Barcelona will host the first ‘Global Digital Rights Forum’ to analyse the impact of technology on citizens’ rights 

• The event will take place on 13 and 14 May 2026 at Llotja de Mar and will bring together international and national experts to address the challenges of ensuring social safeguards in the digital era. 

• The Minister for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service, Óscar López, announced the event at the ‘We Are Digital and We Want Rights’ event. 

• The forum will place citizens’ rights at the centre of the debate in areas such as digital identity, the rise of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and overexposure on social media. 

• The ‘Global Digital Rights Forum’ is an initiative of the Government of Spain and Mobile World Capital Barcelona within the framework of the Digital Rights Observatory 

18/March/2026

Barcelona will host citizens, institutions and national and international experts between 13 and 14 May to analyse the challenges the digital era poses for safeguarding citizens’ rights. The first edition of the ‘Global Digital Rights Forum’—organised by the Government of Spain and Mobile World Capital Barcelona within the framework of the Digital Rights Observatory —will bring together at Llotja de Mar leading global voices in technological thought, human rights advocacy, politics and academia, alongside representatives from civil society. 

The Minister for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service, Óscar López, announced the forum during the ‘We Are Digital and We Want Rights’ event, highlighting that the ‘Global Digital Rights Forum’ strengthens Spain’s position as a “global leader in initiatives aimed at shaping how social media, artificial intelligence and digital environments should evolve, with the goal of ensuring the protection of people”. 

The event offers a space for debate, reflection and action on the impact of technology on citizens’ fundamental rights. It will combine keynote speeches, panel discussions, practical workshops and activities open to the public, with the participation of professionals from academia, public institutions, civil society organisations, journalists, activists and international thought leaders. 

Key thematic areas will include cybersecurity; digital identity and privacy; artificial intelligence and fundamental rights; disinformation; the protection of minors in the digital environment; employability and labour rights; as well as neuro-rights and technological governance in a global geopolitical context.