The Right to Privacy in the Digital Age

Completed in May 2016

The digital age offers unique opportunities to strengthen human rights implementation and monitoring and has transformed the means through which human rights are exercised. Equally, the digital age poses unique challenges in ensuring that states and businesses respect and protect our rights in the digital forum. The full extent of the human rights implications of the digital age remains unknown.

This project aimed at examining the international human rights law framework in relation to the right to privacy, and identifying challenges raised by modern communication technologies; examining the extent to which domestic and extraterritorial surveillance may infringe an individual’s right to privacy; and identifying ways forward to ensure the protection and promotion of the right to privacy.

Research Team

This research project was carried out by Alice Priddy, former researcher at the Academy.

OUTPUT

In 2014, in partnership with the Permanent Missions of Austria, Brazil, Germany, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Norway, and Switzerland, the Geneva Academy hosted the experts meeting ‘The Right to Privacy in the Digital Age’.

The meeting was held to: examine the international human rights law framework in relation to the right to privacy, and identify challenges raised by modern communication technologies; foster understanding of how the right to privacy is implemented by governments, as well as the private sector and civil society; examine the extent to which domestic and extraterritorial surveillance may infringe an individual’s right to privacy; and identify ways forward to ensure the protection and promotion of the right to privacy.

 

Past Events

Right On: Contact Tracing and Challenges to Privacy

6 May 2020, 15:00-16:30

Read more >

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

News

New Working Paper Explores AI for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

30 January 2025

A new working paper, 'AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring', has been published by the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

Read more

GHRP Diplomat Training News

Strengthening Diplomacy: GHRP Training Course Enhances Engagement with UN Human Rights

5 February 2025

The GHRP’s annual training equipped 19 diplomats with key insights into the UN Human Rights Council’s mechanisms and multilateral processes.

Read more

Portrait of Ambassador Jürg Lauber Event

Opening Lecture by Ambassador Jürg Lauber

19 February 2025, 18:00-21:00

The opening lecture of the 2025 Spring Semester will be given by Ambassador Jürg Lauber, President of the Human Rights Council and the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations.

Read more

Portrait of Alain Berset Event

Le Conseil de l'Europe - Une mission-clé pour l'Europe et le monde

24 February 2025, 18:00-19:30

In this public lecture Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, will discuss with our director, Paola Gaeta and students from the Geneva Graduate Institute, University of Geneva and Geneva Academy.

Read more

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Booklet Training

The International Human Rights Standards and System: Monitoring and Implementation Strategies at the National Level

7-11 July 2025

This training course will delve into the means and mechanisms through which national actors can best coordinate their human rights monitoring and implementation efforts, enabling them to strategically navigate the UN human rights system and use the various mechanisms available in their day-to-day work.

Read more

Project

Follow-up Review Pilot Series

Started in November 2021

Read more

Neutrotechology Project

Neurotechnology and Human Rights

Started in August 2023

This project addresses the human rights implications stemming from the development of neurotechnology for commercial, non-therapeutic ends, and is based on a partnership between the Geneva Academy, the Geneva University Neurocentre and the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee. 

Read more

Cover page of the working paper Publication

AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

published on January 2025

Milica Mirkovic, Jennifer Victoria Scurrell

Read more

Cover Page of Research Brief Publication

War on Minorities’ Under the Guise of Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism

published on December 2024

Beatrice Meretti

Read more