Public Webinar: How are big telcos responding to new human rights threats?
Join investors, civil society, and industry experts on September 10, 2026, to explore how telecommunications companies are responding to new human rights threats amid mounting risks posed by AI, digital advertising, and government pressure.
Telecom operators are gatekeepers of the digital ecosystem. As internet service providers, these companies build and maintain the infrastructure that underpins the internet, transmitting petabytes of data across networks and enabling everyday communication on billions of devices. Yet they consistently receive less public scrutiny than technology platform giants.
The 2026 RDR Index: Telco Giants Edition turns the focus onto them, providing a comprehensive assessment of 12 of the world’s most powerful telecommunications companies. The discussion will examine where telcos have improved and where critical gaps remain in their policies and disclosures affecting people’s rights to privacy, freedom of expression, and access to information.
Experts from Ranking Digital Rights will present the Index findings, addressing the strength of telcos' disclosures responding to government demands for customer data and internet shutdowns, the human rights risks embedded in their emerging use of artificial intelligence and targeted advertising business models, and how these companies compare to their Big Tech counterparts, which often command more headlines but wield far less power over access to digital communication.
Additional speakers will offer an investor perspective on the material implications for due diligence, company engagement, and shareholder advocacy; insight on how civil society can apply these findings; and direct insight from a telecommunications industry representative on how they are adapting to the shifting landscape.
Moderator: Stacey Cram, Investor Alliance for Human Rights
Speakers Include:
- Jan Rydzak, Ranking Digital Rights
- David McKean, International Corporate Accountability Roundtable
- Asha Mehta, Global Delta Capital
- Dr. Irene Poetranto, Senior Researcher at the Citizen Lab
You can register for this free event here.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Stacey Cram.