Representatives of the Metamorphosis Foundation are participating in the Internet Freedom Summit organized by the American Bar Association Rule of Law (ABA ROLI) taking place in Struga, from June 24 to 28, 2024.
Within the framework of the Summit, 15 discussions are organized in the form of panel discussions, workshops, and presentations that provide space for discussion and information on current processes and challenges related to digital services, protection of women’s digital integrity, digital rights, ethical standards for regulating artificial intelligence, the impact of new technologies on human rights on the Internet, digital equality, protection of personal data and privacy, freedom of expression on the Internet, etc. The event is attended by about 40 representatives of civil society, public institutions, media outlets, human rights activists, academia, digital rights experts, etc. from North Macedonia, Serbia, Moldova, and Romania.
The public part of the Summit opened with a panel discussion on the implementation of the European Union’s Digital Services Act and its impact on the South East region. The Digital Services Act upholds the principle that actions that are considered illegal in person should be equally prohibited online, placing significant obligations on online platforms and mechanisms to protect the fundamental rights of users. However, the effective implementation of this law requires significant efforts from EU countries, in particular in establishing robust mechanisms and in particular through the appointment of a Digital Services Coordinator. Through this panel discussion, speakers presented different approaches to implementing this law, with insights from Romania’s experiences, Germany’s innovative multi-stakeholder model and the perspectives of Balkan countries as they prepare to comply with this law, such as North Macedonia and Serbia.
Speakers at the panel discussion were Bogdan Manolea from the Association for Technology and Internet (Romania), Emily Wright from Partners for Democratic Change (Serbia), and Mila Josifovska Danilovska from the Metamorphosis Foundation (North Macedonia), along with moderator Milica Tosic from Partners for Democratic Change (Serbia).
When asked what the system that will support resolving issues related to the Digital Services Act should look like, Josifovska Danilovska said that a multi-sectoral approach is needed to create an ecosystem with multiple stakeholders that, in addition to state institutions, will also include civil society, academic institutions, and the private sector. “Civil society, academic institutions, and the private sector contribute with specialized knowledge on data management, privacy, transparency, media regulation, and technology. Their involvement is crucial for innovative solutions to the challenges related to the Digital Services Act, promoting responsible data sharing, protecting individual rights, and encouraging digital innovation.”
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