Aims and Priorities
The Freedom Online Coalition’s Member States work together to ensure challenges and opportunities relating to Internet freedom and digital technologies are on the policy agenda as a way to drive concrete policy changes and outcomes, and shape global norms to promote a rules-based, democratic, and inclusive world where human rights and fundamental freedoms are upheld in online and digital contexts.
All Coalition Member States have pledged to uphold and advance the FOC’s shared goals and values as stated in the Coalition’s foundational documents.
FOC Members share information on opportunities and challenges to promote and protect human rights, coordinate their diplomatic efforts, and work together to voice concern over measures related to the Internet and digital technologies that aim to curtail human rights. The activities of the FOC are guided by three working methods, as outlined in the Terms of Reference:
- Information and knowledge sharing, including through facilitating learning calls, monitoring and research activities, voluntary funding coordination, and sharing best-practices and guidelines on relevant policy and issue areas, as well as strengthening cooperation and coordination with outside stakeholders, where appropriate;
- Diplomatic coordination, including through developing joint positions and strategies on thematic topics, and coordinating rapid responses to human rights violations; and
- Advocacy, including through issuing of Coalition statements and other outputs, directly engaging in multilateral fora, facilitating joint demarches, and hosting and participating in internal and external events.
Program of Action
The Program of Action represents the efforts of the Coalition to be forward-looking and action-oriented in its work. It builds on the progress the Coalition has made in streamlining its internal operating procedures and clarifying its primary activity areas in the FOC Terms of Reference. Each year, the incoming FOC Chair leads the development of the Program of Action, which outlines the FOC’s vision, priorities, and activities for the defined period.Over the past years, the Coalition has made meaningful contributions to shape regional and international discussions on a number of areas that have been the focus of previous Programs of Action, including disinformation, Internet censorship, network disruptions, cross-border attacks on freedom of expression online, human rights impacts of cybersecurity policies, civic space, digital inclusion, human rights implications of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, Internet shutdowns, and others.
In 2024, the FOC aims to actively shape the global agenda by focusing on the following priorities of the Netherlands’ Chairship:
- Advancing a human rights-based and multistakeholder approach to the governance of:
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- the Internet, by ensuring the Internet remains open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, secure and human rights-respecting, and reaffirming the commitment to multistakeholder governance of the Internet’s technical layer;
- artificial intelligence technologies, by ensuring that norms and standards are human rights-respecting and human-centred.
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- Addressing ongoing challenges to Internet freedom, by advocating for the protection and promotion of human rights where they are impacted by digital technologies, including by addressing Internet shutdowns, censorship, surveillance, and digital inclusion, and working towards ensuring the integrity, authenticity, and reliability of information online.
- To advance a human rights-based and multistakeholder approach to the governance of digital technologies, including the Internet and artificial intelligence;
- To address ongoing challenges to Internet freedom;
- To advance principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the FOC and beyond; and,
- To strengthen internal mechanisms.
PAST YEARS
To view the FOC Program of Action for previous years, follow the links below:
