The Freedom Online Coalition Advisory Network (FOC-AN), an independent multistakeholder group with the mission of advancing Internet freedom and human rights online, has raised alarm over the abrupt cancellation of RightsCon, warning that the development reflects growing geopolitical pressure on global digital rights spaces and the steady erosion of civic space in multistakeholder governance. In its advisory note, the Network said the cancellation goes beyond the disruption of a major conference, describing it as part of a broader global pattern where open, rights-based platforms for dialogue are becoming increasingly vulnerable to political influence and pressure.
The FOC Advisory Network expressed solidarity with participants, organisers, and communities affected by the cancellation, noting that months of preparation by civil society groups, companies, and governments were disrupted within days. It also acknowledged the response of the Government of Switzerland, in its role as Freedom Online Coalition Chair for 2026, which condemned the cancellation and said it was not in line with the Coalition’s core values of openness and human rights.
According to the Network, the sudden cancellation also had a serious economic and social impact, particularly on civil society organisations, local businesses, and Zambia’s tourism and business sectors. It said the decision led to significant financial losses and undermined the trust in the host government’s ability to provide stable and transparent environments for major international convenings.
The Advisory Network further noted that the lack of clear and transparent communication around the cancellation deepened concerns. It warned that such uncertainty can weaken confidence in multistakeholder processes and discourage future participation in global digital governance forums.
Beyond the immediate disruption, the Network said the incident reflects deeper global challenges, including the shrinking of civic space, rising digital and transnational repression, and increasing restrictions on freedom of expression, association, and assembly. It added that there is a growing shift toward state-centred approaches to digital governance, which risks marginalising civil society, technical experts, journalists, and affected communities.
The Advisory Network also pointed to broader structural inequalities in global hosting arrangements, noting that countries in the Global South often face disproportionate political and economic pressure when hosting international events. It warned that this can limit their ability to independently host and lead inclusive digital governance discussions without external interference.
It described the RightsCon cancellation as a troubling signal of how geopolitical tensions are increasingly shaping global digital policy spaces. While it acknowledged that such pressures are not new, it said this appears to be one of the most significant instances of a major human rights and digital governance conference being cancelled under reported external pressure.
The Network also highlighted ongoing concerns about the exclusion of non-governmental actors from key global processes, indicating increasing procedural barriers that limit civil society participation in international governance spaces. It said these trends risk weakening the multistakeholder model that has long supported open internet governance.
In its recommendations, the Advisory Network called for stronger protection of civic space, urging democratic governments, especially members of the Freedom Online Coalition, to actively defend open and inclusive digital dialogue. It stressed that multistakeholder participation must remain central to digital governance at both global and national levels.
It also called on governments and international institutions to protect and strengthen civil society participation in upcoming processes such as the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), and national and regional IGF meetings. The Network emphasised that existing civil society demands for inclusion, including those raised through global digital rights coalitions, should be taken seriously and acted upon.
The Advisory Network further urged Global North governments to support rather than isolate Global South countries who seek to host or participate in international digital governance events. It said these governments should be assisted in navigating geopolitical pressure so they can maintain autonomy in hosting open, inclusive convenings.
It also called for the implementation of the São Paulo Principles as part of the 2026 Freedom Online Coalition Programme of Action, encouraging governments to embed these principles in national and international digital governance frameworks.
According to the Network, there is an urgent need to strengthen independent and multistakeholder governance systems that do not rely solely on state-centred approaches. It warned that excluding civil society and technical experts from decision-making weakens accountability and undermines human rights protections in the digital space.
The Advisory Network also recommended that governments hosting major digital governance events adopt mandatory human rights due diligence processes. This, it said, should include assessing legal frameworks, political risks, and potential threats to vulnerable groups such as LGBTQ+ communities, journalists, and human rights defenders.
The cancellation of RightsCon must not set a precedent. Allowing geopolitical pressure or external influence to determine whether global human rights convenings can take place, it warned, would pose a serious threat to the future of open and inclusive digital governance. The Network said the response from democratic governments, multilateral institutions, and civil society in the coming period will be critical in shaping whether civic space in digital governance can still be protected.
