Embedding Human Rights in Technical Standards: Insights from WITNESS’s Participation in the C2PA
Technical standards are not neutral—they shape human rights in the digital age. This paper examines WITNESS’s participation in the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) to explore how human rights may be meaningfully embedded in technical standard-setting processes. Drawing from our experience with the C2PA—a coalition of mainly technology and news media companies developing content authenticity standards—we present five key insights: (1) embedding human rights in governance structures, (2) building in civil society participation, (3) conducting comprehensive harm assessments, (4) leveraging non-normative guidance documents, and (5) establishing post-standardization oversight mechanisms. While these insights emerge from a specific context and may not directly transfer to other Standards Development Organizations, they offer practical considerations for broader efforts to make technical standards more just, inclusive, and protective of fundamental rights.
| Collection(s) | All resources, Technology, Threats & Opportunities: Research & Analysis |
|---|---|
| Region/Country | Global |
| Topic(s) | Deepfakes, Misinformation & Disinformation |
| Type | Report |
| Language | English |
