The United States, the European Union, the former EU member United Kingdom, and 32 other countries have committed to the Declaration for the Future of the Internet. [PDF]An agreement to strengthen online democracy by agreeing not to undermine the election by running an online misinformation campaign or illegally spying on people, the White House said on Thursday.
The Declaration is also committed to promoting safety, particularly among young people and women, and equitable use of the Internet. In addition, the countries have agreed to avoid government-led shutdowns and are committed to providing affordable and reliable Internet services.
Although not legally binding, the declaration states that the principles should be used “as reference for public policy makers, as well as for citizens, businesses and civil society organizations”.
The White House claimed in a statement that it would work closely with partner countries to promote the principles of the Declaration, but that there should be a mutual respect for each nation’s regulatory autonomy.
So far, 60 countries have supported the declaration, and according to the European Commission, more are expected to join in the coming weeks.
Notable omissions include India, China and Russia. His absence is hardly surprising given that Ukraine is a signatory, and the declaration calls on countries to refrain from using social score cards, a transparent criticism of China’s social credit scores.
Meanwhile, a senior Biden administration official responded to India’s absence, claiming that “hope remains that the time has not yet fully passed” for India to join.
Google responded in support of the announcement, but clarified that the private sector should also play an important role in advancing Internet standards when faced with a global crisis.
Google said in a statement, “Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, our teams have been working round the clock to support people in Ukraine, protect against cybersecurity threats and deliver high-quality, reliable information through our products. have been.”
Microsoft President and Vice President Brad Smith shared this sentiment as he claimed in a blog post that governments alone cannot manage the global challenges facing managing the Internet.
“We need new and innovative Internet initiatives that bring governments together with NGOs, academic researchers, tech companies and the business community, among many others,” Smith said.
Signatories beyond the US, UK and 27 EU members include: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Cabo Verde, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kosovo. , Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, Niger, North Macedonia, Palau, Peru, Senegal, Serbia, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine and Uruguay.
