The United States and more than 55 other governments from around the globe have made a non-legally binding pledge to maintain an open internet.
The Declaration for the Future of the Internet (DFI), as the pledge is called, includes refraining from shutting down internet access or illegally gaining access to user data, as well as promoting the access and safety of citizens on the internet, especially women and children. The governments, including Britain, Australia, and Ukraine, have also agreed not to spread disinformation to interfere in elections or restrict the spread of legal content.
In an apparent reference to China's "social credit" system, the pledge also outlaws the creation of "social score cards" for citizens.
China and Russia both stand in stark contrast to the countries looking to protect a free internet. Both countries routinely restrict internet access for citizens and have worked to wall off their internet from the rest of the world. Two other major tech markets, Brazil and India, also declined to sign onto the pledge.
The Biden Administration formulated the DFI pledge in response to growing concerns over China's domination of the global 5G and tech product markets. During its development, the pledge underwent changes following criticism from experts who said that prior measures would be too difficult for smaller countries to meet.
According to the signatories, the pledge should "be used as a reference for public policymakers, as well as citizens, businesses and civil society organizations.
"This Declaration represents a political commitment among Declaration partners to advance a positive vision for the Internet and digital technologies," the State Department wrote in its announcement of the DFI. "It reclaims the promise of the Internet in the face of the global opportunities and challenges presented by the 21st century. It also reaffirms and recommits its partners to a single global Internet - one that is truly open and fosters competition, privacy, and respect for human rights."
While the DFI pledge isn't legally binding, another recent set of internet safety and moderation rules established by the European Union could see tech companies facing billions of dollars in fines. The Digital Services Act (DSA) will ban child advertising, enforce stricter moderation against misinformation and hate speech, and force tech companies to be more transparent regarding their content algorithms.
The E.U., Britain, and Australia have each taken steps to regulate tech giants based in the U.S., including Meta
