The Kingdom of the Netherlands, a founding member of the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC), has assumed Chairship of the FOC for 2024. The Netherlands succeeds the United States, which Chaired the Coalition in 2023.
This year will mark key milestones tied to ongoing and upcoming processes such as the World Summit on the Information Society Review Process (WSIS+20), the Summit of the Future and the Global Digital Compact (GDC), all of which are set to have widespread implications for the governance of the Internet and emerging technologies.
2024 presents an opportunity to strengthen effective coordination in these processes, and take concerted steps to ensure that outcomes advance a multistakeholder approach and are human rights-respecting. To further the FOC’s vision of an open, free and secure digital future, the Coalition remains committed to working together and collaborating with other stakeholders to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms in digital contexts.
The FOC’s Program of Action outlines the following priorities under the Netherlands’ Chairship:
– Advancing a human rights-based and multistakeholder approach to the governance of:
- 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.
– 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 allow the pursuit of the above priorities, the FOC will focus its efforts on the following goals:
- 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 the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the FOC and beyond; and,
- To strengthen internal mechanisms.
To view the full list of objectives and activities in 2024, visit the following link: Program of Action.
Coordination and information sharing efforts have kicked-off for the calendar year with the launch of the Geneva diplomatic network in January, which brought together FOC Member States’ missions in Geneva, the FOC Advisory Network, and external stakeholders. Participants discussed advancing human rights in the Geneva digital ecosystem and beyond, focusing on the promotion of responsible and human-rights respecting artificial intelligence.
As Chair of the Coalition, the Netherlands will be supported by the FOC Steering Committee, comprising Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The SC convenes on a monthly basis and provides advice to the Chair to support the successful implementation of the Program of Action.
The FOC’s independent multistakeholder Advisory Network (FOC-AN), currently co-Chaired by Elonnai Hickok and Tatiana Tropina, will continue to provide advice and guidance on the aims and activities of the Coalition in 2024 and beyond. The FOC-AN is an essential mechanism for facilitating multistakeholder collaboration, and has supported the FOC since its inception in 2018. The FOC-AN will be electing a new cohort during the Dutch Chairship, with information to be shared on via the FOC mailing list shortly.
