Global Digital Compact: Academic/Policy draft texts

March 2024

On this page, we present three versions of Global Digital Compact (GDC) drafts that were created following Diplo’s experimental hybrid methodology combining human and AI inputs for document generation.

The first (tech) component of this methodology is DiploAI, an in-house AI tool based on several large language models and fine-tuned with the domain knowledge of digital governance. The second (human) component is human interactions documented and collected in Diplo’s training, simulation exercises, and brainstorming events.

We used two strategies to combine the two components in coming up with the drafts.

1. AI-based drafting

The first two versions were created by DiploAI in the context of a diplomatic dialogue on global digital governance that took place from 19 to 20 March 2024 in Geneva. DiploAI consulted the rapporteurs’ notes throughout the dialogue, participants’ chat history with Diplo’s GDC AI assistant, and key background documents on digital global governance to generate two versions of the draft in different lengths.

For more details, please consult the methodology section below.

2. AI-assisted drafting

The third version was created by humans with some assistance from AI tools during a simulation exercise at the European Summer School ‘Digital Europe’ (Driebergen, 8-19 August 2023). For this simulation, students used Diplo’s GDC AI assistants to develop and improve their positions during the simulated negotiation process and drafted this version of the GDC.

You can learn more information on the GDC process here.

Contents

Diplomatic Dialogue on Global Digital Governance

(Geneva, 19-20 March 2024)

Groupshot, Person, Clothing, Formal Wear, Suit, Skirt, Coat

GDC – 1043 words version

generated through Diplo’s hybrid methodology for document generation (22 March 2024)

Preamble

We, the representatives of governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, and the technical community, recognize the immense potential of digital technologies to advance human progress and the urgent need to harness their benefits while mitigating risks for the benefit of all. We reaffirm that the foundations of strengthened digital cooperation, including the governance of emerging digital technologies, are the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Principles

Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Digital technologies should be harnessed as powerful tools to accelerate progress across all SDGs. We will promote innovative applications of digital technologies to address global challenges while ensuring that digital transformation is environmentally sustainable.

Protecting and Promoting Human Rights: Human rights must be protected and respected online as they are offline. We will work to ensure that digital technologies are designed and used in ways that uphold human dignity, privacy, freedom of expression, and other fundamental rights.

Promoting Data Sovereignty and Interoperable Data Governance: We recognize the importance of data as a critical resource for development. We will work to promote data sovereignty, interoperability, quality, and responsible sharing, while protecting personal data privacy and security.

Ensuring Agile and Adaptive Governance: We commit to developing agile and adaptive governance frameworks that can keep pace with the rapid evolution of digital technologies, including AI.

Recognizing Multistakeholder Roles and Responsibilities: We acknowledge the shared responsibility in their respective roles of governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, and the technical community in shaping an inclusive, trustworthy, and human-centric digital future.

Commitments and Actions

a) Closing the digital divides and accelerating progress across the SDGs

We commit to:

Achieving universal, affordable, and meaningful connectivity for all by 2030, with a focus on connecting the unconnected and underserved communities.
Developing and implementing comprehensive digital skills strategies to equip people of all ages with the knowledge and competencies needed to participate fully in the digital society.
Accelerating the development and adoption of digital public goods to support inclusive digital transformation.
Harnessing data and AI to track, monitor, and accelerate progress towards the SDGs.
Promoting digital entrepreneurship and innovation, especially among women, youth, and marginalized communities.
Mainstreaming digital transformation across all sectors and levels of government to improve public service delivery, increase transparency and accountability, and foster inclusive digital economies.

b) Fostering an inclusive, open, and secure digital space

We commit to:

Promoting a universal, open, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet that is accessible and affordable for all.
Protecting and promoting human rights online, including freedom of expression, privacy, and the right to peaceful assembly and association.
Enhancing digital trust and security through multistakeholder cooperation and capacity building.
Ensuring the protection and empowerment of children in the digital environment.
Countering disinformation and misinformation through a combination of regulatory measures, industry self-regulation, media literacy initiatives, and the promotion of quality journalism and fact-checking.

c) Advancing data governance

We commit to:

Developing and implementing comprehensive data governance frameworks that protect personal data privacy and security while enabling responsible data use for the public good.
Promoting interoperable and standards-based data sharing to foster innovation, research, and evidence-based policymaking.
Harnessing data to monitor and accelerate progress towards the SDGs.
Enabling safe and secure cross-border data flows while respecting data sovereignty and privacy rights.
Addressing data scarcity and inequalities, especially in developing countries.

d) Governing emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, for humanity

We commit to:

Developing and adopting ethical principles and standards for the responsible development and use of AI and other emerging technologies.
Promoting multistakeholder cooperation and knowledge sharing on AI governance.
Investing in research and development to ensure AI technologies are safe, reliable, and beneficial to humanity.
Empowering developing countries to harness AI for sustainable development.
Ensuring AI development is inclusive and diverse.
Assessing and mitigating the risks of AI and other emerging technologies.
Promoting the development and use of AI for social good.

Follow-up and Review

We commit to establishing a robust follow-up and review process for the Global Digital Compact that will:

Monitor implementation progress and review achievements against commitments on an annual basis.
Facilitate knowledge sharing, peer learning, and the exchange of best practices among all stakeholders.
Promote coherence and coordination among existing digital cooperation initiatives and mechanisms.
Foster multistakeholder partnerships and collaboration.
Ensure an inclusive and transparent review process that involves all stakeholders, especially those from developing countries and marginalized communities.
Build on and complement existing mechanisms, such as the WSIS follow-up, IGF, and the Technology Facilitation Mechanism under the SDGs.
Address the capacity constraints and resource challenges faced by developing countries in participating in digital cooperation processes.
Adopt an agile and iterative approach to follow-up and review that can adapt to the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

By adopting this Global Digital Compact, we reaffirm our shared vision of a more inclusive, equitable, and human-centric digital future for all. We commit to working together in a spirit of solidarity, cooperation, and shared responsibility to implement the principles and actions outlined in this Compact, leaving no one behind in the digital age.

People, Person, Adult, Female, Woman, Architecture, Building, College, Indoors, Crowd, Male, Man, Face, Head, Furniture, Classroom, Room, School, Audience, Lecture, Computer Hardware, Electronics, Hardware, Monitor, Screen — Session at the GDC Dialogue

GDC – 2706 words version

generated through Diplo’s hybrid methodology for document generation (22 March 2024)

Preamble

We acknowledge the critical role of the United Nations in fostering strengthened digital cooperation and emphasize that this Global Digital Compact should build upon the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) founding documents and subsequent processes. We aim to ensure that this Compact reflects the evolving nature of the digital landscape and the need for agile, inclusive, and multistakeholder approaches to digital governance.

Principles

Bridging Digital Divides: We commit to closing the digital divides, including gender divides, by ensuring universal, affordable, and meaningful connectivity, investing in digital literacy and skills, and promoting inclusive access to digital technologies, knowledge, and research. Special attention will be given to the needs of marginalized and vulnerable groups to ensure no one is left behind in the digital age.

Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Digital technologies should be harnessed as powerful tools to accelerate progress across all SDGs. We will promote innovative applications of digital technologies to address global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and health crises, while ensuring that digital transformation is environmentally sustainable.

Fostering an Open, Inclusive, and Secure Digital Future: We commit to advancing an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet that fosters innovation, respects cultural and linguistic diversity, and facilitates the free flow of information and ideas. We will cooperate to enhance trust and security in the digital environment, combat cybercrime, and protect critical infrastructure.

Promoting Innovation and Inclusion in the Digital Economy: We will encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, and the participation of all, especially micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, in the digital economy. We will work to create an enabling environment for the development and adoption of digital technologies that drive inclusive economic growth and job creation.

Advancing Inclusive Access to Digital Public Goods: We will promote the development, sharing, and adoption of digital public goods, including open-source software, open data, and open educational resources. We will work to ensure that these resources are accessible to all and contribute to inclusive digital transformation.

Ensuring Responsible Development and Use of Emerging Technologies: We commit to promoting the responsible development and use of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), in ways that are transparent, accountable, and aligned with human rights and ethical principles. We will cooperate to mitigate risks and challenges posed by these technologies while harnessing their potential for social good.

Ensuring Agile and Adaptive Governance: We commit to developing agile and adaptive governance frameworks that can keep pace with the rapid evolution of digital technologies, including AI. These frameworks should be based on multistakeholder cooperation, evidence-based policymaking, and a balance between innovation and regulation.

Recognizing Multistakeholder Roles and Responsibilities: We acknowledge the shared responsibility of governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, and the technical community in shaping an inclusive, trustworthy, and human-centric digital future. We will strengthen multistakeholder cooperation and partnerships at all levels to implement the principles and actions of this Compact.

Ensuring Meaningful and Inclusive Participation: We will foster meaningful and inclusive participation of all stakeholders, especially from developing countries and marginalized communities, in digital governance processes. We will work to build capacity, provide resources, and create enabling environments for diverse voices to be heard and to influence decision-making.

Respecting Cultural Diversity and Local Contexts: We recognize the importance of respecting cultural diversity and local contexts in the development and governance of digital technologies. We will work to ensure that digital cooperation initiatives are culturally sensitive, locally relevant, and responsive to the needs and aspirations of different communities around the world.

Fostering Digital Cooperation that Reflects Cultural Sensitivities and Local Context: We commit to ensuring that digital cooperation initiatives are culturally sensitive, locally relevant, and responsive to the needs and aspirations of different communities around the world. We will work to promote the development and use of digital technologies that respect and enhance cultural diversity, linguistic plurality, and local knowledge systems.

Promoting Meaningful, Inclusive Participation in Digital Governance: We will foster the meaningful, inclusive participation of all stakeholders, especially from developing countries, marginalized communities, and underrepresented groups, in digital governance processes at all levels. We will work to build capacity, provide resources, and create enabling environments for diverse voices to be heard and to influence decision-making in the digital realm.

Commitments and Actions

a) Closing the digital divides and accelerating progress across the SDGs

We commit to:

Achieving universal, affordable, and meaningful connectivity for all by 2030, with a focus on connecting the unconnected and underserved communities. This will involve investing in digital infrastructure, promoting community networks, and implementing policies to make internet access affordable and inclusive.
Developing and implementing comprehensive digital skills strategies to equip people of all ages with the knowledge and competencies needed to participate fully in the digital society. This will include integrating digital literacy in education curricula, promoting lifelong learning opportunities, and targeting capacity building efforts to marginalized groups.
Accelerating the development and adoption of digital public goods, such as open-source software, open data, and open educational resources, to support inclusive digital transformation. We will establish a global repository of digital public goods and promote their use to address development challenges.
Harnessing data and AI to track, monitor, and accelerate progress towards the SDGs. We will promote responsible data sharing, invest in data capacity building, and support the development of AI applications that contribute to sustainable development, with a focus on the needs of developing countries.
Promoting digital entrepreneurship and innovation, especially among women, youth, and marginalized communities. We will create enabling environments for digital startups and SMEs, facilitate access to finance and markets, and foster local innovation ecosystems.
Mainstreaming digital transformation across all sectors and levels of government to improve public service delivery, increase transparency and accountability, and foster inclusive digital economies. We will promote the use of digital technologies to enhance social protection, healthcare, education, and other critical services.
Developing local large language models (LLMs) in local languages to promote linguistic diversity and inclusion in the digital space. We will support initiatives to pool resources and expertise at the regional level, such as in Southeast Asia, to create LLMs that cater to the needs and contexts of different language communities.
Fostering the development of bottom-up AI applications that address local challenges and priorities. We will promote participatory approaches to AI development that engage local communities, civil society, and domain experts in the design and deployment of AI systems.
Ensuring more fair and inclusive use of LLMs by promoting transparency, accountability, and diversity in their development and deployment. We will work to mitigate biases and potential harms, protect vulnerable groups, and ensure that the benefits of LLMs are widely shared.

b) Fostering an inclusive, open, and secure digital space

We commit to:

Promoting a universal, open, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet that is accessible and affordable for all. We will work to preserve the global, interoperable, and multi-stakeholder nature of the Internet and resist fragmentation.
Protecting and promoting human rights online, including freedom of expression, privacy, and the right to peaceful assembly and association. We will work to prevent and address online harms, such as hate speech, disinformation, and gender-based violence, while upholding human rights principles.
Enhancing digital trust and security through multistakeholder cooperation and capacity building. We will strengthen cybersecurity measures, protect critical infrastructure (including submarine cables), combat cybercrime, and promote the development of secure and resilient digital products and services.
Ensuring the protection and empowerment of children in the digital environment. We will implement policies and initiatives to safeguard children’s rights online, protect them from harm and exploitation, and provide them with digital skills and opportunities.
Countering disinformation and misinformation through a combination of regulatory measures, industry self-regulation, media literacy initiatives, and the promotion of quality journalism and fact-checking. We will work to enhance transparency and accountability of online platforms and empower users to make informed decisions.

c) Advancing data governance

We commit to:

Developing and implementing comprehensive data governance frameworks that protect personal data privacy and security while enabling responsible data use for the public good. These frameworks should be based on principles of transparency, accountability, fairness, and user control.
Promoting interoperable and standards-based data sharing to foster innovation, research, and evidence-based policymaking. We will work to establish global standards for data interoperability, portability, and quality, taking into account the needs and contexts of developing countries.
Harnessing data to monitor and accelerate progress towards the SDGs. We will promote the collection, sharing, and use of disaggregated and timely data to inform policies and interventions, with a focus on leaving no one behind.
Enabling safe and secure cross-border data flows while respecting data sovereignty and privacy rights. We will work to harmonize data protection regulations across jurisdictions and establish mechanisms for international data sharing that are consistent with human rights principles.
Addressing data scarcity and inequalities, especially in developing countries. We will invest in data capacity building, promote data sharing partnerships, and support the development of locally relevant data ecosystems.
Ensuring data governance frameworks are inclusive and multistakeholder-driven. We will foster the meaningful participation of all stakeholders, including civil society, academia, and the technical community, in the development and implementation of data governance policies and practices.
Promoting responsible and ethical data practices by both public and private sector entities. This includes introducing principles for companies to re-invest data-derived profits into society, ensuring data source diversity in AI development, and protecting vulnerable groups from data misuse and discrimination.
Ensuring data governance frameworks reflect the different types of data, from private to corporate and public data. We will develop differentiated approaches that are tailored to the specific characteristics, risks, and opportunities associated with each data type.
Fostering data localization by, among others, locating data centers under countries’ jurisdiction. We will work to build local data infrastructure and capacities, while ensuring that data localization measures do not unduly restrict cross-border data flows or hinder innovation.

d) Governing emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, for humanity

We commit to:

Developing and adopting ethical principles and standards for the responsible development and use of AI and other emerging technologies. These should be based on human rights, transparency, accountability, fairness, and inclusivity.
Promoting multistakeholder cooperation and knowledge sharing on AI governance, including through the establishment of a global observatory for AI ethics and policy. We will work to align AI governance approaches across jurisdictions while respecting cultural diversity and local contexts.
Investing in research and development to ensure AI technologies are safe, reliable, and beneficial to humanity. This includes supporting the development of explainable AI, algorithmic transparency, and robustness against bias and discrimination.
Empowering developing countries to harness AI for sustainable development. We will promote capacity building, technology transfer, and the development of locally relevant AI applications that address the needs and priorities of developing countries.
Ensuring AI development is inclusive and diverse. We will work to increase the participation of women, marginalized communities, and developing countries in AI research, development, and governance.
Assessing and mitigating the risks of AI and other emerging technologies, including their impact on human rights, labor markets, and social cohesion. We will develop mechanisms for algorithmic impact assessments, auditing, and redress.
Promoting the development and use of AI for social good, including in areas such as healthcare, education, climate action, and disaster response. We will establish partnerships and funding mechanisms to support the deployment of AI solutions that contribute to the SDGs.
Developing local LLMs in local languages to promote linguistic diversity, preserve cultural heritage, and enable more inclusive AI applications. We will support initiatives to create open-source LLMs and foster collaboration among researchers, technologists, and language communities.
Fostering the development of bottom-up AI that is grounded in local realities and responsive to community needs. We will promote participatory approaches to AI development that engage diverse stakeholders, including civil society, domain experts, and marginalized groups.
Following examples from Southeast Asia and other regions in pooling resources together to create LLMs and other AI tools in their respective languages. We will facilitate knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and capacity building to enable more countries and communities to develop and benefit from language technologies.

Follow-up and Review

We commit to establishing a robust follow-up and review process for the Global Digital Compact that will:

Monitor implementation progress and review achievements against commitments on an annual basis. This will involve the development of indicators and benchmarks to assess progress and identify gaps and challenges.
Facilitate knowledge sharing, peer learning, and the exchange of best practices among all stakeholders. We will establish a global knowledge platform for digital cooperation that will serve as a repository of case studies, tools, and resources.
Promote coherence and coordination among existing digital cooperation initiatives and mechanisms, both within and outside the UN system. We will work to align efforts, avoid duplication, and foster synergies across different policy domains and stakeholder groups.
Foster multistakeholder partnerships and collaboration, including through the establishment of a dedicated partnership framework for the Global Digital Compact. This will facilitate the engagement of civil society, the private sector, academia, and the technical community in the implementation and review of the Compact.
Ensure an inclusive and transparent review process that involves all stakeholders, especially those from developing countries and marginalized communities. We will provide opportunities for meaningful participation and input through a combination of online and offline channels.
Build on and complement existing mechanisms, such as the WSIS follow-up and review process and the Technology Facilitation Mechanism under the SDGs. We will work to integrate the Global Digital Compact into these broader frameworks while avoiding duplication of efforts.
Address the capacity constraints and resource challenges faced by developing countries in participating in digital cooperation processes. We will provide targeted support and facilitate the pooling of resources to enable the full and effective engagement of all countries and stakeholders.
Adopt an agile and iterative approach to follow-up and review that can adapt to the rapidly evolving digital landscape. We will regularly review and update the Global Digital Compact to ensure its continued relevance and effectiveness in addressing emerging challenges and opportunities.
Anchor the Global Digital Compact into the WSIS review process and Agenda 2030 to ensure coherence and alignment with existing global frameworks for digital cooperation and sustainable development.
Recognize the challenges faced by small and developing countries in participating meaningfully in multiple parallel policy processes. We will work to streamline and rationalize digital cooperation mechanisms and provide targeted support to enable their effective engagement.
Highlight the relevance of regional cooperation in dealing with digital challenges, such as the development of regional information infrastructure. We will promote collaboration among regional organizations and stakeholders to address shared priorities and leverage regional assets and expertise.
Ensure that the follow-up and review process covers cross-sectoral issues, including the security, development, and human rights aspects of digital technologies. We will foster holistic and integrated approaches that break down silos and promote policy coherence across different domains.

Global Digital Compact

GDC – Outcome of Simulation Exercise at European Summer School ‘Digital Europe’

8–19 August 2023, Driebergen

Principles for Our Digital Future: Simulating the negotiation of a Global Digital Compact

This text is the result of a simulation exercise held as part of the European Summer School ‘Digital Europe’, held in August 2023 in Driebergen, the Netherlands, and organised by the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German Academic Scholarship Foundation) in cooperation with the College of Europe.

As part of the school, a group of 22 students with diverse backgrounds (law, political sciences, philosophy, IT, engineering, and medical studies) came together to simulate the negotiation of a Global Digital Compact. Eight delegations were formed to represent the African Union, Brazil, the Caribbean Community, China, the European Union, the USA, civil society, and the private sector. The task was to agree on a Global Digital Compact that combines realism with ambition.

So the students tried, on the one hand, to stay true to the challenges of a global negotiation and the real positions of the delegations we represent, and, on the other hand, to be a bit ambitious in outlining proposals for tackling digital policy challenges. The group used the UN Secretary-General’s policy brief on the GDC as a starting point. They discussed the objectives and actions proposed there, amended some of them, and added quite a lot of new ones altogether. Because of time limitations, the group did not discuss all the topics that the GDC is expected to cover.

Global Digital Compact

A. Digital inclusion and progress on the sustainable development goals (SDGs)

Objectives

Close the digital divides by connecting all people, especially marginalised, vulnerable, and hard-to-reach groups, to the internet, in ways that are inclusive, affordable, effective, safe, reliable, accessible, and non-discriminatory.
Empower all people, particularly vulnerable and marginalised groups, through educational and capacity development programmes, to foster their digital skills and capabilities to participate fully in the digital economy and society, leaving no one behind.
Leverage existing expertise from the private and public sectors to build digital skills and capacities in an effective way.
Foster education on mental health and personal safeguarding in digital spaces.
Advance gender mainstreaming and the digital inclusion of women, girls and people of all genders and sexualities.
Make targeted investments to ensure the global accessibility of digital public infrastructure and services, and advance global knowledge and sharing of best practices on digital public goods to serve as a catalyst for progress on SDGs.
Ensure that data are a force multiplier for progress on the SDGs by making data representative, interoperable, and accessible, while protecting privacy rights.
Pool data, artificial intelligence (AI) expertise, and infrastructure across borders and sectors, redistribute resources to the Global South in a needs-based manner, empower marginalised communities, and thus generate innovation for meeting the SDGs targets.
Develop environmental sustainability by design and globally harmonised digital sustainability standards and safeguards to protect the planet, and to achieve a sustainable digitally enabled socio-economic development.
Acknowledge internet access as a fundamental human right.

Actions

11. Member states shall:

Put in place policies that enable affordable and stable high-speed connectivity in underserved areas, particularly rural and remote ones, as well as for vulnerable and marginalised communities. These policies could take the form of direct investments, public-private partnerships, incentives for the private sector, and subsidies for end-users, among other options.
Encourage and support the development of community networks and of other decentralised models at the connectivity and applications layers to bridge the digital divide.
Put in place policies, guidelines, recommendations, and agreements related to advancing gender digital inclusion and gender mainstreaming, and encourage multistakeholder cooperation in this regard.
Institute or strengthen public and public-private education and capacity development programmes to foster digital literacy and digital and transdisciplinary skills for all, particularly for marginalised and vulnerable groups. Such skills should empower individuals to use the internet and digital technologies in a safe, rights-respecting, and meaningful manner.
Incentivise lifelong learning for workers in public and private sectors.
Develop, together with the private sector, civil society, academia, and other relevant stakeholders, and with the inclusion of different regional perspectives, an international framework of design principles and a set of definitions for safe, inclusive, and sustainable digital public infrastructure, taking into account good practices. The framework will be implemented in accordance with applicable national and regional standards and mechanisms.
Build and maintain a global repository of experiences, based on voluntary submissions, related to the development of digital public infrastructure and digital public services.
Ensure a fair, rational, equitable, effective, and efficient allocation and use of orbit and spectrum resources, as essential resources for connectivity.
Allocate at least 10% of total development assistance for digital transformation, with a particular focus on public administration capacity development, and with priority in allocation given to least developed countries. To this aim, raise official development assistance to reach the target of 0.7% of gross national income of donor countries, with priority in allocation given to least developed countries.
Put in place policies that support the growth of digital entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly within marginalised communities. This can include providing access to funding, mentorship programmes, and regulatory support, among other approaches.
Encourage the development of digital payment systems and financial services that are inclusive, safe, and human-rights-respecting and that cater to the needs of marginalised and vulnerable groups, such as mobile banking and microfinance initiatives.
Put in place and support initiatives that promote the creation and availability of local content in local languages and cultural contexts to promote digital inclusion. This can include providing funding and resources for content creators and prioritising the visibility and accessibility of local content on digital platforms.
Establish common obligatory minimum standards of corporate social responsibility in the digital sector. These standards shall centre on human rights protection, environmental sustainability, and due diligence.

12. All stakeholders shall:

Agree to common targets for universal, affordable, and stable high-speed connectivity, especially for marginalised, vulnerable, and hard-to-reach groups, and track progress against them.
Collaborate to make internet access affordable for everyone, with special attention to the impact of socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender and age on participation in the digital world. This includes fostering affordable purchase options of end devices for everyone.
Increase the availability of financial resources, according to their economic strength, to expand access to digital infrastructure and equipment, in particular in developing and least-developed countries. Such resources could come from development assistance from donor countries, intergovernmental organisations, and the private sector, and could build on initiatives such as the Global Gateway, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment.
Extend connectivity mapping and building currently undertaken for schools to medical facilities and relevant public institutions, especially in remote communities.
Coordinate actions, subsidies, and incentives for digital technical and vocational training and public access facilities, in particular for women and girls and other marginalised and vulnerable groups.
Create 1 million ‘digital champions’ for the SDGs by 2030, with equitable distribution across regions, by creating a public-private Capacity-Development Network that leverages existing initiatives to pool training content, trainers, and case studies, develop common competency frameworks, and deliver a Digital for Sustainable Development Goals training standard.
Commit to completing the identification of gaps in SDG data and make 90% of Goal tracking data available and publicly accessible by 2030.
Collaborate to foster open and accessible data ecosystems that enable earlier, faster, and more targeted disaster mitigation and crisis response, including through the UN Complex Risk Analytics Fund and the WMO Systematic Observations Financing Facility.
Create collaborative research initiatives for data and AI applications for the SDGs in priority areas such as agriculture, education, energy, health, and green transition, with a specific focus on the needs of developing and least-developed countries, and with the inclusion of knowledge and expertise existing in these countries.
Build a global online resource of trusted and open environmental data for researchers and policy makers, together with the necessary licences, quality standards, infrastructure, and standards to support green digital transformation.
Cooperate to enable access to lifelong learning opportunities with regard to digital literacy and skills, through initiatives such as the establishment of training programmes and centres and online platforms for digital literacy.
Advance education on mental health and personal safeguarding in digital spaces.

13. Multilateral and regional organisations shall:

Set a revised target of USD 150 billion for pledges to the Partner2Connect Coalition by 2030 (International Telecommunication Union).
Strengthen partnerships with international organisations, national development agencies, and private sector actors to ensure that all schools are connected to the internet by 2030, through initiatives such as GIGA.
Establish pooled financing mechanisms to support governments in planning and designing digital public infrastructure and services, building on existing national and regional frameworks. These will serve, among other purposes, as a primary tool of communication with public administrations.
Utilise the common blueprint on digital transformations, to be devised by the United Nations as an end-to-end guide for digital development and as a tool for leveraging a new digital window in the joint SDGs trust fund to assist country-led digital transformation initiatives supported by resident coordinators and United Nations country teams.

B. Upholding human rights

Objectives

Ensure the equal application of human rights on- and offline, as highlighted in international instruments such as the UN Human Rights Council Resolution A/HRC/47/16 on the promotion, protection, and enjoyment of human rights on the internet.
Ensure the protection of human rights especially in the context of digital transformation processes.
Make human rights the foundation of an open, safe, secure digital future with human dignity at its core, in line with existing frameworks, such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, and the International Labour Union (ILO) Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy.
Balance promoting innovation and preserving the benefits digital technology offers with responsible oversight to prevent the malicious and abusive use of technology while upholding human rights.
Expand the implementation and interpretation of international human rights instruments such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights to include protection for rights specific to the digital era, such as the rights to be forgotten and the right to rectification.
Harness the benefits of digital technologies and promote sustainable development while keeping in mind the importance of climate justice and its connection to human rights.
Tackle existing digital divides through strong protection of human rights, especially in the case of vulnerable and marginalised groups, including, but not limited to, people of all genders and sexualities as well as regional, ethnic, and linguistic groups.
Apply international labour rights regardless of the mode of work and protect workers against digital surveillance, arbitrary algorithmic decisions, and all forms of discrimination and loss of agency over their labour, especially with regards to occupational safety and health.
Place the implication on human rights and ethical considerations to the forefront when developing AI and other digital technologies.

Actions

23. Member states shall:

Establish a digital human rights advisory mechanism, facilitated by OHCHR, that will provide practical guidance on human rights and technology issues, building on the work of existing human rights mechanisms and experts, and including expertise from the private sector and civil society. The mechanism will also showcase good practices and convene the private sector, civil society, academia, the technical community and other relevant stakeholders, including representatives of the Global South, to analyse misaligned incentives in the market, explore legislative and regulatory issues, and propose governance solutions to address challenges in the protection of human rights in the digital space.
Take actions to prevent and stop acts that jeopardise personal data and privacy through the use of digital technologies.
Support businesses, in particular SMEs, to improve data protection, increase self-discipline, and take concrete actions to protect personal data and privacy in the digital space.
Recognise the right to privacy and data protection under national legislation, with the overall aim of enshrining this right into their constitutions.
Develop an international privacy and data protection framework.
Establish data sharing agreements to facilitate cross-border data flows with trust, while respecting the sovereignty of nations, and put in place effective mechanisms to ensure that such cooperation does not compromise digital rights or facilitate human rights abuses.
Respect and uphold individuals’ freedom of expression in the digital space, ensuring that internet shutdowns, censorship, or content blocking are only permissible under exceptional circumstances and in compliance with international human rights standards.
Put in place effective mechanisms to prevent and combat online hate speech, discrimination, and harassment, fostering an inclusive and respectful digital environment.
Foster multistakeholder and multilateral dialogue and cooperation on developing cybersecurity policies that protect individuals’ rights while addressing cyber threats and online activities that violate human rights, including state-sponsored hacking, surveillance, and online censorship.
Foster multistakeholder and multilateral dialogue around responsible and ethical technology development, including but not limited to considerations related to algorithmic transparency and the reduction of biases and discrimination in technological systems.

24. All stakeholders shall:

Review, harmonise and improve existing legal commitments in regional, national and industry policies and standards and take specific measures to protect and empower women, children, young people, older persons, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, people of all genders and sexualities, and ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, among other vulnerable and marginalised groups, to fully benefit from digital technologies.
Integrate mental health considerations in the design of technology platforms and, in the case of platform providers, refrain from increasing user engagement in a non-ethical way.
Support capacity development initiatives to promote and protect human rights all over the world in the digital sphere. This can include sharing best practices, providing technical assistance, and fostering dialogue among stakeholders to address challenges and advance human rights standards, making sure diverse perspectives and expertise are considered.
Work towards and implement a right to be forgotten and a right to rectification in the digital space which should be respected by both public and private entities.

25. Member States, employers, and workers shall:

Uphold labour rights as determined by the ILO, particularly the protection of occupational safety and health, by applying the fundamental conventions Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) and the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187).
Promote meaningful and equitable employment opportunities through international innovative regulation, social protection, and investment policies.

C. Digital trust and security

Objectives

Strengthen cooperation across governments, the private sector , and civil society to elaborate and implement norms, guidelines, and principles of responsible and safe use of digital technologies.
Develop mandatory accountability and transparency criteria and standards for digital platforms and users to address disinformation, hate speech, and other harmful online content.
Build capacity and expand the global cybersecurity workforce, and develop trust labels and certification schemes as well as effective regional and national oversight bodies.
Strengthen cybersecurity-related capacities in developed and least-developed countries, among public administrations, private actors, and individuals.
Mainstream gender in digital policies and in technology design, and ensure zero tolerance for gender-based violence and gender-based discrimination in order to create a more equal and connected world for people of all genders and sexualities.
Ensure that safety standards in the digital space are held to the same benchmarks as in the offline world.
Strengthen the accountability and responsibility of all sectors that provide digital services.
Foster dialogue and international cooperation on putting in place and strengthening national cybersecurity strategies.
Promote secure and privacy-respecting communication technologies, supported by reliable encryption standards.
When designing cybersecurity policies, take into account the global interconnectedness and interdependencies of digital infrastructures, as well as the vulnerabilities of critical systems across the world.

Actions

36. Member states shall:

Identify critical infrastructures, including but not limited to energy, communications, finance and healthcare systems and cooperate with other stakeholders on protecting these infrastructures from cyberthreats.
Develop an international reporting mechanism with voluntary reporting from member states on international cybercrime and cybersecurity incidents and attacks, building, for instance, on the existing UNODC Programme on Cybercrime established through the UN General Assembly Resolution 65/230 and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Resolutions 22/7 and 22/8.
Include cybersecurity education in school curricula and continuing education and training programmes, and disseminate good practices for safe use of digital technologies.

37. All stakeholders shall:

Refrain from actions that disrupt, damage, or destroy critical infrastructures.
Collaborate to develop national cybersecurity policies and international frameworks that account for the protection of privacy and other human rights.
Engage in public-private partnerships to share threat intelligence and best practices on addressing cyber-threats, and to collaborate on cybersecurity research.
Cooperate to develop mechanisms for providing financial and technical assistance to developing and least developed countries to enhance their cybersecurity capabilities, including in the aftermath of significant cyber-incidents.
Cooperate to develop guidance frameworks to assist countries in the creation of comprehensive capacity development programmes on cybersecurity for public officials, private companies, as well as end-users.
Cooperate to develop comprehensive incubator programmes for private sector start-ups in the field of cybersecurity, specifically responding to the needs of markets in developing and least developed countries.

38. All stakeholders shall develop common standards, guidelines and industry codes of conduct to address harmful content on digital platforms and promote safe civic spaces, as follows:

Online safety commissioners from different jurisdictions collaborate to develop shared understandings and implement best practices that respect freedom of expression, privacy rights, data protection, and affordable access to information while protecting against any harm and discrimination.
Social media platforms commit to and put in place co-regulation mechanisms, such as multistakeholder social media councils, that ensure adherence to agreed standards across the industry. The standards underlying the mechanisms could be based on the proposed Code of Conduct for Information Integrity on Digital Platforms and benefit from the discussions at the Internet for Trust – Towards Guidelines for Regulating Digital Platforms for Information as a Public Good global conference organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Multistakeholder alliances, such as the Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality support the international community in developing and implementing a standard measurement of online violence against youth, women, girls, and other vulnerable and marginalised groups, and methodologies to better measure, track and counter patterns of harm.
Children’s needs and protection shall be a priority for safety policies and standards, including with respect to age-appropriate design and access, while respecting privacy. Platforms shall share child-impact assessments and anonymous data with regulators and researchers. A research committee shall be established to enhance international research on these issues, gather the generated insights, and share it with member states.

4. Agile governance of AI and other frontier technologies

Objectives

Ensure that the design, development and use of AI and other frontier technologies are transparent, accessible, reliable, safe, and under accountable human control while adhering to principles of privacy, non-discrimination, and other human rights.
Make transparency, justice, fairness, and accountability the core of AI governance, emphasising the responsibility of all stakeholders to identify, monitor, and address the risks AI systems could entail and to commit to international standards.
Pool existing international guidance and norms, national regulatory frameworks, and technical standards and coordinate a risk-based approach for an agile governance of AI and other frontier technologies, with an active exchange of lessons learned and emerging best practices across borders, industries, and sectors.
In the case of regulators, coordinate across national or, as applicable, regional digital, competition, taxation, consumer protection, online safety, and data protection policies as well as labour rights to ensure the alignment of frontier technologies with human rights.
Leverage the potential of AI and other frontier technologies for sustainable digital development, while ensuring accountability in the deployment and use of such technologies.
Foster international cooperation to encourage the safe and responsible development and use of AI and other frontier technologies by sharing resources, best practices, and expertise.
Increase the ability for all stakeholders, including individuals and civil society, to partake in and benefit from the development and use of AI and other frontier technologies across countries, especially in developing and least developed ones, while ensuring the possibility of individual opt-outs.
Uphold all countries’, especially developing and least developed ones’, right to development and right to the peaceful use of AI and other frontier technologies.

Actions

47. Member states shall:

Urgently launch, together with the private sector, international organisations, academia, and civil society, a global collaborative research and development effort, to ensure that AI and other frontier technologies are safe, accountable, transparent, interpretable, trustworthy, and aligned with human rights.
Seek recommendations on the governance of AI from the multistakeholder High-level Advisory Body on AI, including options for internationally agreed measures and standards.
Consider mandating that a minimum percentage of investments in AI be allocated to AI governance.
Develop, together with the private sector,, international organisations, academia, and civil society, a fund to incentivize research and preparedness on existing and potential risks associated with frontier technologies.
Introduce mandatory reporting requirements for harms caused by AI systems, considering elements such as the sensitivity of the concerned data and the number of people affected.
Impose restrictions on digital technologies whose potential risks or actual impacts are not in line with international and national laws, regulations, ethics and standards, including those that fail established necessity and proportionality tests.
Create a common framework to promote capacity development on risk assessments on AI and other frontier technologies, prioritising human rights and the needs of marginalised and vulnerable groups.
Encourage institutionalised training on ethics for developers of AI and other frontier technologies.
Invest in education and training to equip individuals, businesses, and public administrations with the knowledge and skills to understand, use, and develop AI systems to the benefit of all.
Disseminate knowledge on AI and other frontier technologies at a global level, by creating a technology transfers and capacity development framework to benefit in particular developing and least developed countries.

48. All actors shall:

Conduct studies on the safety implications of emerging AI systems before market deployment, and carry out regular, independent evaluations during the lifecycle of the systems.
Develop sector-based guidelines to enable stakeholders to have standardised guidance to rely on when developing, implementing, and auditing AI systems.
Reinforce transparency and accountability measures, improving explainability, auditability, and the ability to rectify errors in AI systems.
Cooperate on raising awareness and developing capacities within the private sector, technical community, and other entities developing AI systems, on the need to use data that is de-biased, diverse, and representative of marginalised and vulnerable groups.
Cooperate on raising awareness on the challenges that advances in quantum computing technologies pose to current encryption practices, and on encouraging more diverse participation, including from developing and least developed countries, in the setting of international standards for quantum-safe cryptography.
Develop a shared understanding of ethical issues and safety, security, and human-rights-related risks associated with quantum computing, biotechnology, and other frontier technologies, and promote transparency and public engagement in any related decision-making process.
Put in place data governance frameworks that ensure responsible and ethical data collection, data use, and data sharing in the context of AI and frontier technology applications, including but not limited to, design safeguards, transparency, and data collection.

5. Inclusive digital governance processes (overarching)

Objective

Make digital governance processes more inclusive and representative of diverse voices, in particular from developing and least developed countries, as well as vulnerable and marginalised groups.

Actions

50. Member states and multilateral and regional organisations shall:

Put in place policies and mechanisms to strengthen the active participation of developing and least developed countries in intergovernmental digital governance processes.
Ensure that digital governance processes at a national and intergovernmental level take into account the views of other stakeholders such as the private sector, civil society, academia, and technical community, and are reflective of the rights and interests of vulnerable and marginalised groups.

6. Follow-up mechanism

51. Member States request the UN Secretary-General to reorganise and transform the Internet Governance Forum into a Digital Cooperation Forum (DCF) that will be convened annually to support multistakeholder engagement and follow-up on the implementation of the Compact.

52. All stakeholders commit to strive for an implementation of the agreed actions of the GDC by 2030. Interim targets for specific actions shall be discussed and agreed upon at the first DCF.

53. The DCF will function as a multistakeholder policy dialogue forum whose mandate is to:

Discuss and review the implementation of Global Digital Compact principles and actions.
Establish a single point of contact to direct stakeholders’ requests for help on digital policy (such as dealing with crisis situations, drafting legislation, or advising on policy) to appropriate entities.
Discuss policy issues related to development and use of digital technologies.
Facilitate transparent dialogue and collaboration across intergovernmental, international, and multistakeholder organisations dealing with digital policy issues, with a view to reducing duplication of efforts.
Support evidence-based knowledge and information sharing on digital trends, pool lessons learned and best practice on digital governance, and in this regard make full use of the expertise of the private sector, academia, and technical community, including from developing and least developed countries.
Advise all stakeholders to accelerate the availability and affordability of digital technologies in the developing world, for instance through key outcomes of the Forum.
Strengthen and enhance the engagement of stakeholders, including the civil society and representatives of marginalised and vulnerable groups, in existing and/or future digital governance mechanisms, particularly those from developing and least developed countries.
Identify emerging policy issues related to the development and use of digital technologies, bring them to the attention of the relevant bodies and the general public, and, where appropriate, make recommendations.
Identify and promote solutions to existing and emerging digital challenges, such as those arising from the use and misuse of digital technologies.
Identify gaps in the governance of digital technologies, and develop and promote solutions to address them.
Highlight policy priorities for individual and collective stakeholder decision-making and action.
Contribute to capacity development for digital governance in developing and least developed countries, drawing fully on local sources of knowledge and expertise.
Create a repository of capacity development activities provided by various organisations, such as the International Telecommunication Union, the Internet Society and the Alliance for Affordable Internet, among others.
Leverage data and digital technologies to pool datasets on digital policy (such as digital development indexes, statistics on the use of digital technology, AI readiness indexes) from different sources and make them available through a dedicated platform.

54. The DCF will be supported by:

A Secretariat located within the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General.
A multistakeholder advisory group to support the preparation of the Forum’s programme for annual meetings and intersessional activities. The group will be appointed by the UN Secretary-General from a diverse and representative group of governments, civil society, private sector, and technical community. Members will serve for a term of one year, with a potential for renewal for two consecutive years.
A high-level multistakeholder panel to provide strategic inputs and advice on the Forum (for instance, through identifying points of convergence among existing Forum activities, as well as between such activities and other digital governance processes at an intergovernmental and multistakeholder level); promote the Forum and its outputs; attract wide engagement in the Forum from across all stakeholder groups; and engage in extensive fundraising efforts for the Forum. The panel will be appointed by the UN Secretary-General from a diverse and representative group of prominent individuals from governments, civil society, private sector, and technical community. Members will serve for a term of one year, with a potential for renewal for two consecutive years.

55. The DCF shall be funded from the UN regular budget. In addition, a multi-donor trust fund will be established building on the Internet Governance Forum trust fund, and will consist of donations from various stakeholders, especially the private sector.

56. The DCF shall use a portion of its budget to support the participation of stakeholders from developing and least developed countries, including, but not limited to, marginalised communities and small and middle-sized companies.

57. All stakeholders are encouraged to make pledges (non-binding declarations) on GDC actions they commit to implement, at the DCF:

A pledges website will be established where stakeholders submit their pledges and are asked to regularly report on progress on their implementation. In addition, this website could serve as a forum to share good practices and inspire stakeholders to new pledges.
The DCG Secretariat will advise and support the stakeholders in making and implementing pledges.
Stakeholders that meet or exceed their pledges will be honoured publicly at the DCF and receive a recognition of their special contribution to an open, safe, secure digital future.
For this purpose, an annual award –‘The Golden Router’ – will be put into place to honour the most effectively implemented pledges. The trophy will be made of recycled electronic waste, and the nomination process will, just like the trophy, recognise efforts towards sustainability in digital governance.

Diplo’s Hybrid (AI/Human) Methodology for Document Generation

This chart summarises Diplo’s hybrid methodology (AI/humans) for training, brainstorming, and drafting texts.

Draft chart explaining Diplo's hybrid methodology (AI/Human) for drafting and generating knowledge. — Global Digital Compact: Academic/Policy draft texts 7

AI Knowledge Weights

49%

AI Knowledge Background

The knowledge background that DiploAI relies on is generated from a few hundred annotated texts sorted according to their relevance:

Core GDC-related documents.
Publicly-available inputs and statements made by stakeholders in the GDC process.
Digital cooperation and governance documents, conventions, and reports (e.g. Roamap on digital cooperation).
Core UN documents (UN Charter, UN Human Rights Declaration, Agenda 2030).
Academic papers and studies on digital cooperation and governance.

Experts annotate texts to highlight relevant paragraphs and sentences.

23%

Event Brainstorming

Diplo’s rapporteurs took notes during the dialogue, highlighting the main points. (DiploAI also supports speech-to-text input, in the case of recorded discussions. This, however, was not the case during the dialogue, due to Chatham House rules.)

Adult, Female, Person, Woman, Male, Man, Girl, Teen, Conversation, Chair, Furniture, Face, Head, Computer, Electronics, Laptop, Pc, Computer Hardware, Hardware, Monitor, Screen — Global Digital Compact: Academic/Policy draft texts 8

17%

Interactions with GDC AI Assistant

A GDC AI Assistant was made available for participants to pose questions throughout the event. The question-answer pairs generated by the tool further became input to the draft of the GDC.

Window of AI Chatbot with question and answer.

11%

Expert Review and Inputs

Digital governance experts reviewed the draft texts to identify and rectify major AI ‘hallucinations’.