The United States and 60 countries unite to boost the Internet

Sixty countries led by the United States on Thursday launched an initiative to promote a safe and free internet, in the face of what they see as an increase in digital authoritarianism by governments such as Russia and China.

The so-called Declaration on the Future of the Internet (DFI) seeks to restore the “enormous promise” of the Internet, rejecting “the rise of digital authoritarianism” to ensure that democracy is strengthened, privacy is protected, and a free global economy is fostered, the White House said.

This goal is increasingly threatened by governments that suppress freedom of expression and access to news, spread false information or suppress the Internet, the statement said.

In recent months, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has been “vigorously promoting disinformation at home and abroad, censoring online news sources, blocking or shutting down legitimate websites, and even attacking Ukraine’s Internet infrastructure.” Joe Biden. “Russia is not alone,” added the source, who also cited China.

Among the 60 countries supporting the initiative, there are developed countries, such as Germany, Australia, Canada, France, Japan and the United Kingdom, and developing countries, such as Argentina, Cyprus, Slovenia, Kenya and Montenegro, as well as Ukraine. . In Latin America, the text has been signed by Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Dominican Republic and Uruguay.

Although the declaration is not legally binding, it sets out “fundamental principles” and “calls on governments to commit to promoting an open, free, global, interoperable, reliable and secure Internet for the world,” another senior Biden administration official said. He said the efforts were aimed at combating internet fragmentation, but would “respect the regulatory independence” of each country.

The declaration also reaffirms the commitment to a single global Internet and states the need to ensure equitable access to disadvantaged groups.