To the ADC community,
2020 was undoubtedly one of the most challenging years we have had as an organization. The COVID-19 pandemic and its implications required major personal and institutional efforts to continue in our mission of promoting and defending civil rights and strengthening democracy.
This collective effort of our staff (including those joining this year) and of our numerous collaborators implied bringing into play many of our skills to the maximum, such as patience, understanding, creativity, insight, and perseverance. In this way, we were able to sustain our internal work dynamics, which in turn allowed us to identify and adjust our strategy to the new requirements posed by the sudden change of context.
The present timeline will allow readers to learn about the various reports and papers we have published; the different advocacy actions carried out and the new tools we developed; the various domestic, regional, and international instances in which we interacted, and the bonds we created. Amidst – and in spite of – all this activity, we also made time to celebrate ADC’s 25th anniversary. What better acknowledgment to an organization’s record and maturity than its own capability to stand up to a challenge such as the one posed during 2020?
We conclude this introduction with a warm THANK YOU to each member of our staff, collaborators, members of the Executive Board, the Audit Committee, and the Academic Council, for their unwavering commitment to the mission, vision and values of the Asociación por los Derechos Civiles.
A big THANK YOU, as well, to our sponsors and donors who, despite being affected by the consequences of the pandemic like everyone else, have also managed to continue supporting ADC.
Asociación por los Derechos Civiles JANUARY 17 2 • We submit a contribution to • We announce our designation the public consultation convened to organize the Latinity Conf 2020, by the Council Working Group together with other NGOs (CWG) of the International and collectives [event later Telecommunication Union (ITU), on postponed to 2021 due to the international public policy issues COVID-19 pandemic]. related to the Internet.
• We collaborate in a report 21 published in IProfesional site, • We take part in Página/12 on the Facial Recognition System newspaper’s report, “Las nuevas implemented by the City of estafas en forma de mensaje o Buenos Aires“. llamada” (New scams through messages or calls). 7 • Article in Télam Agency about 22 conmicarano.org.ar, a website • In the 2020 edition of the CPDP created by ADC dealing with conference, held in Brussels the impact of facial recognition between January 22nd and 24th, technology on people’s our executive director, Valeria fundamental rights. Milanés, speaks on the panel organized by EPIC (Electronic 8 Privacy Information Center), “Face • We join Privacy International surveillance: current status, in their letter to Google CEO future action”. Sundar Pichai, calling for greater privacy protection for Android users against pre- installed apps (bloatware) by smartphone manufacturers.
10 • After examining all applications submitted, we announce the lawyers appointed as fellows of LAC Fellowship’s 2nd edition.
3 29 • We launch ADC’s anniversary logo, accounting for 25 years of our institution, to appear in all our content and publications.
6 • Together with IFEXLAC, we condemn the Venezuelan government’s decision to prevent 31 the Inter-American Commission on • We join the request to the Human Rights (IACHR) from visiting Uruguayan government by CaInfo the country, emphasizing that this and Observacom, to reconsider means human rights violations go its draft emergency bill (Ley de unreported, denying victims any Urgente Consideración), since we chance of being heard. understand that it violates freedom of expression. • We also disapprove of the action taken by the Ecuatorian Telecommunications Regulation FEBRUARY Agency (Arcotel) on January 23, seeking to remove Radio Pichincha 3 Universal off the air, calling for an • We issue a new report, El futuro immediate reversal of the measure. de la regulación de plataformas en Argentina (The future of platform 14 regulation in Argentina), where • Having joined the Gender Equity we ponder on how events in 2019 Committee (GEC) of the Civil could impact on future debates Society Advisory Council to the around digital platforms in the Foreign Ministry (CSC), we attend domestic scene. its first meeting.
4 MARCH
2 • We participate in the Conference held by the Foreign Ministry’s Gender Equity Committee (GEC), “Hacia la CSW 64 en Nueva York” (Towards CSW 64 in New York).
3 • Our Fellowship program begins, with the concurrence of Paloma Lara Castro from Tedic (Paraguay) and Heloisa Massaro from Internet 4 Lab (Brazil). The main topic of the • We organize an event to present Legal Clinic is the link between due the 2nd edition of our report, criminal process and technology. ¿Quién defiende tus datos? (Who The task of these researchers Has Your Back?), assisted by the is to survey case law in Court Electronic Frontier Foundation Jurisprudence offices, such as the (EFF). This is a follow-up of our National Chamber of Appeals in activity initiated in 2017, in which Criminal and Correctional Matters we examined the commitments or the National Supreme Court assumed by companies to protect Library, during the month of user privacy and personal data. March. The mandatory general lockdown decided by the National 5 Government, in light of the • Articles in Urgente24 news site and COVID-19 pandemic, leads to IProfesional portal about ¿Quién suspension of the activities and defiende tus datos?. the return of the two researchers to their countries. The program 12 continues via online meetings and • We welcome colleagues from interviews with key actors, such as Privacy International in our offices, Pablo Casas, Judge of First Instance within their annual visit to ADC in the Criminal and Misdemeanor as a member organization of Court 10 of in the City of Buenos its global network. During their Aires, and Horacio Azzolin, head stay, we work on various issues of the Prosecution Specialized concerning threats to privacy Cyber Crime Unit. rights, sharing information, and approaches to coordinate joint actions. Among the problems
5 mentioned are technologies that 2019, with particular emphasis on collect information from online the regional initiative led by the accounts, the online advertising ADC in September that year. On and tracking industry, and digital that occasion, together with 17 social security programs. other civil society organizations, we urged intermediary Internet 13 platforms to deepen their efforts • We submit a report to the on increasing transparency in World Bank, responding to its political adverting, especially during call for comments on the election periods. “Principles on Identification for Sustainable Development”.
17 • We contribute in IproUP site report, “Lockdown online as well: is the government entitled “patrol” social media to detect those infringing it?”.
18 • Civil society and academic organizations that make up the AlSur consortium request governments of Latin America 27 and the Caribbean that digital • Together with IFEXALC, we technologies applied in the face of condemn the detention of the COVID-19 pandemic respect journalist Darvinson Rojas human rights. for giving #COVID19 infection
19 figures in the state of Miranda, • We confer with Judge Pablo Casas Venezuela, and we demand his within our Legal Clinic. immediate release.
24 31 • The Special Rapporteurship on • At ADC’s Legal Clinic, we talk Freedom of Expression (RELE) of with Horacio Azzolin, head of the Inter-American Commission the Specialized Cybercrime on Human Rights’ (IACHR) issues Prosecution Unit its Annual Report on Freedom of Expression in the Hemisphere for
6 APRIL
9 16 • Following statements by the • We release Publielectoral: una National Ministry of Security on herramienta en búsqueda de cyber-patrol tasks, we send a letter transparencia (Publielectoral: An to the Internal Security Committee Internet Tool for Transparency), of the Lower House providing basic our first data survey conducted guidelines to encourage a debate, during Phase 1 of the PubliElectoral which should be open, inclusive, project during Argentinian primary and transparent. and general 2019 elections. Drawing upon our research in 14 Technology and Democracy, and • We launch the first delivery of previous studies made on micro- the series, ADC en Casa (ADC at segmentation in social media Home), where we address the issue within elections, we analyzed of cyber-patrol and other aspects the campaign expenditure made concerning Internet surveillance. by different parties. For this, In this video, we talk to Vladimir we developed an open-source Chorny, a researcher with the program that processed the data Mexican organization R3D or collected, with the help of ad hoc Red en Defensa de los Derechos methods. The report presents Digitales (Network in Defense the qualitative and quantitative of Digital Rights). conclusions of our research.
7 reconocimientofacial.info 21 dedicated to inform on the regional • As members of the Civil situation concerning surveillance Society Advisory Council on the and biometrics. From ADC, we Information Society (CSISAC), we contribute to the project with participate in the virtual meetings information about Argentina. held by OECD’s Digital Economy Policy Committee. On this occasion, we make MAY contributions to the Working Party on Security and Privacy in the 1 Digital Economy, related to the • ADC, together with DeJusticia, specificity of children and teenage respond to an invitation from the activity on the Internet, within the Colombian Constitutional Court updating of the Recommendations to participate in the constitutional on the Protection of Children in the review of a presidential decree. Digital Environment. 4 22 • We participate in a talk organized • New article on our page, “Sobre by the La Plata Bar Association la necesidad de una ley para “Terms and conditions of social regular la investigación en fuentes platforms and networks. Impact on abiertas y redes sociales” (On the freedom of expression and the the need for a law to regulate right to privacy”. investigation in open sources and social networks), where we 6 share ADC’s position in the • We take part in a webinar discussion on cyber-patrol organized by BlackMantisSeg, initiated by the National Arsal Security, QTH Labs and Ministry of Safety. OSINTeame, where we explain the problems that emerge from 28 Internet surveillance by police and • We take part in a news report security forces. for the web page Chequeado: “Privacy versus health: one of the 7 issues about rights in times of • We publish a new article on our coronavirus”. page: “Consideraciones sobre la implementación de tecnologías 30 digitales como respuesta ante • Organization Derechos la COVID-19” (Considerations on Digitales launches its website the implementation of digital
8 technologies as a response to • We are interviewed on the radio COVID-19), where we underline program “De ahora en más” (From the necessity of an in-depth Now On, 95.1 Metro FM), where we discussion, founded on scientific talk about the Cuidar app. evidence, about the role that technology could play in the face 13 of a pandemic. In the analysis, we • ADC Executive Director Valeria also state that any implementation Milanes is interviewed on 89.3 of technology should be done Mission FM about the statement with transparency, without haste issued by the organization “Whole- and ensuring the participation of of-government approach as a society in its control. response to the pandemic”.
11 • Article in El Espectador about the • ADC releases the communiqué constitutional control done by ADC “Whole-of-government approach and De Justicia of decree 541, by as a response to the pandemic”, in which the Colombian government which we emphasize that the State, extends military service for three in the multiplicity and boldness extra months. of its institutional structure, is the ultimate guarantor of public 14 welfare during this crisis; the • We participate in a webinar checks and balances between organized by DARTECNIA “Vigilancia the three powers is vital for the masiva de personas y lucha contra maintenance of rule of law and the el COVID-19” (Massive surveillance exercise of citizenship. and the fight against COVID-19), where we discuss the role played by technology against #COVID19, technological “solutionism” and their impact on fundamental rights.
20 • Together with IFEXLAC, we reject the content of the Urgent Consideration Law drafted by the government of Uruguay.
9 21 del Fuego, and Córdoba City. A • Within the context of Global preliminary study focuses on how Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD the apps work, what permissions - May 21st), we launch our “PUEDA they request and what data they campaign – Por un entorno digital collect. Finally, we also raise accesible” (For an Accessible Digital concerns about the persistent Environment), initiative seeking to narrative of app use in response raise awareness of the importance to the health emergency and the accessible web experiences are increasing collection of sensitive for all, especially people with personal data. disabilities. Based on previous empirical studies, and with the • We take part in the public help of an interdisciplinary board consultation for Latin America of experts on the subject, the on the updating of the Santa campaign content is all designed Clara Principles on Transparency in accordance with accessibility and Accountability in Content standards. Moderation, organized by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
22 • We publish More Than Words - Seeking Consensus to Characterize Hate Speech, a comparative report on hate speech over the Internet. The study, which focuses on four Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Panama), addresses the phenomenon from a legal and social perspective. • Continuing with the analysis The former is aimed at identifying of the role of technology as the predominant conception of a response to the COVID-19 hate speech in the region. The pandemic, we analyze some of the latter seeks to reflect the way in apps promoted throughout the which groups habitually affected country, besides CuidAR, in our by attacks on the web experience article, “En caso de emergencia: such expressions, and how they descargue una app (In case of conceive them in the light of the emergency: download an app), In provisions offered by their legal the paper we review those offered systems. To this end, we conducted by Santa Fe, La Rioja, Jujuy, Tierra interviews with several people
10 JUNE to the lesbian collective. The report had the collaboration of the 2 organizations Coding Rights (Brazil), • We are interviewed on Radio Sulá Batsú (Costa Rica) Andina (Mendoza) to talk about the and IPANDETEC (Panama), who release of our campaign “PUEDA - were responsible for carrying Por Un Entorno Digita Accesible”. out the research in their During the program, we explain respective countries. why digital accessibility is a right and its importance in face of the isolation imposed by COVID-19.
• Article in Urgente24 site about our report, More than Words.
6 • We collaborate in a France 24 report about content moderation on platforms.
8 • Together with IFEXALC, we condemn Brazil’s blockade to 24 the right to information and • We participate in France 24 article journalistic activities. on COVID-19 apps in Latin America. • We are interviewed on Mdz Radio 28 to discuss the apps implemented • Reference to our during the COVID-19 pandemic campaign “#ConMiCaraNo” throughout the country. (#NotWithMyFace) and our activity against Facial Recognition in the 11 City of Buenos Aires, in the report • Interview on La Ley, on Rights and by Chequeado, “Video-vigilancia Technology amid the fight against en Buenos Aires: la otra cara #COVID-19. del control” (Video-surveillance in Buenos Aires: the other side • We participate in the 3rd edition of control). of a Virtual Talk organized by the Science and Technology
11 Committee of Paraguayan Lower House. During the meeting, we 26 discuss personal data protection • We present the “PUEDA campaign in Argentina. - Por un Entorno Digital Accesible”, at the event “Intercambio de 15 experiencias en tiempo de • Along with other organizations pandemia” (Experience exchange in and media, we endorse the call for times of pandemic), coordinated by international actors to demand that the Red de mujeres para la Justicia the Cuban government terminate (Network of Women Judges). On online surveillance against people this occasion, more than fifty who express their opinions and women from the Argentinian the persecution of journalists judiciary are briefed on the and activists. campaign activities, with the aim of contemplating joint action and 16 increasing awareness that web • We are consulted by American- accessibility is a right. based organization Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) in their study on facial recognition, sharing our experience in Argentina, particularly following its implementation in the City of Buenos Aires and in Tigre.
19 • Together with IFEXALC, we reject the criminalization of free expression in Porto Rico and demand the withdrawal of laws regulating “fake news”
24 29 • Together with IFEXALC, we • We release the second delivery denounce that measures taken of ADC en casa (ADC at Home), by the Salvadoran government dedicated to the International in the fight against COVID-19 Telecommunication Union (ITU). have created a violent and hostile In it, Alejandra Sebastián and environment against women Estefanía Vázquez, from the human rights defenders, which National University of hinders their activity. La Plata (UNLP), together with
12 our researchers Marianela Milanes and Sara Soubelet, share JULY their experiences.
1 • We disseminate our interview given to Privacy International, in which we discussed campaign spending on the Internet and social media.
8 • On the eve of another anniversary of the organization, its current president, Hernán Gullco, writes an article titled “25 years of ADC” on our website. • Within the “PUEDA” campaign, ADC participates in the Board of 10 People with Disabilities, organized • We take part in a talk on State by RED, Red de empresas por la and ICTs, chaired by journalist diversidad (Network of Companies Martiniano Nemirovsci, on day 3 of for Diversity) belonging to Torcuato Tensión en la RED (Tension on the Di Tella University and formed Net), third edition. by more than sixty Argentinian companies. In this meeting, we 14 - 15 argue that non-accessible websites • We attend a consultation for violate of the rights of people Latin America done by Article19 with disabilities. on freedom of expression and elections. The hearing takes place • We conduct internal training within the project presented by sessions on Business and Human this organization, as part of the Rights, to deepen ADC staff’s updating of 1994 document, knowledge and skills. Principios para la transmisión de elecciones (Guidelines for Election Broadcasting), considering the role played by emerging technologies and mass media within election periods. The meeting gathers specialists in elections and technologies from across Latin
13 20 America, to identify areas of • We participate in the event consensus, as well as others “Desafíos de la Integridad de demanding further research la Información” (Challenges of and discussion. Information Integrity) developed by NDI Colombia and Democracia 15 en Red. The aim is to bring a group • We submit a request for public of civil society organizations, information to the Ministries of working on issues of democracy Education and Interior, around the and technology at a regional level, details of the agreement signed together with institutional actors with the National Inter-University sensitive to the issue, to evaluate Council for validation of student the impact and challenges of identity through facial recognition. misinformation in democracy, and make policy recommendations. • On the tenth anniversary of the enactment of Equal Marriage law, • We take part in a virtual meeting we commemorate such event, organized by the Secretary of which resulted from a process in Public Sector Innovation to which ADC had active participation announce the publication of the Cuidar app code in GitHub. 16 • Mention to the request for public 24 information submitted to the • Together with other civil National Ministry of Education in society organizations and experts, an Infobae article. In such petition, we back the appeal to Mexico’s we solicit details of the agreement National Human Rights Committee signed and the technology to to challenge the constitutionality be implemented for student of the T-MEC intellectual property identification during online exams, laws implemented by Mexican Congress. 17 • We collaborate in an article issued • Within our “PUEDA” campaign, by La Nación newspaper, about we present our study, El acceso the use of facial recognition to a los servicios de la información verify student identity: “For doing y la comunicación y las personas their exams, students from public con discapacidad (Persons with universities must validate their disabilities and access to identity with facial recognition”. information and communication services) to the Disability Office and other areas of the City of
14 Buenos Aires Magistrate Council. Special Rapporteur for Freedom In addition, we reflect on digital of Expression. accessibility and its impact on work environments. 14 • We publish policy paper La lucha contra la Discriminación en Argentina: una aproximación al entorno digital (The fight against discrimination in Argentina: an approach to the digital realm). We believe that INADI’s call for civil society to develop a new National Plan against Discrimination (June 2020) will offer a great opportunity for debate, for which we have elaborated a series of primary considerations on the digital environment, potentially useful for • In the context of our project anyone seeking to inquire its link ¿Quién defiende tus datos? (Who with discrimination. In this first Has Your Back?), we participate in issue, we present a brief outline a meeting with Telefónica España on the subject. (Spanish Telephone Company) and its domestic branches in several Latin American countries, together with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and other organizations carrying out the project locally. During the reunion, we discuss Telefónica’s policies for transparency and accountability, regarding the use of its customers’ personal data.
AUGUST
4 19 • Together with IFEXALC and other • We take part in a conversation civil society organizations, we give about the “CFK vs. Google” case a welcome to Irene Khan as new and the impact on freedom of
15 expression in the digital sphere. Bank ID4D project team. In line The activity is organized by with the document sent on the Observacom and Access Now Bank’s call for public consultation and includes other civil society in March, ADC strengthens its organizations and academia. advocacy on the impact of digital identity initiatives on fundamental • We are interviewed in Radio rights, particularly concerning Andina, from Mendoza, to discuss biometric technology, digital how online advertising is familiar accessibility, and personal with our interests and can data protection. anticipate our purchase intentions. 25 • We collaborate in an article in • We contribute to an article in Anfibiamagazine, “TikTok: el baile Perfil.comnews site, on how the por la dominación digital global” Right to be Forgotten (or Right to (TikTok: a dance for global Oblivion) impacts on f digital domination). reedom of expression.
18 28 • The report Visibilidade Sapatão • We begin to release the series of Nas Redes: Entre Violência e articles subsequent to our study, Solidariedade (Lesbian Visibility on More than Words on our website. In Networks: between Violence and it, we discuss the challenges of the Solidarity) by Coding Rights (Brazil) online civic space. Our first delivery is published, with ADC’s assistance. features a brief analysis on the role of haters, bots, and trolls in 21 connection with the right • Virtual meeting with authorities to anonymity. of the Argentinian House of Representatives’ Modernization Division, around the 2020 agenda of the Red de Parlamento Abierto (Open Parliament Network).
24 • We participate in a private consultation on the “Principles of Ownership for Sustainable Development”, organized by Access Now, OSJI and Namati, with the aim of talking directly with the World
16 • Interview in the program “Alerta Southern Cone region), carried out Spoiler” in La Izquierda Diario by the Observatory and ADC, in news site, where we discuss the working group “Construcciones internet regulation sociales de la (dis)capacidad: cuerpo, salud y ciudadanía” (Social constructions of (dis)ability: body, SEPTEMBER health and citizenship).
2 • In the report titled Regulating biometrics, the AI Now Institute refers to ADC’s litigation against facial recognition technology implemented in the city of Buenos Aires.
4 • ADC presents the campaign “PUEDA - Por un Entorno Digital Accesible” at the XIV Meeting of Interdisciplinary Debate on 8 Health and Population, organized • A- In early September, by the Health and Population Fundación Karisma organizes Department of the Gino Germani an online workshop, “Políticas Research Institute in the School de ciberseguridad con enfoque of Social Sciences of Buenos en derechos humanos” (Cyber- Aires University (UBA). Gabriela security policies from a Human Toledo, member of the University Rights perspective) aiming to of Quilmes Disability Observatory provide knowledge and skills to and PUEDA’s collaboration table, counterbalance the narrative held exhibits the process and results by several states that the Internet of her research, El acceso a los is a security problem that must be Servicios de la Información y la controlled and restricted. Comunicación y las Personas con Discapacidad - Un estudio • ADC participates in Module 3, exploratorio realizado en la región Derechos Humanos y Ciberseguridad: del Cono Sur (Access to Information la pareja perfecta (Human Rights and Communication Services and Cybersecurity: The Perfect and People with Disabilities: an Pair), explaining the difference exploratory study conducted in the between “data protection”,
17 “cybersecurity” and “cybercrime”, to discuss new developments in the approach to the right to privacy cybersecurity policies among civil within digital security policies and society organizations and public some examples of Internet and private decision makers. ADC surveillance techniques. contributes with its experience in this field in Argentina and Latin 16 America. In our presentation, we • Along with other civil society express some of our concerns, organizations, we are invited to such as the fact that government a meeting held by the National prioritizes fighting cybercrime Election Court, to discuss aspects instead of cybersecurity policies concerning the Argentinian that build capacity to prevent and elections scheduled for August mitigate incidents. We mention the and October 2021. ADC refers persecution of computer security specifically to freedom of researchers and the need to create expression, online misinformation, organizations like the European and political advertising in social Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) media. Following the event, we in our region. submit a written statement dealing with social networks, elections, and 18 transparency to the authorities of • We publish the article Avanza such Court, on October 22. la regulación del reconocimiento facial (Regulation of Facial 17 Recognition Moves Forward) in • SA project to reform the law our page, where we explain why of the Integrated Public Safety legitimizing the facial recognition System is discussed in the Buenos system introduced by the City of Aires City Legislature, in order Buenos Aires is an ill-advised and to introduce Facial Recognition troublesome decision. technology. In the meeting of the Safety Committee, ADC’s 21 document, “Facial recognition does • Eulogy to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, not belong to the public space” was the emblematic judge of the US read, among other presentations. Supreme Court, who died on September 18, 2020. The column • EU Cyber Direct, a project run by was authored by ADC’s vice the EU Institute for Security Studies, president, Alejandro Carrió, and the German Marshall Fund of the published on our website. United States and the Stiftung Neue Verantwortung, organizes the Civil Society Cyber Forum,
18 22 28 • We collaborate with the Electronic • On the International Day of Frontier Foundation (EFF) in the Universal Access to Information, Argentinian chapter of the new we join the IFEX-ALC campaign on report series, El estado de las leyes disinformation, encouraging users de privacidad en las comunicaciones of messaging services and social en Latam y España (The state of media to think critically and check communications privacy laws in out questionable content before Latin America and Spain). sharing it.
23 • We take part in the Inter- • In partnership with Derechos American Commission on Human Digitales, we launch PubliElectoral, Rights (IACHR)’s meeting with the an app for Android devices that Inter-American civil society, within detects and analyzes political its 177th Session. We speak about ads for the Chilean National the criminalization of online speech Referendum of October 25, 2020. and the use of cyber-patrol to From September 23rd, citizens of monitor networks in Argentina. that country download the tool from the webpage publielectoral.lat • The office of the Special on their phones and participate in Rapporteur on Freedom of the initiative. Expression of the IACHR publishes its report,” Right to Information and National Security”. ADC has contributed to the document with information on the situation in Argentina.
29 • First meeting of the webinar series sponsored by the Ibero- American Data Protection Network (RIPD)’s Civil Society Forum (FSC). The event, entitled “Aportes de la Sociedad Civil a la protección de datos personales” (Civil Society Contributions to the Protection of Personal Data), includes interventions by Lía Hernández Pérez (IPANDETEC), Kemly Camacho (Sulá Batsú Cooperative)
19 and Eduardo Ferreyra (ADC) • Together with IFEX-ALC, The gathering serves as a formal we express concern about the presentation of the Forum and content of Nicaragua’s Special provides an instance for member Cybercrime Law. organizations to raise their main concerns about personal data protection in the region. OCTOBER
1 • We publish the second of our articles following the document, More than words in our webpage. On this occasion, we focus on hate speech and content moderation.
2 • We attend IFEX-ALC virtual meeting on “Safety of Journalists”. The main purpose is for members to share lessons learned and good practices, in relation to their activity • We participate in an online on the subject. session of the Gender Equity Group belonging to the Foreign 6 Ministry’s CCSC (Consultative Civil • Within the 3rd Annual Conference Society Council), on “Civil society on Transparency and Freedom advocacy to guarantee rights. The of Information, organized by Convention on the Elimination of Universidad del Pacífico Law School Discrimination against Women (Peru), ADC associate researcher (CEDAW)’s follow-up”. Natalia Zuazo joins the panel dealing with “The use of personal • We attend a private meeting with data during election campaigns”. the creators of documentaries During her presentation, she Coded Bias and The Social Dilemma, exposes the results of the organized by Ford Foundation and “PubliElectoral 1” project, and the Omidyar Network, to discuss the plans devised for “PubliElectoral 2”. impact of the issues addressed in those films. • From October 6th to 8th we participate in the closed workshop, “Safeguarding Digital
20 Rights Amidst Covid-19 Through • We are interviewed in FM Metro Strategic Litigation on AI”, 95.1, to talk about the report More organized by Digital Freedom than Words. Fund. The meeting brings various civil society organizations from 14 Europe, America, Asia, and Africa • We hold a press event to launch together. During the three- Quiero Mis Datos (I want my data), day activity, participants share where we provide a live demo information on case studies and of the web application, together several technological initiatives with an explanation of the context implemented in response to the that makes it a great opportunity pandemic in their respective to strengthen the data privacy countries. In addition, possible ecosystem in Argentina. strategies for promoting greater transparency, usage of public • Report in La Nación newspaper information request mechanisms, about Quiero Mis Datos. and considerations for developing litigation strategies were discussed. • We talk on Radio Andina about Quiero Mis Datos. 9 - We contribute to an article in El • Article in iProfesional about País newspaper (Spaiin) “Human Quiero Mis Datos, titled, “¿Sabés Rights Watch denounces that qué información guardan las Argentina puts up information of empresas de vos? Una nueva minors accused of crimes online. aplicación te ayuda an averiguarlo” (Do you know what information 13 companies have about you? A new • We expose in the webinar application helps you find out”. “Inclusive processes in the development of cyber policies”, organized by Global Partners Digital (GPD) and ISOC Cybersecurity SIG. During the session we refer to the advantage of cross-sectional approaches in cyber policy debates, and how the participation of different actors can promote a free, open, inclusive, and safe cyberspace which spurs economic growth.
21 15 19 • We participate in the consultation • The third delivery of our ADC made by the World Health en Casa (ADC at Home) series is Organization for the development released, dedicated to the issue of ethical guidelines and artificial of Hate Speech: What is it? How intelligence (AI) governance for does it appear in the digital realm? the provision of health services. How can it be approached and During the event, the draft on the fought? In the submission, ADC principles for ethical use of AI in researchers Eduardo Ferreyra and medicine and the risks posed by its Marianela Milanes, along with Paz use were discussed. Peña - founder and coordinator of Acoso Online- confer on • The Province of Buenos Aires the subject. House of Representatives declares the “PUEDA - Por Un Entorno Digital Accesible” campaign (decree 2066 / 20-21) of legislative interest, for its effort and commitment to shedding light on the issue of digital accessibility, and its importance to the exercise of fundamental rights.
16 • We collaborate in the cover story of Clarín “Viva” magazine on the Right to be Forgotten (or Right to Oblivion). • We submit recommendations to the open consultation called by the National Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity, for the new Equality and Diversity Action Plan (Plan de Igualdad en la Diversidad) of 2021-2023. Our contribution on the digital inclusion of women, LGTBIQ+ people, and persons with disabilities, is founded on the existence of gender inequalities
22 in the access, use and in the digital del Mercosur” (Contribution creation of content and new to the development of a Human digital technologies. Rights agenda in the Mercosur digital realm), in which, drawing Oct 20 al Nov 6 upon our activity in the field, we • We participate in the XXXVI propose a minimum number of Meeting of High Authorities on items to be considered: Human Rights of MERCOSUR (RAADH), held from October 20 to - Gender, diversity, and inclusion in November 6 in virtual mode. digital technologies Organized by the Uruguayan Pro - Cybersecurity, Business and Tempore Presidency of MERCOSUR, HHRR. the event allows us to intervene - Privacy and surveillance in the sessions of the various technologies Permanent Committees, presenting - Freedom of expression and digital our national and international work platforms on Human Rights and Information - Children, adolescents, and the and Communication Technologies digital world (ICTs). Throughout the RAADH, - Personal data protection we contribute to the following - People with disabilities and their committees: Human Rights; inclusion in the digital environment Communications; Lesbian, Gay, - Older adults and accessible digital Trans, Bisexual and Intersex People environments (LGTBI); Discrimination, Racism and Xenophobia; People with Disabilities; Education and Culture in Human Rights; Older Adults and the Niñ@Sur Initiative. In each of these instances, we share issues of importance which, in our opinion and based on our track record and experience, should be considered and/or gradually addressed by the High Authorities on Human Rights of Mercosur through their Permanent Committees. Finally, on November 6, within the Plenary Meeting, we submit the document, “Contribución para el desarrollo de una agenda de derechos humanos en materia
23 21 • We send our inputs and 22 recommendations to INADI’s call • Following our participation in for discussion of the new Plan the meeting held in September Nacional contra la Discriminación between the Cámara Nacional (National Plan against Electoral (CNE – National Election Discrimination) 2022-2025. We Court) and various CSOs to consider that the action of updating communicate concerns about the the plan is a great opportunity upcoming elections, we send our to begin to identify, analyze and contribution on the protection debate in depth on the situations of the online civic space and of discrimination that may arise in transparency in advertising on the Internet ecosystem, and how social media, in the face of the they can be prevented, eradicated, 2021 legislative elections. and repaired. We base our contribution on the digital inclusion of women, LGTBIQ+ people 23 and persons with disabilities, • Together with IPANDETEC considering the gender gap in the (Panama), we exhibit the results access, use and creation of content, of our report More than Words to and new digital technologies; and more than 40 Bolivian civil society the need for wide participation of organizations. The presentation the many sectors involved in digital is made thanks to the Digital governance. Inclusion initiative of the Bolivian- based FUNDEPCO (Fundación • Together with other civil society para el Desarrollo Participativo y organizations, we request Buenos Comunitario), by whom we were Aires Legislature to reject the contacted due to their interest in project that legitimizes Facial our study. Recognition, and to ban its use 27 • We join IFEX-ALC, in rejecting the • ADC executive director, Valeria acts of intimidation carried out by Milanes, participates in the the Colombian Attorney General’s presentation of the proposal Office against the Fundación “Regulación de las grandes para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP plataformas: estándares para - Foundation for Freedom of the proteger la libertad de expresión Press) and demand that Colombian en internet” (Regulation of large authorities ensure respect for the platforms: standards to protect work of organizations that defend freedom of expression on the free expression. Internet), a document that provides
24 a Latin American perspective en América Latina” (Links between to achieve content moderation social networking companies and processes compatible with civil society in Latin America), international human organized by the Centro de rights standards. Estudios en Tecnología y Sociedad (CETyS - Center for the Study of In her presentation, Milanés Technology and Society). The event emphasizes the need for Latin includes the presentation of a America to have its own voice on working paper that compiles the the subject, since “the Global North experience of 17 organizations and Global South discussions that regularly interact with social always lead us to a position of networking companies (Facebook, diffusion, losing particular traits Twitter, YouTube) in Latin America. and idiosyncrasies of the region”. Del encuentro, forman parte It is also pointed out that ADC has también Pedro Vaca (Relator endorsed the initiative from a stage Especial para la Libertad de prior to the submission of the text Expresión de la Comisión and that “due to the development Interamericana de Derechos of the issue in Argentina, and as Humanos), Guilherme Canela an ingredient of our institutional (Consejero de la UNESCO en strategy in this regard, we are Comunicación e Información producing our own documents, para el Mercosur, Chile y países considering the particularities of andinos), Paulina Gutiérrez (Artigo the issue in the country”. 19), Javier Pallero (Access Now) y Marianne Díaz (Derechos Digitales) • • We hold our second meeting of the webinar series organized by the Civil Society Forum (FSC) of the Ibero-American Data Protection Network (RIPD). The event, entitled “Experiencias nacionales de defensa de la protección de datos personales” (Domestic experiences in the defense of personal data protection), was moderated by Eduardo Ferreyra (ADC) and included the participation of Danny • We take part in the workshop, Rayman (director of Fundación “Vínculos entre empresas de Datos Protegidos - Chile), redes sociales y la sociedad civil
25 Maricarmen Sequera (executive authorities respect and guarantee director of TEDIC - Paraguay) and the right to free speech. Rafael Zanatta (director of Data Privacy - Brazil). 6 • Our third follow-up article to the study More than Words: Seeking Consensus to Characterize Hate Speech is released on our page, on the challenges of the online civic space. The paper, titled “Otra cara de la discriminación: publicidad en redes sociales” (Another face of discrimination: advertising in social networks) was created together with the Panamanian organization IPANDETEC. The central theme of
- We are interviewed in the this paper is the way advertising on program Aire de sábado (Saturday digital platforms works, especially Atmosphere) on FM de las social media, and its possible Misiones, about our web app effects in terms of discrimination. Quiero Mis Datos.
• We are interviewed in the program Un tiempo más (A Little More Time), on FM Metro 95.1, to talk about our web app Quiero Mis Datos.
NOVEMBER
3 • Together with IFEX-ALC, we condemn the arbitrary detention 9 of journalists Miriam Grizel • We submit our input to the draft and Cesario Padilla, members General Comment on the Rights of the Committee for Freedom of Children and Adolescents in of Expression in Tegucigalpa, relation to the Digital Environment, Honduras. We demand the to the Committee on the Rights
26 of the Child (CRC). The document revised. For a more effective reach, focuses particularly on the we also issue an abridgement protection of the right to non- of the document, in which we discrimination, freedom of speech, summarize its main points. the right to privacy, personal data protection, freedom of association and assembly, and the right to education, among others.
10 • We attend the Tercer Foro Debate de Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil de la CABA: “Hacia un nuevo Plan contra la Discriminación” (Third Debate Forum of Civil Society Organizations of Buenos Aires City: Towards a New Plan against Discrimination), organized by INADI (National Institute against 13 Discrimination, Xenophobia and • Article in La Nación newspaper Racism). We take the opportunity about our report Reforma Judicial to summarize previously sent (Judicial Reform): “Asociación por contributions, where we consider los Derechos Civiles issues critical that the action of updating this document to the reform of the Plan for the period 2022-2025 is a judiciary put forward by President great chance for all sectors to begin Alberto Fernández”. to identify, analyze and discuss in depth what sorts of discrimination 14 may occur on the Internet and how • We collaborate with other we can prevent, eradicate, and organizations in the production of repair them. AlSur Consortium’s contribution to the draft General Comment on the 12 Rights of Children and Adolescents • We disclose our report on the in relation to the digital Judicial Reform, in which we intend environment. On this occasion, we to reflect on the draft law on the provide information on Argentina. Organization of Federal Justice and Decree 635/2020, as well as pointing out those items of the proposal that we believe should be
27 accessible audiovisual display, both in terms of design and message.
16 • We sign a joint statement - together with 42 consumer and digital rights organizations - 17 addressed to all countries involved • Together with CIPPEC and ACIJ in the negotiations on e-commerce (Civil Association for Equality and held at the WTO (World Trade Justice), we issue a communiqué Organization), urging them to on the challenges of the Judicial put citizens at the center of the Reform in Argentina. agreement and preserve people’s 18 privacy rights and data protection. • Within the seminar Mujeres que se encuentran en la sede del y Ciberseguridad (Women and Movimiento San Isidro desde el Cybersecurity), organized by the 16/11 en demanda de la liberación National Cybersecurity Agency’s del músico Denis Solís González. program called Punto Digital, we speak in the video conference • We release the video “¿Por on “Gender gap, access and qué la accesibilidad digital es un teleworking”. derecho?” (Why Digital Accessibility is a Right) belonging to our • Article in Infobae site about the “PUEDA campaign”. The content is document issued by ADC, ACIJ produced in conjunction with the and CIPPEC on the consensus and collaboration table assisting in the challenges for Judicial Reform in campaign. Its objective is to shed Argentina. light on how important access to the digital world is for all people, 20 including those with disabilities or • Together with ACIJ, CELS (Center low digital literacy, all this through for Legal and Social Studies), INECIP
28 (Institute of Comparative Studies Remolina Angarita (Delegate in Criminal and Social Sciences), Superintendent of Personal Data Fundación Poder Ciudadano Protection in Colombia). (Citizen Power) and the Unión de Usuarios y Consumidores (Users and Consumers Union), we submit a letter to the members of the National Council of the Magistracy, on the urgency of changing the way in which public competitions for judges are conducted.
23 • We lecture on personal data protection in the digital rights clinic led by TEDIC at the National University of Asunción. 27 24 • We announce the appointment • Together with the Master’s ADC’s new authorities for the Degree in General Data Protection period 2020-2024. Regulation of the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia • Together with IFEXALC, we urge (UNED – Distance Education Cuban authorities to fulfil their University - Spain) and the obligation to preserve the life, assistance of the Spanish Data health, and safety of the 14 activists Protection Agency, we hold the arrested at the headquarters third and last meeting of the of the Movimiento San Isidro webinar cycle led by the Civil headquarters on November 16, Society Forum (FSC) of the Ibero- demanding the release of musician American Data Protection Denis Solis Gonzalez. Network (RIPD). The webinar is entitled “Covid-19 y la protección de datos personales” (Covid-19 DECEMBER and the protection of personal data) and moderated by ADC. Its 2 guest speakers are Dilmar Villena • Members of the “PUEDA” (legal coordinator of Hiperderecho, collaboration table are interviewed Peru), Dolores Dozo (Personal Data on Radio Andina, Mendoza, within Protection Expert) and Nelson the webinar “#TICsAccesibles -
29 Pensar Entornos Digitales en Clave subtitling, and sign language de Accesibilidad”, (Accessible ICTs interpreters from Argentina, Chile, – Conceiving Accessible Digital and Uruguay. It was attended Environments) organized as part of by more than 400 people from the campaign. different parts of the region.
3 • We participate in the virtual consultation organized by CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) to discuss their next report on how human rights could be affected by the creation, implementation, and sale of facial recognition technology by private companies.
• Together with the IFEXALC network, we condemn the arbitrary detention of journalists Miriam 7 and 10 Grizel and Cesario Padilla, • We submit comments to members of the Committee for Facebook’s Oversight Board, on two Free Expression of Honduras, on of the first cases subject to content November 2 in Tegucigalpa. removal. The issues addressed are adult nudity images and threats to 4 public figures. • Within our campaign “PUEDA - Por Un Entorno Digital Accesible”, we 9 and 10 organize webinar “#TICsAccesibles • ADC team actively participates in Pensar Entornos Digitales en Clave various sessions of the 22nd EU de Accesibilidad” (Accessible ICTs: NGO Human Rights Forum, held in Conceiving Digital Environments virtual mode. We also provide input in Terms of Accessibility). Valeria based on the experience of our Milanes, Executive Director of ADC, activities at domestic, regional, and opens the meeting, after which international levels. disability experts and members This 2020 edition of the Forum, of the campaign collaboration entitled “The Impact of New table reflect on the issue. The Technologies on Human Rights”, online event is developed with brings together civil society accessibility standards, providing organizations from all over the instructions for connection, world to discuss four guiding
30 themes: fundamental freedoms in the digital realm; business and human rights in the technology industry; privacy and surveillance; and opportunities/risks in artificial intelligence developments.
10 • After eleven years of the Office remaining vacant, ADC and other civil society organizations call for immediate appointment of a qualified and independent National Ombudsman, proactive in the 14 defense of basic rights and selected • We submit our contribution to through open, transparent, and the draft of the second additional participatory procedure. protocol to the Budapest To this end, we request jointly, Convention on Cybercrime before judicial courts and to the authorities of the National • We send our input for the Congress and the Chief of Staff, to elaboration of the City of Buenos initiate the process. Aires’ Artificial Intelligence Plan with a human rights approach. • Article in Diario Judicial about Between November 5 and the request that we made, December 17, we participate in together with other civil society the various working meetings, organizations, to Congress and where the different core aspects the Chef de Cabinet to take of the project are discussed. the necessary steps for the The submission deepens our appointment of an Ombudsman. perspective on addressing the development of artificial 11 intelligence systems in a • Within IGF Argentina 2020, manner that does not affect our executive director, Valeria fundamental rights. Milanes, collaborates in the panel “Gobernanza: algoritmos e 15 inteligencia artificial” (Governance: • We present the guide, ¿Cómo algorithms and artificial implementar la debida diligencia en intelligence). which is moderated derechos humanos en el desarrollo by Olga Cavalli (ARGENSIG). de tecnología? (How to implement human rights due diligence in
31 technology development) oriented • In March 2020 we participated in to companies, SMEs and anyone the World Bank’s call for feedback dedicated to creating technology. on the “Principles for Ownership The main focus of the document for Sustainable Development”. is to assist in the identification Following up on that action, in mid- of the risks that technological year we were part of a group of development may pose to the civil society organizations (CSOs) right to individual privacy, whether that met again with the World Bank directly, through the use of such for a more detailed discussion on technology, or indirectly as a the role of the Principles and the result of the use of a third party. In Supporting Organizations. As a addition, it seeks to provide tools result of the latter consultation, we for its proper management. produced a joint report that brings together the main arguments on the risks that digital identification systems pose to human rights. Similarly, we make a set of recommendations and follow- up steps to broaden civil society participation in the discussions over identification systems.
18 • The fourth and last article of the series that derive from the report More than Words is published on our webpage. On this occasion, we 17 recap on one of the most valuable • In our webpage, we publish an resources to prevent aggressions, article pondering the effects of situations of discrimination and the Supreme Court’s ruling on violence online: digital security. the situation of judges Leopoldo Bruglia and Pablo Bertuzzi within 22 the project of Judicial Reform. • We present the study, En caso de emergencia: descargue una app (II) • Civil society organizations (In case of emergency: download promote full incorporation an app), where we further of human rights standards elaborate on the technical analysis on the display of digital of the main mobile apps used in identification systems Argentina against the COVID-19
32 pandemic: Cuidar, at a national level; the applications implemented in Salta, Santa Fe, La Rioja, Jujuy and Tierra del Fuego at a provincial level, and in the City of Córdoba at a municipal level.
• La Nación Data publishes an extensive report dealing with our study, “In case of emergency, download an app (II)”.
* * *
33 Communication
In a year dominated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, ADC has faced and creatively got round the task of reaching out with the numerous posts, contributions and materials created by the organization in an unprecedented context.
In the media
We significantly increased the number of interviews given, participations and mentions, from 45 to 80 compared to 2019. Media such as El País (Spain), Infobae, La Nación, Página/12, Clarín, FM Metro 95.1, Agencia Télam, Perfil. France 24 and La Ley, among others, gave us space and collaborated in the dissemination of ADC’s activity.
Web and networks
Throughout the year, our web page (Spanish-English) worked at a steady rate of publication, with around eighty posts. Articles, contributions to international forums, webinars, studies, reports, and the many participations of different members of our team were the subject of the texts. In quite a few of them, ad hoc designs enriching the content were added, increasing our visibility in subsequent releases.
We also continued with the strategic decision to have landing pages dedicated to topics and projects that, due to their specificity, require a particular place to streamline and reach out with their content. To those already created during 2019 (Accesibilidad Digital, Con Mi Cara No and PubliElectoral) we added quieromisdatos.adc.org.ar this year.
In terms of metrics, on Twitter, we ended the year surpassing the number of interactions yielded in 2019, totaling 21,427, which means an increase of almost 30 percent. Similarly, on Instagram, where we are progressively building community, the main highlight is that we increased our total number of publications by 40 percent. Newsletters and bulletins
Since its first release in Sept 2018, ADC newsletter has become an increasingly essential tool for the dissemination the activity carried out by the institution. It is currently sent monthly to more than 3,800 subscribers, including journalists, academics, and civil society referents, among others.
On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that during 2020 we were able to increase the number of newsletters and press releases, highlighting the publication of several reports, the beginning of the PUEDA - Por Un Entorno Digital Accesible campaign and its subsequent webinar, or the launch of PubliElectoral in Latin America. PUEDA campaign: technology, communication, and diversity
During 2020, ADC started its PUEDA - Por Un Entorno Digital Accesible campaign, a comprehensive communication initiative that seeks to visibilize the importance of digital accessibility through different actions. Today, with the spread of digital technologies to almost all daily tasks, furtherly enhanced by the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a priority to ensure that all persons can access websites, applications, and digital content independently.
The great challenge set to ourselves was to raise awareness that web accessibility is a right, through videos, graphic pieces, articles, reports and virtual presentations that adopt accessibility standards, both in their design and development, as well as in their message. This major achievement, supported by an interdisciplinary collaboration committee of experts in the subject, involved rethinking, reflecting, and researching on the different ways to reach out with our idea to a wide range of recipients.
As a result of this itinerary, we concluded the first year of the campaign with a variety of contents published in different media for different audiences, the forthcoming Practical Guide for Creating Accessible Products in the Digital Environment among them. In turn, the knowledge acquired was applied to ADC’s general communication pattern, since we consider that digital accessibility must be cross-sectional to the entire organization.
This decision allows us to expand our scope, reaching more people with our content, while advocating for a fundamental right that enables the enjoyment of so many others, such as access to education, information, self-determination, culture, and a better quality of life. PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS
We are able to carry out our activities thanks to the support of the following institutions: