Wikimedia at RightsCon 2025: Key takeaways on advocacy and inclusion

Wikimedians are familiar presenters at RightsCon, the world’s leading conference to tackle pressing issues at the intersection of human rights and technology. This year, Wikimedians traveled for RightsCon 2025 to Taipei, Taiwan. They demonstrated there how the work of the open knowledge movement and its bottom-up model are more important than ever to understand human rights in a landscape that is rapidly shifting. Our sessions covered best practices to advocate policies that ensure the integrity of online content, preserve cultural knowledge in moments of crisis, and promote underrepresented languages for a more representative online experience. 

In this blog post, we reflect on key takeaways from the event, share insights from Wikimedia Foundation staff and Wikimedians who attended, and highlight the significance of our participation in RightsCon 2025.

Wikimedia Foundation Takeaways

The need for close collaboration to ensure that digital rights are safeguarded across various sectors has never been more urgent than in this era of shifting geopolitical dynamics and accelerating technological change. That collaboration extends to the Wikimedia movement. At RightsCon, Wikimedia Foundation staff joined affiliate partners from the global community of volunteers, who contribute to and govern the Wikimedia projects. Here are the Foundation’s key takeaways:

1. Geopolitical shifts demand stronger alliances: The discussions at RightsCon highlighted the critical need for more and closer collaborative action in today’s geopolitical climate. The tone of conversations conveyed a profound anxiety regarding the changing narrative from key players of the digital ecosystem. At the same time, the discussions showed a strong collective resolve, and an unmistakable shared commitment to defend digital rights in this complex context. 
2. Bridging the gap between AI regulation and media literacy: AI retained its position as a core topic in digital rights and internet governance discussions. Concerns that were raised included the tension between open and closed AI models, the consequences of both on the future of the internet, and their potential negative impact on media literacy skills. The thread connecting governance and media literacy was strong. A broader understanding of AI systems and their implications is essential: otherwise, regulatory frameworks risk being ineffective or misinterpreted. To ensure AI regulations are practical and people-centered, developing media literacy initiatives alongside regulatory efforts is imperative. Stronger digital literacy empowers individuals to evaluate information critically, navigate digital spaces responsibly, and meaningfully participate in discussions about the role of AI in society.
3. Reimagining sustainable funding for digital rights organizations: A significant discussion point was the urgent need to rethink how digital rights organizations sustain themselves. Many participants expressed concerns about the long-term viability of their work, given funding challenges and shifting donor priorities. Conversations explored alternative funding models, collective strategies, and ways to ensure that organizations advocating a free and open internet remain resilient despite financial uncertainty. This moment calls for creative approaches.
4. Promoting a positive vision for information integrity: Discussions on information integrity revealed a shift in focus: there is a growing recognition of the need to build a more trustworthy and resilient online information ecosystem. Instead of reacting to the harms of mis- and disinformation, stakeholders emphasized the importance of fostering environments that incentivize creating and disseminating reliable, high-quality information. This proactive approach requires collaboration across platforms, policymakers, and digital rights communities to develop frameworks that encourage a healthier digital space.
5. Location, location, location: The host location for RightsCon remains significant in adding valuable insights and actors to global discussions. Local organizations shared their experiences with internet censorship, infrastructure challenges, and threats to digital freedoms. These insights enriched global discussions on digital rights, demonstrating the importance of learning from diverse regional perspectives and applying those lessons worldwide.

At a time when collaboration is urgently needed, Wikimedia’s history of community-centered work will be ever more critical in turning discussions into shared priorities and action. In the words of Amalia Toledo, our Lead Public Policy Specialist for Latin America and the Caribbean:

“We must contribute our expertise and strategize collectively to advance our vision of a free and open internet. By doing so, we will ensure the public interest remains protected within the evolving digital landscape.”

RightsCon 2025 in retrospect: Questions and answers with Wikimedians

Wikimedians had much to say about their time at RightsCon, and the role that creating, sharing, and curating free and open knowledge plays in digital rights conversations globally. 

In the words of Vanj Padilla (Shared Knowledge Asia Pacific), RightsCon exposed her to inspiring best practices and lessons that are valuable for Wikimedians’ work:

“I was inspired by the workshops on: digital safety; fighting fraud and cybercrime; navigating online safety for children and youth; data privacy; and, policy development towards ethics in technology. I am working on sharing these insights with my local community in the Philippines, so that we can embed these lessons into our strategic partnerships with actors in academia, government, and civil society.”

Here is what other Wikimedians told us about their experiences at RightsCon 2025.

1. What motivated you to present at RightsCon? Why did you think it was important to Wikimedia’s mission?

Belinda Spry (Wikimedia Australia): Wikimedia Australia recognised the need to bring First Nations voices and perspectives to global digital rights discussions following our recent commissioned research report. At RightsCon, we shared the challenges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face on Wikipedia, including concerns around cultural sensitivity and trust. Our presentation addressed the need for Wikipedia to be more inclusive, particularly for those whose knowledge systems have historically been marginalised. This is an essential step in advancing Wikimedia’s mission of free knowledge for all. 

Ceslause Ogbonnaya (Africa Knowledge Initiative): I have always advocated that Wikimedians shouldn’t work in silos, because our work touches all the spheres of life. I saw RightsCon as an opportunity for the Africa Knowledge Initiative to connect with like-minded people, learn what they are doing, and identify opportunities to collaborate. The potential for shared advocacy initiatives related to the Africa Knowledge Initiative motivated my RightsCon submission, for I believe such collaborations have the potential to catalyze the project’s impact across the African continent and the open knowledge movement at large. Attending RightsCon was a chance to connect with various advocacy groups and learn about their strategies. 

Daria Cybulska (Wikimedia UK, Churchill Fellowship): I was keen to share the findings of my field research on Central Asia civil societies. Initially, the project aimed to raise awareness of a little-known region, but now digital rights organizers in the West have a lot to learn from those who have operated in political contexts where civic spaces are shrinking and closed off. Wikimedia projects and communities are experiencing unprecedented pushback and criticism. We must learn from others who have found ways of maintaining resilience in a context where the majority are against their work. 

Liang-chih Shang Kuan (Wikimedia Taiwan): I was motivated to present at RightsCon because I believe in the power of an open internet as an infrastructure that empowers and improves the lives of individuals and communities. My involvement in the Wikimedia Movement’s 2030 vision and the creation of the Asia-Pacific (ESEAP) Hub has deepened my understanding of the role Wikimedia plays in shaping a more diverse and connected digital future. Wikipedia, as one of the top 10 most visited websites globally, has a unique influence in promoting free and open knowledge. RightsCon offered a valuable platform to engage with key stakeholders, including human rights activists and journalists, whose work aligns with Wikimedia’s mission. This event provided an opportunity to strengthen the movement and contribute to the vision of a more open and accessible internet.

Sandra Aceng (Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)): RightsCon’s primary focus has been human rights in the digital age, which closely aligns with WOUGNET’s focus on women’s rights online and also with my work at Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda, which aims to close the gender digital divide across Wikimedia initiatives. The global attendance at RightsCon motivated me to amplify WOUGNET’s impact through sessions such as “Missing the full Picture: Challenging gender-blind responses of platforms to disinformation.” RightsCon was also a key space to connect with other Wikimedians and learn from what they are doing to promote open access. Networks of Wikimedians built from RightsCon continue to shape our work at Wikimedia Community Usergroup Uganda locally, which in turn informs Wikimedia global advocacy work.

2. How do you think other RightsCon attendees benefited from learning about your work?

Belinda: RightsCon attendees benefited by gaining insight into the challenges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities face on Wikipedia, particularly around cultural sensitivity and trust. We highlighted the need for more inclusive and culturally safe digital spaces and facilitated discussions on decolonizing knowledge platforms, which should inspire and inform the work of digital rights actors beyond the Wikimedia movement.

Ceslause: At RightsCon I was able to connect with organizations who share my passion for protecting Indigenous data rights. I was able to promote provisions developed in Africa like the Nwulite Obodo Creative Licence for licensing Indigenous people’s datasets—developed by the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT) in Kenya. I know this has provided a useful template for Wikimedia Australia as they work on the Protocol for Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) and Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) for Aboriginal and First Nations communities. I also connected with two attendees, one from an Indigenous community in Asia, and another from the Ogiek community of Kenya. We are currently in discussion with the Ogiek Peoples’ Development Program (OPDP) to bring their language to Wikimedia projects, starting with Wikipedia.

Daria: I presented a few ways to safely help civil society players develop a “critical or oppositional mindset”, which my research indicates can help to make civil societies with restrictive contexts more resilient. This mindset is key to democratic societies, a critical attitude that provides awareness between how things are and how they can be. I believe RightsCon participants benefited from this information, regardless of the contexts in which they operate, since it also helps to consider how critical mindsets can be fostered in any civil society.

Liang-chih: I was able to educate RightsCon participants about how Wikimedia projects and communities work, from our advocacy around open licenses to our contributions in terms of engineering. 

Sandra: My participation provided RightsCon attendees with insights from the Global South on online gender-based violence. This included reviewing patterns, motivations, and socio-political drivers of online violence, especially during political events like elections. Additionally, attendees gained critical insights into how social media platforms fail to address gender-specific disinformation and the impact of these knowledge gaps on women, especially in politics and journalism.

3. What key lessons and insights will you be sharing back with your community?

Belinda: We’ll share insights into how other countries and groups are approaching self-determination in digital spaces, the need for stronger cultural safety measures on Wikipedia, and how continuing global conversations on digital rights can support First Nations knowledge and data sovereignty. RightsCon reinforced that our work must center on community-led solutions, such as models like Licensing African Datasets, which prioritise Indigenous control over knowledge. These approaches highlight pathways for ensuring more equitable and respectful representation online. 

Ceslause: My exchange with Wikimedia Australia at RightsCon inspired me to try to implement the Nwulite Obodo Creative at the national level throughout Wikimedia communities. I will be sharing this ambitious goal with my local Wikimedia community and the entire Wikimedia space at large.

Daria: I was encouraged by how many organisations in attendance work on narrative change, including through art, and on seeking hopeful and positive narratives in a context that is anything but uplifting. Connecting with DAKILA was a particular highlight. This chimes with the efforts within the Wikimedia movement to lead our comms and narratives with a positive vision for the internet and stress how we add to the information ecosystem. 

Liang-chih: I was inspired to consider how my insights from RightsCon can be incorporated into ongoing Wikimedia projects. One way is to consider how to build better-connected infrastructure at a time when the political environment is increasingly unstable. What kind of infrastructure investments are most important, and what advocacy is necessary to protect the resilience of future infrastructure? Another way is preserving Indigenous languages. It was motivating to see how Wikimedians’ work on this issue resonates with a global audience, which highlights the need to continue investing in building linguistically inclusive online communities.

Sandra: After my RightsCon session, Wiki Activate Africa offered me to be a guest speaker for a virtual discussion: “Wikipedia’s Role in Fighting Misinformation and Fake News.” A colleague was able to accept the speaking engagement from Wikimedia Uganda, and we’re now working together to ensure that lessons from RightsCon are passed on!