Media Hub

Summary

This discussion took place at the 20th Internet Governance Forum in Norway, featuring an interview with Monseigneur Lucio Adrian Ruiz, Secretary of the Dicastery for Communication of the Holy See, conducted by journalists Enes Hodzic and Jean-Dedieu Ndikamosabo. The central theme focused on the role of religious communities and the Catholic Church in addressing declining online trust and promoting ethical digital governance. Monseigneur Ruiz emphasized that digital problems stem from real-life issues with values and education, arguing that solutions must begin with strengthening families and educational institutions rather than focusing solely on technology. He advocated for a multi-stakeholder approach to digital governance that includes all societal institutions and has practical authority to protect vulnerable populations, not just theoretical discussions.

Regarding religious engagement in internet governance, Ruiz stressed the importance of authentic participation without succumbing to partisan politics, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and deep understanding of technological challenges. He highlighted the Church’s responsibility to create spaces for young people to discuss existential questions raised by artificial intelligence and digital technologies, mentioning initiatives like bringing together Catholic influencers from around the world. For content creators and digital technology developers, he emphasized their enormous power to influence millions and their responsibility to educate themselves about topics they address, while society must provide formation and accompaniment.

On digital inclusion in poor countries, Ruiz noted that even basic technology can create meaningful community connections when used purposefully. He concluded by encouraging young people globally to pursue their dreams regardless of technological limitations, emphasizing that hope and voice come from the heart rather than technology. The discussion underscored the Church’s evolving role in addressing digital age challenges while maintaining focus on fundamental human values and dignity.

Keypoints

**Major Discussion Points:**

– **Values and education as foundation for digital ethics**: Monseigneur Ruiz emphasized that declining online trust stems from problems in real life – families, schools, and daily interactions – rather than technology itself. He stressed that education and strong family presence are essential prerequisites before addressing digital space issues.

– **Inclusive digital governance models**: The discussion explored what constitutes ethical and inclusive digital governance, with emphasis on involving all stakeholders (families, schools, academics, civil society) and ensuring governance bodies have actual authority to help vulnerable populations, not just advisory roles.

– **Role of religious voices in internet governance**: The conversation addressed how faith communities can authentically participate in multi-stakeholder internet governance discussions without becoming entangled in partisan politics, focusing on providing moral guidance and creating spaces for dialogue.

– **Responsibility of digital content creators and influencers**: A significant focus was placed on the unprecedented power of content creators to influence millions instantly, discussing both society’s responsibility to support and educate them, and creators’ responsibility to acknowledge their limitations and seek proper formation before addressing topics.

– **Digital inclusion and bridging the digital divide**: The discussion covered how religious institutions can facilitate digital access in underserved communities, particularly in poor countries, and how technology can strengthen community bonds even with basic tools.

**Overall Purpose:**

The discussion aimed to explore the intersection of faith, ethics, and digital governance, specifically examining how religious communities and values can contribute to creating more trustworthy, inclusive, and ethical digital spaces while addressing challenges like declining online trust, digital inequality, and the responsibilities of various stakeholders in internet governance.

**Overall Tone:**

The conversation maintained a consistently thoughtful, respectful, and constructive tone throughout. Monseigneur Ruiz spoke with measured wisdom and pastoral concern, while the interviewers asked probing but respectful questions. The tone was collaborative rather than confrontational, with all participants seeming genuinely interested in finding practical solutions to digital challenges. The discussion remained optimistic and solution-oriented, ending on an encouraging note about following dreams and maintaining hope despite technological challenges.

Speakers

– **Zach Danz** – United Nations Department of Global Communications (moderator/host)

– **Lucio Adrian Ruiz** – Monseigneur, Secretary of the Dicastery for Communication of the Holy See

– **Enes Hodžić** – Balkan Investigative Reporting Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina (interviewer)

– **Jean de Dieu Ndikumasabo** – Burundi News Agency (interviewer)

**Additional speakers:**

None – all speakers mentioned in the transcript are included in the provided speakers names list.

# Comprehensive Report: Faith, Ethics, and Digital Governance – Interview at the 20th Internet Governance Forum

## Executive Summary

At the 20th Internet Governance Forum in Lillestrøm, Norway, featuring 8,000 participants and over 150 sessions, a significant discussion took place examining the intersection of faith, ethics, and digital governance. The session featured an interview with Monseigneur Lucio Adrian Ruiz, Secretary of the Dicastery for Communication of the Holy See, conducted by journalists Enes Hodžić from the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Jean de Dieu Ndikumasabo from Burundi News Agency. Moderated by Zach Danz from the United Nations Department of Global Communications, the conversation explored how religious communities, particularly the Catholic Church, can contribute to addressing declining online trust and promoting ethical digital governance in an increasingly connected world.

## Key Themes Discussed

### Values and Education as Foundation for Digital Ethics

Monseigneur Ruiz presented a fundamental challenge to conventional approaches to digital governance, emphasizing that “the values are not something that is created in the Internet. And the problem with the values, the first step is not the problem into the Internet. The problem, that means the values and the problems are in the real life.” This perspective reframed the discussion by arguing that digital problems stem from real-life issues with values and education rather than technology itself.

He contended that solutions must begin with strengthening families and educational institutions before addressing digital space issues, stressing that education and strong family presence are essential prerequisites. “If we think that the problem is technology and we want to resolve the problem from the technology, we’re wrong, the path,” he argued, positioning real-world relationships and formation as the foundation for ethical digital engagement.

### Multi-Stakeholder Digital Governance

Monseigneur Ruiz advocated for inclusive governance models that involve all societal institutions – families, schools, academics, and civil society – with practical authority to protect vulnerable populations rather than merely advisory roles. He emphasized the need for governance bodies that can provide actual help to vulnerable people, not just theoretical discussions.

He particularly stressed the importance of finding the right balance in governance approaches, noting that “the challenge is to have the sufficient control to help the people that are vulnerable, but not to have the hyper-control.” This balance requires authentic engagement from multiple stakeholders while ensuring that governance mechanisms have real authority to create meaningful change.

### Role of Religious Voices in Digital Governance

A significant portion of the discussion focused on how faith communities can authentically participate in internet governance discussions. Monseigneur Ruiz emphasized the importance of providing moral guidance and creating spaces for dialogue while maintaining the Church’s authentic voice without becoming entangled in partisan politics.

He stressed that religious institutions must learn to communicate in contemporary language that people can understand, acknowledging that religious discourse often operates “in a parallel level that the people cannot follow.” The challenge is for religious institutions to translate their message effectively while society recognizes religion’s role in addressing existential questions raised by technology.

### Responsibility of Digital Content Creators and Influencers

Monseigneur Ruiz observed the unprecedented nature of digital influence, noting that “this is the first time in the story that one people can touch the entire world in a second and move millions of millions of people.” He emphasized both the enormous influence these individuals wield and their responsibility to understand and manage this power appropriately.

He stressed that while content creators “have the capability to do something and you are very powerful because you have many people that follow you,” they must recognize that “you don’t know everything. You cannot talk about everything in the world. You are not the truth.” This highlights both society’s responsibility to support and educate content creators and the creators’ responsibility to acknowledge their limitations.

### Digital Inclusion and Supporting Youth

The conversation addressed how religious institutions can facilitate digital access in underserved communities, particularly in poor countries. Monseigneur Ruiz shared insights from experiences in Africa and Latin America, noting that “even with the low technology, you can create the dynamic of the community” when technology is used purposefully to create meaningful community connections.

Regarding youth, he emphasized that young people face unique challenges in the digital age and require dedicated spaces, guidance, and support. He noted that “the artificial intelligence put in the mind of the young people very existential question that is necessary to reflect together and have the spaces where we can talk, think, and share.” This recognition underscores the Church’s responsibility to address not just practical digital challenges but also the deeper philosophical questions that technology raises about human meaning and purpose.

## Specific Initiatives and Concrete Actions

Monseigneur Ruiz announced several concrete initiatives during the interview. The Holy See will convene a meeting in Rome bringing together Catholic influencers from around the world to discuss and create ongoing formation programs for new digital culture. He also mentioned continuing the “digital mission” initiative that connects young people from different parts of the world to address technological challenges collaboratively.

Additional planned actions include developing ongoing formation programs and reference points for young people to learn about and engage with technology ethically, as well as creating spaces and platforms where young people can share existential questions raised by technology and receive guidance.

## Key Insights and Perspectives

Several profound insights emerged from the discussion that elevated the conversation beyond typical internet governance discussions. Monseigneur Ruiz’s observation about the unprecedented nature of digital influence provided crucial historical context for understanding the unique responsibilities of our digital age.

His connection between artificial intelligence and existential questions was particularly significant, suggesting that AI and digital technologies are not merely practical tools but forces that challenge core aspects of human identity and purpose. This insight positions religious institutions’ involvement in digital discussions not just as moral authorities, but as institutions equipped to address the deeper questions that technology raises about human meaning and existence.

The discussion concluded with Monseigneur Ruiz’s message to young people: “Follow your dreams. Don’t think only in the bad situation or the thing that you don’t have… follow your dream, put all your power to develop that, and have the courage in order to share your dream and your hope with the other and with the world.” This message emphasized that “dreams come from the heart, not technology,” providing a hopeful reframing that suggests human dignity and potential transcend technological circumstances.

## Conclusion

This interview at the Internet Governance Forum provided a unique perspective on digital governance by integrating spiritual, ethical, and practical considerations. The conversation demonstrated how religious voices can contribute meaningfully to internet governance discussions by offering historical perspective, moral guidance, and emphasis on human dignity and formation.

Monseigneur Ruiz’s consistent emphasis on addressing foundational issues in real life before tackling digital challenges offers a valuable framework that suggests sustainable digital governance must be grounded in strong educational institutions, family structures, and community relationships rather than relying solely on technological or regulatory interventions. The specific initiatives mentioned, including the planned Rome meeting with Catholic influencers and ongoing digital mission programs, represent concrete steps toward implementing these principles in practice.

Ultimately, the discussion reinforced that addressing digital age challenges requires not just technical solutions but fundamental attention to human values, education, and community building – a perspective that emphasizes the human person at the center of all technological development and governance considerations.

Zach Danz: Hello, everyone. The session is about to start, so please take your seats for the interview that is about to follow. Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Internet Governance Forum here in Lillestrom. My name is Zach Danz from the United Nations Department of Global Communications. I’m joined on stage today by Monseigneur Lucio Adrian Ruiz, Secretary of the Dicastery for Communication of the Holy See. I’m also joined by Mr. Enes Hodzic from the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Mr. Jean-Dedieu Ndikamosabo from Burundi News Agency, who will jointly be conducting the interview with Monseigneur Lucio Adrian Ruiz. We are, of course, speaking to you from the 20th edition of the IGF in Lillestrom, Norway, convened by the United Nations Secretary General. We have an incredible 8,000 people joining us on site and online. The IGF has 150-plus sessions in the program. Yesterday, we officially opened the IGF with leaders calling for action and cooperation in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, including a message from the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres. This morning, we had a lively panel in the plenary hall on AI and the future of work with government leaders, OpenAI, MEDA, and the actor and activist, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. As you know, we have many workshops and networking events throughout the week, so please make sure to take advantage of these exciting opportunities. Now, let us hear from Monseigneur Lucio Adrian Ruiz. Gentlemen, over to you.

Enes Hodžić: Great. Thank you. Thank you for this opportunity. And Monseigneur Ruiz, thank you for having this conversation with us. So online trust is declining. We can witness it now. And what role can communities of faith play to restore respectful and reliable spaces on the Internet?

Lucio Adrian Ruiz: Good morning, everybody. It’s a pleasure to be here with you. Thank you for the question. I think that the first thing that we need to have in mind is that the values are not something that is created in the Internet. And the problem with the values, the first step is not the problem into the Internet. The problem, that means the values and the problems are in the real life. Declining these values is a problem that we have in the schools, in the family, in the day-by-day. Well, the first step that we need to reinforce is to think about education, is to think in the power of the family, the life of the family. Because if we think that the problem is technology and we want to resolve the problem from the technology, we’re wrong, the path. Because the beginning is in our life. The education and the presence, real presence, rich presence in the real life is the absolutely more necessary step to change everything. After we can think about the path to promote the values in the digital spaces. From there we need to promote the movement of the reality, the thinkers that can help thinking about the ethics, about the values, promote all the initiatives. And the first step is to create relationships between the different institutions and reality that has the capability to promote and to live the values into the network. But starting by the real life.

Jean de Dieu Ndikumasabo: Most students lack control over the platforms that they are using daily. What kind of digital governance model do you believe would be ethical, inclusive and capable of responding to local circumstances?

Lucio Adrian Ruiz: Well what kind of model? I think that the model is the model, as I said before, that take and put together all the institutions that can help, that include all the thinkers and the actors that construct the society. Well, this model of governance, I think, must have enough power or capacity to help the weakness people. That means if this institution or this government is just a council to talk good things, but they are not authority, they have not capacity to control and to help in the facts, there are no possibility to change the reality. The balance between the exceed of control is in the participation of all the stakeholders in the society. If we can participate all together, the families, the schools, the academic, the different part of the society, we can be sure that they are not hyper-controlled, but yes, the necessary control in order to help, because the weaker people cannot be on defense, they are alone. Everybody of us, we need to be helped for that. And the last one is a model of governance that is practical, that can take action in the real thing and not just in the concept of theories.

Enes Hodžić: So, here at the IGF, we can see that IGF is trying to include all those stakeholders in one place and talks about Internet governance, and we can see that Internet governance is really complicated, involving, as I said, many stakeholders, actors, like government, corporate players, civil society. So, how can religious voices be authentically engaged in these discussions, but without succumbing to party politics?

Lucio Adrian Ruiz: How can the Church help the young people? Well, the first step to help is to think, to reflect, to study, to understand the problem, to understand also the challenge. I think, for example, before talk, you must think. We can apply this principle everywhere and every time. We need to know exactly the challenge, to think, to create a thought, in order to understand exactly which is the challenge to act. That is the first thing. And the first question I said, it’s important to call all the institutions and to put everybody in relationship to understand from the different perspective the challenge. We need to understand what happened. For example, in the artificial intelligence, it’s not just one perspective that can give us the real dimension of the challenge. We need to see the problem from different point of view, different realities, and work all together. All the stakeholders, all the people, all the institutions must to understand and go deeply to the question. Well, that is the first thing, create the thinkers. After act in interdisciplinary way, holistic, because if we work separately, we cannot help no one. Because each one work, seeing, and thinking, and acting in their own way. And that is not useful for no one. Well, the interdisciplinarity is the way to understand and also to act and apply solutions and development for the actual challenge. The other possibility is to create spaces for the young people, because that is the question, how we can help the young people, is to create the spaces and reality where they can share, ask, put the questions. Because in our experience, for example, is that the people in front of the big technologies and the big challenges, they develop very existential questions. Because the meaning of the life, the meaning of the existence is really touched by this challenge that come from the technology. The artificial intelligence put in the mind of the young people very existential question that is necessary to reflect together and have the spaces where we can talk, think, and share. Well, for me, the possibility to help them is to offer spaces where we can talk and also to have the possibility to listen the other ideas, not always the same idea, because we need to grow. And for that, we need to contrast also the reflection and the thought. We have, in this moment, an experience that is the digital mission to the church, that we are trying to put together the young coming from the different parts of the world. In the next months, we will have a meeting in Rome in order to put the influencers, Catholic influencers, coming from all parts of the world in order to talk, to reflect, also to create ongoing formation in front of the new culture. Well, that is the way for me that is necessary. And it’s the opportunity to create a dynamic that can help the people to entry, take the challenge, and go on.

Jean de Dieu Ndikumasabo: So with advancing artificial intelligence, especially among the youth, how can the church be used to help young people look at both social and ethical sides of the technology?

Lucio Adrian Ruiz: For the creators. Sorry, I have too many notes. Can you repeat? With the rapid re-advancing artificial intelligence, especially among the youth, how can the church be used to help young people look at both the social and ethical sides of the technology? Well, this is more or less what I said before, to create spaces, to create the way to make ongoing formation for these people. The young people need to have the point of reference in order to learn, in order to teach, because they are very rich people that can share their knowledge, their experience, their thought, their dream. Well, creating these spaces and creating realities where they can share their own challenge is the way. We need to stay with them. We need to work with them. We need to have the capacity to listen. This time, if we can imagine or have an idea of the big problem is, from the adult world, we can say that we don’t have the time to listen. And that is a problem, because the people feel that it’s alone and need to recreate their own world alone. We need to create spaces to listen, to share, and to trespass our values.

Enes Hodžić: So we spoke about the effects on the users. Jean asked you about that as well. But we also have to think about creators of digital technology, because they play such a significant role in how we are living or communicating today. So what would be your message to look or to tell to them, to those who are contributing to shaping of the internet today?

Lucio Adrian Ruiz: Well, the first thing is I think that it’s important to understand their role and the importance of their activity. Probably, we talk about how many followers the content creator or influencer have. But we don’t have the dimension of the power that they had to change the mind in the real life, minute by minute. Creating contents, they can manage or influence the life of millions of people. And we need to realize what is happening now, because that is the first time in the story that one people can touch the entire world in a second and move millions of millions of people. And well, the first step is discover. We need to discover this reality and the power of these people. The second point is, after discover that, we need to create a path, a way to accompany them. We need to understand their mind, their problem, their world in order to understand why and how they talk or they create their contents. In this way, we need to stay close to them to discuss, to reflect, also to offer the possibility to formation. The other hand, a question for them is to say, listen, my friend, you have the capability to do something and you are very powerful because you have many people that follow you. But you don’t know everything. You cannot talk about everything in the world. You are not the truth. But the people trust in you. It’s your own responsibility to learn, to study, to discuss, to ask for the different argument that you are talking about. I mean, there are two responsibilities. for the society, for us, to form, to accompany, to discuss, but also from them to understand that they are not the truth and they don’t know everything and deeply all arguments. That is important. And sometimes we can see that there are people that can talk about everything and in wrong ways.

Jean de Dieu Ndikumasabo: Monseigneur, is it possible for technology to help the church, particularly in poor countries, to engage more intensely with the faithful, most of young people? How do we build an inclusive participatory digital cultural culture in local parishes?

Lucio Adrian Ruiz: Well, I think that the technology always can help when it’s well used. In a hand, for them that they are in this reality, poor reality or very difficult reality, because also with the lower technology, it can help to create community, to create dynamic for share, for stay together. We are experienced in Africa and also in Latin America that with very low technology, we are right to do very big things because the meaning and the sense of the community to share, to help, to study, that create dynamics that can really help the people to know and to stay together, to study, to develop. And when they have the possibility to do something more, they are ready and that is important. Well, the other hand is a big possibility also to be help because the rest of the world can help permanently the people and share with them in order to help, to have a better life.

Enes Hodžić: So my last question is somehow connected to what you have said or you already answered to the last question of John. So the majority of countries remain inaccessible to digital access and know-how. How can church help to facilitate that kind of digital inclusion that we need today that is decent with human dignity and local culture?

Lucio Adrian Ruiz: Well, there are two point of view, from the society and from the church, no. From the society, not only Catholic church, I don’t talk for the Catholic church, but for the religion in general, it depends on each culture. I think that it’s important for the society to discover the role of the religion in the life of the people. And as a religion, not only for the practice, the cult practice, but for the vision in the soul, for the meaning of the life, for the objective for the happiness in this sense. The religion is the point in our life that can answer the bigger questions and give you the meaning for your life, the values to live your life. And that must be discovered, the role, the presence, the necessity for everybody, because everybody in a time in their own life need or have a big question because you have a problem in your life, you are sick, someone love you, pass away. I mean, the situation in the life where your life is touched for a question. This is the role of the religion, have the answer for this moment. Well, if the religion can answer the big and most important question, the religion has a very important role in the life of everybody. And you can call this religion as you want, but it’s the answer for the bigger questions, the existential question. That’s in a hand. From the society, discover the role of the religion. When you discover this deeply presence, you can understand where and how can the religion help and design, help to design the life. For the other hand, from the point of view of the church, we need to learn how to talk with the culture because sometimes our discourse, our words are not understood for the people. We are in a level, in a parallel language, situation, culture that no one can follow us. Well, if we want to help the culture, if we want to work with the culture, if we want to be presence in the social discussion, we need to talk and to present our proposal in the language of the people. That is necessary to be understood.

Jean de Dieu Ndikumasabo: Lastly, Monseigneur, what hope or duty message would you give to young African and others across the globe who are living in rapidly evolving technological age without necessarily having the instruments of defense for their identity, values, or voices? Thank you. What hope or duty message would you give to young Africans and to others across the globe who are living in rapidly evolving technological age without necessarily having the instruments of defense for their identity, values, or voices?

Lucio Adrian Ruiz: Well, I think that have the dream and have the voice is not depend of the technology. The technology help to develop, to arrive harder, or to be presence in a different way. But the dream of the young people is something that come from the heart, and we need to develop our hope and our dream because it’s our life. Well, and I repeat always with young people all around the world, follow your dreams. Don’t think only in the bad situation or the thing that you don’t have or the thing that you want to have because your dream and your hope is your dream and your hope, and you must develop in your situation with the, in the reality where you are and where you have. Well, my message for them is follow your dream, put all your power to develop that, and have the courage in order to share your dream and your hope with the other and with the world.

Enes Hodžić: Thank you, Monsignor Ruiz, and thank you everybody for following us at this interview. Thank you.

Zach Danz: Thank you so much, Monsignor, for sharing your insights and thank you to everybody who attended in person and online. This interview was streamed and can be viewed on UN Web TV in the future. This concludes our session today. Please join us for the next few days on this stage for more Media Hub interviews. Thank you all.

Agreement points

Need for inclusive multi-stakeholder approach in digital governance

Speakers

– Lucio Adrian Ruiz
– Enes Hodžić
– Jean de Dieu Ndikumasabo

Arguments

Effective digital governance requires including all stakeholders – families, schools, academics, and society – with sufficient authority to help vulnerable people

Internet governance involves complex interactions between governments, corporations, and civil society requiring authentic engagement

Ethical governance models must be inclusive, respond to local circumstances, and provide practical action beyond theoretical concepts

Summary

All speakers agree that digital governance must involve multiple stakeholders from different sectors of society, be inclusive, and have practical authority to create meaningful change rather than just theoretical discussions.

Topics

Legal and regulatory | Human rights | Sociocultural

Youth need special support and guidance in the digital age

Speakers

– Lucio Adrian Ruiz
– Jean de Dieu Ndikumasabo

Arguments

Churches should create spaces for young people to share existential questions raised by technology, offering ongoing formation and listening opportunities

Young people need reference points and spaces to learn, teach, and share their knowledge and dreams about technology

Youth require help understanding both social and ethical dimensions of advancing artificial intelligence

Youth globally face challenges living in a rapidly evolving technological age without adequate defense instruments for their identity and values

Summary

Both speakers recognize that young people face unique challenges in the digital age and require dedicated spaces, guidance, and support to navigate technological developments while maintaining their identity and values.

Topics

Sociocultural | Human rights | Development

Technology’s role in facilitating community engagement and inclusion

Speakers

– Lucio Adrian Ruiz
– Jean de Dieu Ndikumasabo

Arguments

Technology can help churches engage with faithful, especially youth in poor countries, even with basic technology creating community dynamics

Digital tools can facilitate inclusive participatory culture in local parishes and enable global support networks

Summary

Both speakers agree that technology, even at basic levels, can be a powerful tool for building communities and facilitating engagement, particularly in underserved areas.

Topics

Development | Sociocultural

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers recognize the immense influence and responsibility of digital content creators and those shaping internet technology, emphasizing the need for accountability and proper guidance for these influential figures.

Speakers

– Lucio Adrian Ruiz
– Enes Hodžić

Arguments

Content creators have unprecedented power to influence millions globally and must understand their responsibility

Creators need accompaniment, formation, and should acknowledge they don’t know everything while people trust them

Those shaping the internet today play a significant role in how we live and communicate

Topics

Sociocultural | Legal and regulatory | Human rights

Both speakers see faith communities as having a valuable role in addressing digital challenges, particularly in restoring trust and facilitating inclusion while respecting human dignity and cultural values.

Speakers

– Lucio Adrian Ruiz
– Enes Hodžić

Arguments

Churches can facilitate digital inclusion that respects human dignity and local culture, but society must recognize religion’s role in answering existential questions

Faith communities can play a role in restoring respectful and reliable online spaces as trust declines

Topics

Sociocultural | Human rights | Development

Unexpected consensus

Real-life foundations as prerequisite for digital solutions

Speakers

– Lucio Adrian Ruiz

Arguments

Values and problems originate in real life, not technology – education and family presence are fundamental before addressing digital issues

Explanation

It’s unexpected that a religious leader at a technology governance forum would emphasize that digital problems cannot be solved through technology alone, but require addressing fundamental real-life issues first. This represents a counter-narrative to typical tech-centric solutions.

Topics

Sociocultural | Development

Technology as enabler rather than solution

Speakers

– Lucio Adrian Ruiz

Arguments

Young people should follow their dreams regardless of technological limitations, as dreams come from the heart, not technology

Explanation

Unexpectedly, the religious representative frames technology as merely a tool that helps develop and reach further, rather than as the source of dreams or solutions, emphasizing human agency over technological determinism.

Topics

Sociocultural | Development

Overall assessment

Summary

The speakers demonstrate strong consensus on the need for inclusive multi-stakeholder governance, special support for youth in digital spaces, and technology’s role in community building. There’s particular agreement on the responsibility of content creators and the potential role of faith communities in digital inclusion.

Consensus level

High level of consensus with complementary perspectives rather than conflicting views. The religious leader’s emphasis on real-life foundations and human agency provides a valuable counterbalance to purely technological approaches, while all speakers agree on fundamental principles of inclusion, responsibility, and community support. This consensus suggests potential for collaborative approaches to digital governance that integrate technological, social, and spiritual dimensions.

Different viewpoints

Unexpected differences

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion shows remarkably little direct disagreement among speakers. The main tension lies in approaches rather than goals – whether to prioritize real-life foundational solutions versus digital-specific interventions.

Disagreement level

Very low level of disagreement. This was primarily an interview format where the interviewers asked questions and Ruiz provided responses, rather than a debate. The speakers shared common concerns about digital challenges affecting youth, values, and inclusion. The lack of disagreement may limit the depth of critical analysis on complex digital governance issues, as alternative viewpoints and potential conflicts between different stakeholder interests were not explored.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers recognize the immense influence and responsibility of digital content creators and those shaping internet technology, emphasizing the need for accountability and proper guidance for these influential figures.

Speakers

– Lucio Adrian Ruiz
– Enes Hodžić

Arguments

Content creators have unprecedented power to influence millions globally and must understand their responsibility

Creators need accompaniment, formation, and should acknowledge they don’t know everything while people trust them

Those shaping the internet today play a significant role in how we live and communicate

Topics

Sociocultural | Legal and regulatory | Human rights

Both speakers see faith communities as having a valuable role in addressing digital challenges, particularly in restoring trust and facilitating inclusion while respecting human dignity and cultural values.

Speakers

– Lucio Adrian Ruiz
– Enes Hodžić

Arguments

Churches can facilitate digital inclusion that respects human dignity and local culture, but society must recognize religion’s role in answering existential questions

Faith communities can play a role in restoring respectful and reliable online spaces as trust declines

Topics

Sociocultural | Human rights | Development

Key takeaways

Values and ethical problems originate in real life (families, schools, daily interactions) rather than in technology itself, requiring foundational education and real-world presence before addressing digital issues

Effective digital governance requires multi-stakeholder participation including all societal institutions with sufficient authority to protect vulnerable populations, not just theoretical discussions

Religious communities can contribute to restoring online trust by creating spaces for dialogue, formation, and addressing existential questions raised by technology

Content creators wield unprecedented global influence and bear responsibility to understand their power while acknowledging their limitations and need for ongoing education

Technology can facilitate religious engagement and community building even in resource-poor environments, but requires culturally appropriate communication methods

Young people need dedicated spaces to explore both the opportunities and ethical challenges of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence

Digital inclusion efforts must respect human dignity and local cultures while addressing the global digital divide

Resolutions and action items

The Holy See will convene a meeting in Rome bringing together Catholic influencers from around the world to discuss and create ongoing formation programs for new digital culture

Continue the ‘digital mission’ initiative that connects young people from different parts of the world to address technological challenges collaboratively

Create ongoing formation programs and reference points for young people to learn about and engage with technology ethically

Develop spaces and platforms where young people can share existential questions raised by technology and receive guidance

Unresolved issues

How to practically implement multi-stakeholder digital governance models with sufficient authority while avoiding excessive control

Specific mechanisms for helping content creators understand and manage their global influence responsibly

Concrete strategies for bridging the digital divide in countries lacking access and digital literacy

How religious institutions can effectively translate their message into contemporary language that resonates with digital natives

Balancing technological advancement with protection of local cultural identities and values

Defining the appropriate level of control and regulation needed to protect vulnerable populations without stifling innovation

Suggested compromises

Balance between necessary control and avoiding hyper-control through inclusive participation of all stakeholders in governance decisions

Shared responsibility model where society provides formation and accompaniment to content creators while creators acknowledge their limitations and commit to continuous learning

Collaborative approach between religious institutions and secular society where each recognizes the other’s role – society acknowledging religion’s role in addressing existential questions, and religious institutions learning to communicate in accessible language

Technology as a tool to enhance rather than replace real-world community building and value formation

The values are not something that is created in the Internet. And the problem with the values, the first step is not the problem into the Internet. The problem, that means the values and the problems are in the real life… Because if we think that the problem is technology and we want to resolve the problem from the technology, we’re wrong, the path.

Speaker

Lucio Adrian Ruiz

Reason

This comment fundamentally reframes the entire discussion by challenging the assumption that digital problems require digital solutions. It introduces a counter-narrative to the typical tech-centric approach to internet governance, arguing that technological issues are manifestations of deeper societal problems rooted in education, family, and real-life relationships.

Impact

This comment established the philosophical foundation for the entire interview, shifting the conversation from technical governance solutions to holistic approaches that prioritize human formation and education. It influenced subsequent questions and responses to consistently return to themes of education, community building, and real-world relationships as prerequisites for digital ethics.

That is the first time in the story that one people can touch the entire world in a second and move millions of millions of people… you have the capability to do something and you are very powerful because you have many people that follow you. But you don’t know everything. You cannot talk about everything in the world. You are not the truth.

Speaker

Lucio Adrian Ruiz

Reason

This observation provides a profound historical perspective on the unprecedented nature of digital influence, while simultaneously addressing the responsibility gap between power and knowledge. It highlights the unique moment in human history where individual voices can have global impact instantaneously, yet questions whether this power is matched by wisdom or accountability.

Impact

This comment deepened the discussion by introducing the concept of unprecedented historical responsibility for content creators. It shifted the conversation from general digital governance to specific ethical obligations of influencers and content creators, leading to a more nuanced discussion about power, responsibility, and the need for ongoing formation and humility among digital leaders.

The artificial intelligence put in the mind of the young people very existential question that is necessary to reflect together and have the spaces where we can talk, think, and share… because the meaning of the life, the meaning of the existence is really touched by this challenge that come from the technology.

Speaker

Lucio Adrian Ruiz

Reason

This insight connects technological advancement to fundamental human questions about existence and meaning, suggesting that AI and digital technologies are not merely practical tools but forces that challenge core aspects of human identity and purpose. It elevates the discussion from technical considerations to philosophical and spiritual dimensions.

Impact

This comment introduced a new dimension to the conversation, linking digital governance to existential and spiritual concerns. It justified the church’s role in digital discussions not just as a moral authority, but as an institution equipped to address the deeper questions that technology raises about human meaning and purpose. This led to subsequent discussions about creating spaces for reflection and dialogue.

Have the dream and have the voice is not depend of the technology. The technology help to develop, to arrive harder, or to be presence in a different way. But the dream of the young people is something that come from the heart… follow your dreams. Don’t think only in the bad situation or the thing that you don’t have.

Speaker

Lucio Adrian Ruiz

Reason

This comment challenges the narrative of digital divide as primarily limiting human potential, instead emphasizing that fundamental human capacities for hope, dreams, and voice are independent of technological access. It reframes the discussion from deficit-based thinking to asset-based thinking about human dignity and potential.

Impact

This final substantive comment provided a hopeful conclusion that shifted the tone from concern about digital exclusion to empowerment despite limitations. It reinforced the overall theme that human values and potential transcend technological circumstances, bringing the discussion full circle to the opening premise about real-life foundations being more important than technological solutions.

Overall assessment

These key comments fundamentally shaped the discussion by consistently redirecting it from conventional tech-centric approaches to internet governance toward a more holistic, human-centered perspective. Monsignor Ruiz’s insights created a coherent philosophical framework that positioned real-world relationships, education, and spiritual formation as prerequisites for ethical digital engagement. His comments introduced historical perspective on the unprecedented nature of digital influence, connected technological challenges to existential questions, and ultimately reframed digital inclusion from a deficit model to an empowerment model. The cumulative effect was a discussion that elevated internet governance from technical and policy considerations to questions of human dignity, meaning, and authentic community building, demonstrating how religious voices can contribute unique perspectives to digital governance discussions without becoming partisan.

How can religious institutions effectively measure their impact in digital spaces and assess whether their efforts to promote values online are actually working?

Speaker

Implied from the discussion

Explanation

While Monseigneur Ruiz discussed various approaches for religious engagement in digital spaces, there was no discussion of metrics or evaluation methods to determine effectiveness of these initiatives.

What specific training or formation programs should be developed for Catholic influencers and content creators to help them navigate ethical challenges in digital spaces?

Speaker

Monseigneur Lucio Adrian Ruiz

Explanation

He mentioned upcoming meetings with Catholic influencers from around the world and the need for ongoing formation, but didn’t specify what this training should include or how it should be structured.

How can the balance between necessary control and avoiding hyper-control in digital governance be practically implemented and maintained?

Speaker

Monseigneur Lucio Adrian Ruiz

Explanation

He identified this as a key challenge in digital governance models but didn’t provide specific mechanisms or frameworks for achieving this balance.

What are the most effective low-technology solutions that have been successfully implemented in Africa and Latin America for community building and education?

Speaker

Monseigneur Lucio Adrian Ruiz

Explanation

He referenced successful experiences with low technology in these regions but didn’t provide specific examples or case studies that could be replicated elsewhere.

How can religious discourse be adapted to contemporary language and culture without losing its essential meaning and authenticity?

Speaker

Monseigneur Lucio Adrian Ruiz

Explanation

He acknowledged that religious language often operates on a parallel level that people cannot follow, but didn’t elaborate on specific strategies for translation or adaptation.

What specific existential questions are young people developing in response to artificial intelligence and big technologies, and how should these be addressed?

Speaker

Monseigneur Lucio Adrian Ruiz

Explanation

He mentioned that AI raises existential questions about meaning of life for young people but didn’t specify what these questions are or provide detailed approaches for addressing them.

How can content creators and influencers be held accountable for their responsibility while maintaining freedom of expression in digital spaces?

Speaker

Implied from Monseigneur Lucio Adrian Ruiz’s response

Explanation

He discussed the power and responsibility of content creators but didn’t address the practical mechanisms for ensuring accountability without censorship.