U.S. and 60 Other Countries Release Declaration for the Future of the Internet

On April 28, the U.S. White House released a statement to announce that more than 60 countries, including the United States, France, Germany, the UK, and Japan, have jointly published the Declaration for the Future of the Internet, a declaration representing a political commitment from the involved partners regarding advancing the Internet and digital technologies and reclaiming the hope of the Internet when faced with the global opportunities and challenges of the 21st century.

The Declaration commits to “protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms for all people, promoting the free flow of information, advancing inclusive and affordable connectivity so that all can benefit from the digital economy, promoting trust in the global digital system, including the protection of privacy, and protecting and strengthening multi-stakeholder approach to governance that keeps the Internet running for the benefit of all.”

In the beginning part of the statement, the White House specifically outlined the actions of some countries to suppress speech freedom, censor independent media websites, interfere in elections, spread disinformation, and deprive citizens of their human rights, among others, stating they are building authoritarianism in the digital sphere that poses a challenge to the development of the Internet. In addition, Taiwan and Ukraine, which replaced Communist China and Russia, are included in the more than 60 partner countries.