CIPSS Researcher - Dr. Guillaume Beaumier - recaps a recent conference on the Global Governance
The free flow of information is an integral part of the liberal international order. Architects of today’s open digital ecosystem hoped it would foster democracy and economic development globally. In recent years, the rise of various forms of online harm has cast doubt on this original belief. Mis- and disinformation, political polarization, and the amplification and commodification of extremist content and hate speech have increasingly challenged liberal values. In this context, various governments have or are working to adopt new regulations to protect their citizens. After Australia, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, the federal government in Canada is now in the process of drafting its own online harms bill as part of its Digital Charter.
Yet, the digitally enabled flow of information is fundamentally a transnational governance issue. No single government controls the entire infrastructure allowing the development of digital activities. The spread of misinformation and hate speech by individuals or organizations from different countries continuously confronts regulators with their nationally bounded authority. The reliance on few, and chiefly American, companies to access digital services also means that most users are affected by business decisions taken in other countries. Where companies like Facebook decide to invest their resources in cybersecurity and online safety, in effect, has global consequences. Regulations adopted in one jurisdiction also have transnational effects. The adoption of tools to regulate speech in one country can notably legitimize its use for repression and censorship in another. Conversely, the choice of protecting specific forms of speech or the activities of digital platforms in some countries may end up affecting foreign audiences.
As such, global solutions are badly needed to address the rise of online harms while simultaneously keeping the open nature of our digital ecosystem. Over a day and a half of discussions, international experts, policymakers, and civil society representatives reflected on how to approach this governance problem from a global perspective during a policy dialogue co-organized by the Centre for International Peace and Security Studies (CIPSS) and the Centre for Media, Technology, and Democracy (MTD). Discussions touched on questions ranging from the difficulty of defining online harms in a global context to the role that existing international institutions could play in this new governance space. While not aiming to develop policy recommendations, most participants were keen to promote a multi-faceted approach. More than looking for the adoption of one single arrangement, they view potential in combining multiple governance mechanisms. At the same time, the global human rights regime was continuously pointed out as an essential starting point to establish common goals in trying to tackle the rise of online harms.
More specifically, the first panel discusses to what extent market mechanisms and, chiefly, greater competition could help resolve the promotion of harmful content online. The second panel goes over the global nature of online harms. The third panel reflects on ongoing and potentially innovative governance processes at a transnational or global level that can prevent and mitigate online harms. And finally, the fourth panel presents a discussion between Maria Ressa, Nobel Prize winner, and Frances Haugen, Facebook whistleblower, on the role of digital platforms in the amplification of extremist content and polarization in our societies.
You can view recordings of the panels below:
Panel 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W7R-nOv_6I
Panel 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVLfF0BFmbE
Panel 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbwBSMniI3A
Panel 4: see below
