Our common digital future

On Sunday, September 22, UN Member States took a historic step for our common digital future by adopting the Global Digital Compact, the first global framework for digital cooperation and AI governance.

Through the Compact, they pledged to make the online environment safe for all and promote information integrity, tolerance and respect in the digital space.

No discussion on this topic can ignore the damage that misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and other information threats are doing to our world.

This has caused a rise in polarization and a decline in trust.

Trust that is needed to achieve peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet.

To build this trust, we need integrity in our information ecosystem.

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Recognizing the urgency of this need, the Secretary-General launched the United Nations Global Principles for Information Integrity in June.

Firmly rooted in human rights, the Global Principles offer a holistic framework for an inclusive, open, safe and secure digital space where everyone is able to express themselves freely without fear of attack.

The Principles are an important resource for Member States and other stakeholders in their efforts to meet the commitments made at the Summit.

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Some stakeholders bear an outsized responsibility.

To them, our message is clear:

To the big tech companies - acknowledge and mitigate the harm your products are inflicting on people and communities.

Increase transparency and ensure safety and privacy by design for all users, everywhere.

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To AI actors:

Uphold human rights.

Take urgent and transparent measures to ensure that all of your applications are designed and deployed safely, securely, responsibly and ethically.

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To advertisers and the PR industry:

Stop allowing the monetizing of harmful content.

Use your creative power to promote our common good.

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To the media:

Raise and enforce your industry’s own editorial standards.

Provide quality journalism based on facts and reality.

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To governments:

Commit to a free, viable, independent, and plural media landscape.

Guarantee strong protections for journalists.

Refrain from drastic measures such as blanket internet shutdowns.

And ensure responses strictly adhere to international law, including international human rights law.

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We hope these Principles will serve as a blueprint for the information environment we need to shape our future together.