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Thorn Co-Founder Ashton Kutcher Speaks at Human Rights Watch Event

November 15, 2013

2 Minute Read

Earlier this week, we had the pleasure of attending the Voices for Justice Annual Dinner hosted by Human Rights Watch in Los Angeles, Calif., where Thorn co-founder Ashton Kutcher gave a talk on the role of technology in advancing human rights and ending child sexual exploitation.

He addressed how technology is instrumental in exposing and tackling human rights violations around the world and cited examples of how Thorn and Human Rights Watch use technology as a weapon of mass good.

He emphasized the need to work together in dealing with abuses.

“The Internet has eliminated the excuse of ‘I didn’t know’ and ‘there’s nothing I could do,’” he said. “Now we are all held responsible.”

One great example shared that evening was how Human Rights Watch used technology in examining the role of the Syrian government in the chemical weapons attack in Syria’s Ghouta region. Lacking access to the region, Human Rights Watch researchers used satellite imagery, YouTube videos and other technologies to work with weapons experts in their investigation. Learn more about the investigation in the Attacks on Ghouta report.

We are inspired by Human Rights Watch’s work around the globe, as well as the work of two human rights activists who were honored at the dinner: Alina Diaz who fights for the rights of women farmworkers in the U.S. and Natalia Taubina who fights for victims of police brutality in Russia.

Watch Ashton speak about child sexual exploitation in this video, check out our work page, and read more about the child sex trafficking facts and child abuse imagery statistics.



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