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About
Brett Solomon is a Senior Research Fellow at the UC Berkeley's Human Rights Center at the Berkeley School of Law where he co-leads the Digital Ceasefire Initiative. He is currently writing the book Digital Ceasefire, to be published by Cambridge University Press in 2026.
Brett is the co-founder of Access Now, where as Executive Director for 15 years to 2024, he led the organization’s fight to defend and extend the digital rights of users at risk around the world.
Brett is a Fellow at the Tech Policy Design Institute where he also pursues research, conceptualization and implementation of the Digital Ceasefire initiative. Brett has been selected by the Rockefeller Foundation as a 2026 Bellagio Center Resident.
Brett's Story
As an expert at the intersection of human rights and new technology, Brett presents at numerous national and international fora, including the United Nations and the World Economic Forum. Brett has briefed the UN Security Council on hate speech and incitement to genocide online. He is a skilled and experienced advocate and analyst. He has been an important leader in several human rights and new technology campaigns, coalitions, and initiatives. He is an Expert Network Member of the Secretary General's High Level Advisory Body on AI. He is also a Special Advisor to the Tech Policy Design Institute.
Brett has given two TEDx Talks on digital democracy and on the right to peaceful protest in the digital age. He was a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Data Policy and the Global Agenda Council on the Future of the Internet. Brett is also the founder of RightsCon, the world’s leading summit on human rights in the digital age, which annually convenes over 8,000 academics, experts, activists, technologists, and leaders from government, the private sector, and civil society.
Brett is now a Senior Research Fellow at the UC Berkeley's Human Rights Center at the Berkeley School of Law where he co-leads the Digital Ceasefire Initiative.
Over the years
Brett honed his skills for over ten years at a number of human rights and civil society organizations including Avaaz, GetUp, Oxfam Australia, and Amnesty International Australia. Brett has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney and a Master of Laws (International Law) from the University of New South Wales.
Brett and his partner share their time between Australia and the US.
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