From 24-27 February, Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) Member States, Observer, and Advisory Network members convened in Taipei, Taiwan for strategic discussions during the 2025 RightsCon Summit.
The event marked the first Strategy & Coordination Meeting (SCM) under Estonia’s 2025 Chairship of the Coalition, and provided an opportunity to discuss the implementation of this year’s Program of Action and efforts to advance the FOC’s mission globally. The SCM included a specific focus on capacity building, and featured a multistakeholder interactive tabletop exercise simulating the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) +20 negotiations. The exercise simulated the nuances of multilateral digital governance processes and captured the complexities of arriving at a potential WSIS+20 Review Outcome Document, featuring robust discussion on issues including digital sovereignty, multistakeholderism and the protection of human rights.
Day 1 of the SCM also enabled FOC Member States to discuss thematic areas where the Coalition could focus coordination efforts in the WSIS+20 process, and the objectives of upcoming multistakeholder workshops hosted by the FOC’s diplomatic networks. Members were also invited to provide feedback on the development of the draft Rights-Respecting Digital Public Infrastructure Principles, and learn more about upcoming opportunities to facilitate multistakeholder consultations on the draft document.
The FOC community and external stakeholders also convened on the margins of the Summit for the FOC’s multistakeholder dialogue, a consultation on the Donor Principles for Human Rights in the Digital Age, and a meeting of the FOC’s Task Force on AI & Human Rights. The multistakeholder dialogue provided a forum to for stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region to highlight trends, priorities, and developments relating to the Internet and digital technologies. Participants discussed issues including Internet infrastructure and undersea cables; shrinking civic space; the spread of disinformation; transnational repression; among other topics. To read a summary report from the FOC’s SCM and side-events, visit the following link.
The Coalition also hosted a roundtable discussion and panel sessions as part of the RightsCon program, focusing on the topics of information integrity and digital public infrastructure. To learn more about the sessions view the summaries below:
From Countering to Building: Finding the Keys to Promote Information Integrity Online
Tuesday, 25 February | 14:00 – 15:00 UTC+8
Facilitated by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and the Wikimedia Foundation
During Day 2 of the RightsCon Summit, the co-Chairs of the past FOC Task Force on Information Integrity Online, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the Wikimedia Foundation convened stakeholders for a roundtable discussion on the Blueprint on Information Integrity and the key principles that underpin a healthy information ecosystem.
The session commenced with an overview of the Blueprint, which articulates a positive vision for a healthy online information ecosystem that supports the production and sharing of accurate, trustworthy, and reliable information, and that protects and promotes human rights and democracy. The speakers outlined the three interconnected pillars identified in the Blueprint that are core to this vision: Agency, Trust, and Inclusion.
The roundtable discussion invited participants to explore how the Blueprint can be used as a framework to advance a more proactive, positive, trustworthy and rights-respecting vision for a healthy information ecosystem. The discussion highlighted the value of starting from a pro-social vision- focusing on what we want to build, rather than solely placing an emphasis on what we do not wish to see online, such as disinformation and hate speech. The human rights framework was noted as a crucial foundation for addressing challenges experienced in online spaces globally.
In addition, participants noted the positive framing around fostering access to information as essential in order to link online trends with offline information. They stressed the importance of avoiding duplication of efforts, and called for deeper collaboration. For instance, to drive forward the Blueprint’s principles and make them more actionable, participants encouraged further engagement with those who have obligations in democratic societies-such as journalists, media organisations and scientific organisations-to contribute meaningfully to the information space.
Participants further highlighted the need to empower individuals to meaningfully contribute to their respective online environments, through investment in initiatives that strengthen individuals’ agency and civic resilience. Advancing information literacy and digital connectivity were noted as factors that should go hand-in-hand with the promotion of a healthy information ecosystem online, in addition to ensuring a balanced allocation of resources towards challenges in the information environment.
The responsibility to create a healthy online ecosystem, participants emphasised, lies with all stakeholders – governments, the private sector, civil society, academia and the technical community – working together and keeping each other accountable. The need to continue the efforts to promote information integrity online with the multistakeholder community was noted, including through fora such as the Internet Governance Forum.
Unlocking Progress through Inclusive and Rights-Respecting Digital Public Infrastructure
Thursday, 27 February | 9:00 – 10:00 UTC+8
Moderated By: Sabhanaz Rashid Diya (Tech Global Institute)
Panellists: Rasmus Lumi (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia), Amy Colando (Microsoft), Liz Orembo (Research ICT Africa), and Shruti Narayan (Access Now)
This dialogue session focused on the importance of inclusive and rights-respecting design and implementation of digital public infrastructure (DPI) systems. Panellists highlighted that while DPI presents opportunities for digitalisation and innovation, its implementation must be viewed through a human rights lens. A key theme of the session was the role of trust, as panellists underscored that trust between governments and citizens is crucial. Examples were noted where digital ID systems were first voluntary and then became mandatory, while in others the public was faced with unclear communication about the purpose and implementation of such systems. In both instances, the result was the erosion of public confidence.
Estonia, FOC Chair 2025, was cited as a best practice example – where digital policies were built on strong public trust. Speakers further elaborated on a number challenges that have been witnessed in different regions, such as digital ID systems lacking transparency and inclusivity, leading to public distrust and exclusion. Panellists stressed that governments must prioritise transparency, inclusivity, and effective public engagement before rolling out DPI to avoid exacerbating societal inequalities.
In addition, speakers highlighted the essential role of the private sector, in providing technology, security frameworks, and governance models. Speakers emphasised that businesses must prioritise robust data protection, open-source solutions, and transparent governance practices to build trust. The discussion stated the need for a balance, however, while the private sector can drive innovation and accessibility, there must also be accountability mechanisms to ensure digital services respect human rights and do not reinforce discrimination or exclusion.
On an international level, panellists deliberated upon the role of global frameworks and cooperation in promoting rights-respecting DPI. They agreed that while global standards can help guide best practices, successful implementation ultimately depends on national governments’ willingness to adopt inclusive, transparent models. They further acknowledged the challenge to advocate for open and transparent DPI practices in countries where governments seek control over digital spaces. Thus, they stressed the need for civil society engagement, international advocacy, and multilateral cooperation to promote human rights-aligned digital governance.
The session concluded with a discussion on how to incentivise countries to choose rights-respecting DPI models. While some nations offer financial and technical support for digital development, others provide policy leadership. Panellists noted that a key challenge is ensuring that nations adopt ethical, inclusive digital governance rather than restrictive models. They stressed that CSOs play a crucial role in holding governments accountable, applying international pressure, and promoting solidarity, particularly in regions where local advocacy efforts face a variety of restrictions. The session underscored the need for a multistakeholder approach where governments, the private sector, and civil society organisations collaborate together to ensure DPI serves as an enabler of rights and inclusion rather than become a tool of exclusion or control.
