Declaration for the future of the internet: promoting human rights and democracy in tech development

The United States launched its “Declaration for the Future of the Internet” in April 2022, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding human rights and democratic principles in advancing, innovating, and funding technology. Along with 58 other signatories, including South Korea, Japan, and the United States, they emphasized the significance of promoting universal principles at all technological creation, application, and dissemination levels.

The United States, Japan, and South Korea, as democratic tech leaders, have the potential to lead in this area. However, there is still much work to be done to meet the technological needs of developing countries. China has been trying to meet these demands through the Belt and Road Initiative initiatives.

Wealthy democracies, led by the United States, try to offer a feasible tech alternative to developing countries that aligns with democratic values. Partnerships between the private sectors of these countries can provide high-quality tech goods and infrastructure critical for digital transformation while promoting democratic norms. The article in Asia Times concludes that the declaration for the future of the internet needs to be paired with concrete action to empower emerging economies and counter China’s tech dominance.