G7 ministers seek to bridge digital divide and promote Internet freedom

During a meeting of the G7 in Japan, the ICT ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the USA discussed the international opportunities and challenges of the Internet. The ministers agreed to push for policies that tackle the digital divide and enhance online freedoms, ‘countering government-led online restrictions.’ In a statement released after the meeting, the G7 ministers agreed to ‘continue to support ICT policies that preserve the global nature of the Internet, promote the flow of information across borders and allow Internet users to access online information, knowledge and services of their choice.’