Nighat Dad
Founder and Executive Director - Member of Meta's Oversight Board
Digital Rights Foundation
About Me
Nighat Dad is a Pakistani lawyer and a founder of Digital Rights Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on cyber harassment, data protection and free speech online in Pakistan and South Asia. As a feminist and pioneer for women’s rights activism in Pakistan, Dad has raised awareness of Pakistani patriarchy and illuminated her own experience as a women engaged in digital rights activism. Her accomplishments include being named a Next Generation Leader by Time Magazine in 2015, the Dutch Human Rights Tulip Award in 2016, a TED Global Fellowship in 2017, and nomination as a Young Global Leader by World Economic Forum in 2018. Most recently, she was listed among 2019’s 21 Young Leaders from Asia by Asia Society.
Hear My Insights
Code of Silence: Misogyny, Algorithms, and the Tech Power Structure
Technology, despite its focus on innovation, struggles with deep-seated sexism. Algorithms are not neutral; they amplify misogynistic content and contribute to the rise of the "manosphere"—a digital ecosystem where male supremacy thrives. This occurs amidst a politically charged climate, where women's autonomy faces renewed threats. How can we address the systemic biases embedded in technology, and what steps are necessary to durably dismantle the male-dominated power structures that perpetuate misogyny in the digital age?