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Focus Area 4

Internet in troubled times

Rapporteur: Andrijana Gavrilovic, Head of Diplomatic and Policy Reporting, DiploFoundation & Geneva Internet Platform
 
Messages:

1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 Europe needs to put effort into preserving a globally interoperable internet for all, to avoid divergences that may cause even greater geopolitical conflicts. One of the ways to reduce the possibility of a splinternet is to avoid incompatible regulations for internet infrastructure. Another opportunity to avoid fragmentation is to use the potential of the upcoming UN Global Digital Compact and Tech Envoy, which could prioritise the global nature of the internet and explicitly focus on the perseverance of digital human rights.

2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 The implementation of the principles of the Declaration on the Future of the Internet (DFI) will be the key process that would need more engagement from countries and stakeholders. Netmundial and previous best practices are a good reference to improve the engagement of countries from the global South. The initial partners will contribute to DFI implementation, starting with a multistakeholder conference to be held in the next months and continuing to gather input, feedback, and other elements from internet governance communities (IGF, EuroDIG, other regional IGFs) through dedicated sessions. It was suggested that the DFI could be used as a preparatory input to the Global Digital Compact, and that it can contribute to the implementation of the joint statements which were published by the Freedom Online Coalition in previous years. Raising awareness about the DFI and its principles, as well as developing the skills of those who will implement the DFI in signatory countries is important.

3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 1 We need to think about a variety of countermeasures for countering disinformation: regulatory measures, more support of sustainable and independent journalism, a more informed citizenry, and investment in digital and media literacy. Any response to disinformation that contains human rights perspectives must comply with human rights and European values, such as democracy and the rule of law.

Source: https://comment.eurodig.org/eurodig-2022-messages/focus-area-4/