeks to explore this question further by bringing together voices of artists and creative practitioners who engage deeply with digital  art as a medium to express themselves and share their critical perspectives on society, government, community, religion, gender -based discrimination and more. It also aims to answer related questions such as the impact of the digital divide on artist-led social justice movements, the role of creative content and social media in protests, and the need for better digital security measures for artists online. About WEDF2022: The World Ethical Data Forum is the only event embracing the full scope of interrelated ethical and practical challenges around data and information – from AI, analytics, privacy and cybersecurity to human rights and press freedoms. In 2022, the forum will continue to break new ground in data and data technology with focuses on areas including privacy, cybersecurity, AI, sustainability, gaming, finance, regulation, media, culture & information warfare. It will feature 100+ speakers and organisations with insights from perspectives, traditions & cultures from around the world. As a vital part of its inclusivity strategy, #WEDF2022 has no paywalls and no cap on attendance and the event will be run on open source, interoperable, decentralised and privacy-respecting event infrastructure. As a point of principle WEDF does not track, target, or otherwise market to attendees in any of the now all-too-common ways, and, to encourage active and diverse participation, will be run in multiple languages and across a number of timezones.