The declaration for the future of the Internet must encourage signatory states to fight in favor of an “open and free” Internet, with the reverse of censorship and access restriction practices, used by Russia and China.
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The United States announced, Thursday, April 28, the formation of a coalition aimed at supporting an internet “open, free, global, interoperable, reliable and safe”. Sixty countries have subscribed to this partnership, including most of the major democracies in the world, with the exception of India, South Africa and Brazil. The agreement was formalized at an online meeting at the ministerial level led by Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor of President Joe Biden.
The launch of the Alliance for the future of the Internet had been announced in December 2021 and was to take place on the sidelines of the summit for democracy, organized on December 9 and 10 by the American presidency. But many criticisms had led to his postponement. The NGOs for the defense of digital freedoms had judged the precipitated initiative, adopted without real consultation and likely to divide the Internet even more. The alliance had notably been qualified as “antichinese club”.
Administration Biden claims to have taken into account the reproaches. The initiative was renamed “Declaration for the future of the Internet”, rather than “alliance”. China and Russia are clearly targeted, but the American administration retains its “vision of a single internet for the world,” said an administration official before the official partnership announcement. “Frankly, we are not here to fragment the Internet, but to save it.”
far from the ideals of the beginnings of the Internet
in the text published on April 28, The signatories deplore the “rise of digital authoritarianism”, which sees certain countries repressing freedom of expression, censor the Independent information sites, interfere in elections and encourage disinformation. Cybercrime, sometimes “supported by states”, affects the security of essential infrastructure. The Internet has moved away from its initial ideals, regrets the text. This is evidenced by the economic concentration of the sector, rather than the promised decentralization, or the storage of personal data of users for commercial purposes.
In contrast, the signatories undertake to work for the strengthening of democratic institutions, to protect the privacy of individuals, to maintain the free movement of information and to ensure citizens’ access to reliable connections and affordable. They declare that they want to fight against online violence without leaving the fight against illegal content encroaching on freedom of expression. They promise to “refrain from using the Internet or algorithmic tools to exercise illegal surveillance” of citizens or set up “social control mechanisms” or preventive detention.
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