Rebecca MacKinnon

Rebecca MacKinnon, born on September sixteenth, nineteen sixty-nine, is a prominent American journalist, author, and human rights advocate. With a career that spans various facets of media and activism, she has made significant contributions to the field of journalism and the promotion of internet freedom.

MacKinnon is well-known for her tenure as a CNN journalist, where she led the network's bureaus in both Beijing and Tokyo. Her experiences in these dynamic environments have shaped her understanding of global media landscapes and the challenges faced by journalists worldwide.

In addition to her work in traditional media, she is a co-founder of the citizen media network Global Voices, which amplifies the voices of marginalized communities around the globe. Her commitment to protecting press freedom is further exemplified by her roles on the board of directors for the Committee to Protect Journalists and as a founding board member of the Global Network Initiative.

Currently, MacKinnon serves as the Vice President for Global Advocacy at the Wikimedia Foundation and is the founding director of the Ranking Digital Rights project at the New America Foundation's Open Technology Institute. Her multifaceted career reflects her dedication to fostering a more open and equitable digital world.