statements inspired by the "Science Community" Family Group declaration
WSIS/PC-3/C/0113.
Highlighting colors :
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Document
WSIS03/PCIP/DT/4(Rev.3)-E
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18 July 2003
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Original: English
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[Draft
Declaration of Principles
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(Based on discussions at the WSIS inter-sessional)
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[NOTE:
the whole text of this Draft Declaration is in square brackets]
Section I
A. Building
the Information Society: a new global challenge in the new Millennium
[1. We the
representatives of the peoples of the world, assembled at Geneva
from 10 12 December 2003 for the first phase of the World
Summit on the Information Society, declare our common desire and
commitment to build a new kind of society, the Information Society,
premised on the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United
Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the
Millennium Declaration, and characterized by universal access to and
use of information for the creation, accumulation and dissemination
of knowledge. [We reaffirm the indivisibility and interdependence of
all human rights – civil, political, economic, social and
cultural – and their ties to the principles of a democratic
society, the rule of law and sustainable development.] In this
society new technologies, in particular information and
communications technologies (ICTs), become an essential tool,
accessible to all, for the enhancement of the services provided by
governments, enterprises and the organizations of civil society, for
the attainment of a more peaceful, prosperous and just world based
upon our common humanity in all its diversity and to promote dialogue
among cultures and civilizations.]
[1A. Drafting group:
Option 1: Recall article 19 UN Declaration of Human
Rights
Option 2: Freedom of communication and freedom
of information
Option 3: Freedom to access information and utilise
it.
We recognize the right to communicate and the right to
access information and knowledge as fundamental human rights.
Everyone, everywhere should have the opportunity to participate in
the information society and no one should be excluded from the
benefits it offers. In a world based on knowledge and information,
the right to communicate and the right to access information and
knowledge are essential requirements to the attainment of others
internationally recognized human rights, including the right to
freedom of expression, universal access to the information and
communications infrastructure and to the Internet is essential to the
Information Society.]
[2. We recognize
that knowledge, information and communication are at the core of
human progress, endeavour, and well-being and that, although the
dramatic increase in the volume, speed and ubiquity of information
have brought about profound changes in people’s lives and are
creating new opportunities, they have yet to benefit the vast
majority of the peoples of the world.]
3. We
recall our common resolve as reflected in the Millennium
Declaration to promote democracy, [good]/[accountable and
transparent] governance, the rule of law and respect for all
internationally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms,
including the right to development as an integral part of human
rights[, and to uphold the sovereign equality of all States, and
respect their territorial integrity and political independence]. We
reiterate our commitment to the attainment of [internationally-agreed
development goals, including those contained in the Millennium
Declaration]/[the Millennium Development Goals], sustainable
development and recognize the development challenges posed by the
digital divide.
4. We are convinced
that the information and communication revolution is still in its
infancy. The ability to optimise the vast untapped potential of ICTs
to develop and promote dialogue within and among nations, to increase
productivity and generate economic growth, and improve quality of
lifeparticularly for the majority of the peoples of the world who
live in developing countries and countries with economies in
transition and risk being left behind and further marginalizedis a
serious challenge for all of us.
4A. ICTs can be a powerful instrument of change
in the emerging knowledge-based international economy, where
knowledge will be an increasingly important determinant of
competitiveness. Access to it should be open in the general interest
of the public, particularly in developing countries, as a means
towards bridging the digital divide. [If left strictly under the
influence of market forces, ICTs may actually deepen social
inequalities within countries, and widen the gap between developed
and developing nations. For these reasons, close analysis, new
thinking, and new forms of international action are required with a
view to redressing these basic asymmetries that prevent developing
countries from reaping the benefits of globalisation under the
multilateral rules-based trading system.]
5.
We are fully aware
that our individual and collective ability to create and share
knowledge, through intensive use of ICTs and mechanisms of digital
participation is a driving force in shaping our future, and declare
that concrete action and global commitment are now required; to
ensure that these rapidly developing technologies accelerate the
attainment of [internationally-agreed development goals, including
those contained in the Millennium Declaration]/[the Millennium
Development Goals].
6. Faced with
complex and ever-evolving challenges, all of usgovernments, the
private sector and civil societyhave objectives that require new
forms of solidarity, partnership and cooperation to assume our
responsibilities in particular by issuing our
common vision on the information society and in adopting a plan of
action to bring to reality the principles established.
B. Our Common
Vision of the Information Society
[NEW
7C. The Information Society that we seek is one where
highly-developed ICT infrastructure, equitable and ubiquitous access
to information, appropriate content in accessible formats and
effective communication, enable individuals and communities to
achieve their full potential, promote sustainable economic and
environmental development, improve quality life and alleviate
poverty, hunger and social exclusion.]
7-8 The Information
Society should harness the power of ICTs to advance human
development. We seek to build an Information Society that is
inclusive, where all persons, without distinction of any kind,
exercise their right to freedom of expression and their access to and
use of [reliable] information [and a plurality of opinions, as well
as access to a wide range of content, including material reflecting
national and regional cultures and content relevant to local
communities],
in order to create, receive, accumulate, disseminate, share and
utilize information and knowledge, in any media and regardless of
frontiers, through intensive use of ICTs and in accordance with the
legal system of each country, at the service of humankind, in order
to contribute to its economic, social, cultural and political
development. In this context we should mainstream a gender
perspective at all levels of actions and use ICTs as a tool to
promote gender equality and the empowerment of women.
7B. The information
society should be based on [ethics and moral values]/[human rights]
and should be an environment where dignity of humankind is
comprehensively respected and fostered. The information society
creates an environment where all national sovereignties, religious,
cultural, social and linguistic interests without any discrimination
are respected and protected.
14. Full
participation, empowerment and social inclusion are fundamental
characteristics and objectives of the Information Society.
Accordingly, particular attention must be paid to marginalized and
vulnerable groups, including: migrants and refugees, as well as other
communities, unemployed and underprivileged people, children, the
elderly, the disabled, indigenous peoples, minorities, and those
living in rural and remote areas.
16. Young
people constitute a significant proportion of the worlds population,
and are the future workforce. Because young people also represent
some of the earliest adopters of ICTs, they can constitute an
important volunteer resource necessary for bridging the digital
divide, especially in developing countries, and must therefore be
empowered as learners and creators of information.
9. The Information Society should be
development-oriented, responding to development challenges,
especially those of digital divide, and [the Millennium Development
Goals][internationally-agreed development goals, including those
contained in the Millennium Declaration]. The Information Society
should serve the interests of all people by using
ICTs as tools for the balanced and comprehensive social and economic
progress of countries through concrete international cooperation.
[[10. The essential
requirements for the development of an equitable information society
include:
A well-developed and
affordable infrastructure;
Confidence and
security in using ICTs;
Adequate development
of capacity building;
The respect for
internationally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms;
Cultural and
linguistic diversity;
International
cooperation and respect of international law;
An enabling
environment;
Partnership among all
stakeholders;
Protection of
vulnerable groups;
Mainstreaming of a
gender perspective;
Measures to support
small and medium-sized enterprises.]
[11. The
Information Society can help to respond to the additional development
challenges posed by the digital divide and help to achieve [the
Millennium Development Goals]/[internationally-agreed development
goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration][
of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal
primary education; promoting gender equality and empowering women;
reducing child mortality; improving maternal health; combating
HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental
sustainability and developing a global partnership for development.]
New
11C</B>: Since
science has a central role in the development of the
Information Society, there should be universal and equitable access
to scientific knowledge and equal opportunities for all in its
creation and dissemination.
C. An information Society for
all: key principles
12. The Information
Society must serve the interests of all nations and all the people of
the world, in a manner that secures their fair, balanced and
harmonious development. Most particularly, special attention must be
paid to [developing countries]:
[people living in
rural and remote areas who constitute the majority of the population
in many developing countries;
the interests of
developing and least developed countries (LDCs), highly indebted
poor countries (HIPCs), economies in transition and post-conflict
countries;
the challenges faced
by Small Island Developing States (SIDS), landlocked countries,
countries with extremely difficult topography and those with unique
geographic features;
the demographic
diversity of nations and regions.]
[15. More
attention must be given to overcoming the constraints that have
contributed to differential access and participation for men and
women. In building the Information Society, special efforts should be
made through facilitating increased access to, and use of, ICTs by
women so that they are able to participate early and fully
in the political, economic and social life and development of their
countries.]
1) Information and
communication infrastructure
17.
Connectivity is a central enabling agent in building the Information
Society. Universal, ubiquitous and affordable access to ICT
infrastructure and services, [including access to power, broadcasting
and postal services,]
constitutes one of the primary challenges of the Information Society
and must be an objective of all stakeholders involved in building it,
in conformity with the domestic legislation of each country.
18 A
well-developed information and communication network infrastructure,
adapted to local conditions, easily-accessible and affordable, and
making greater use of broadband where available, is essential for the
social and economic progress of countries, and the well-being of all
citizens and communities. Building a universally accessible ICT
infrastructure, including broadband, should be a central element in
any national strategy to develop the Information Society.
[Investment in ICTs should include the development,
deployment, maintenance, and modernization of the world's
communications and information networks and facilities.]
[19. Governments should develop and implement pro-active policies
in order to ensure Universal Access. The extent of such a national
public service, including Universal Access, should be defined and
implemented transparently and in cooperation with private sector and
civil society, taking into account every country’s specific
circumstances. Universal Access in disadvantaged regions could be
financed by a national [solidarity] fund, fed by the telecom
operators acting in the national market. Any such policy should not
infringe on the principles of free competition and of
non-discrimination and should attract private investment in the
emerging markets. In disadvantaged areas, public community access
points, such as post offices, libraries, schools, etc., can provide
effective means for ensuring Universal Access.]
20. Appropriate
performance measurement indicators, including data disaggregated by
gender and on ICT penetration in rural areas, should clarify the
magnitude of the digital divide, and keep it under regular
assessment, with the purpose of measuring the effectiveness of
international cooperation and transfer of technology mechanisms. New
indicators/methodologies should be studied and researched with a view
to improving assessment of the impact of ICTs on helping to achieve
[internationally-agreed development goals, including those contained
in the Millennium Declaration][the Millennium Development Goals].
[Targets should be set to benchmark the penetration of ICT services
within communities in urban and rural areas.]
[New
20B: Specific
needs and requirements of all stakeholders, such as those with
disabilities must be considered in ICT development. Accessibility and
inclusiveness of ICTs is best done at an early stage of design,
development and production, so that the Information Society is to
become the society for all, at minimum cost.]
21-22.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression
including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and
ideas.
The sharing and strengthening of global knowledge for
development can be enhanced
by removing barriers to
equitable access
to information for
educational, scientific
, economic, social,
political and cultural activities
and by easing access to public
domain information. Such barriers can be removed by promoting:
23. Access to public
domain information:
A vibrant and rich public domain is an
essential element for the growth of the Information Society.
Information in the public domain should be easily accessible
and
transparent to support the Information Society, and must be protected
from misappropriation. Public institutions such as libraries and
archives can function as trustworthy information brokers to guarantee
free access.
[24A. Choice among software applications
contributes to increased access and enhanced diversity for software
users. Multiple software development models exist which help promote
this principle, including open source which is a valuable model that
supports more affordable access to ICTs. ]
3) The role of
governments, the business sector and civil society [and UN and other
[public] international organisations] in the promotion of ICTs for
development
27. All
stakeholders - governments, private sector and civil society
organizations as well as UN and other international organizations –
have an important role and responsibility in the development of the
Information Society and should be fully involved and engaged in
decision-making processes at local, national, regional and
international levels. UN and other international organisations must
mainstream the use of ICTs in their work programmes. [The Internet
has evolved into a global public [good]/[infrastructure]/[resource]
and its governance should constitute a core issue of the Information
Society agenda.] Building a people-centred Information Society is a
joint effort of all stakeholders and requires cooperation and
partnership between all parties.
4) Capacity building
30. Everyone should be offered the opportunity to
acquire the necessary skills in order to understand, participate
actively in, and benefit fully from, the Information Society and the
knowledge economy. Given the wide range of ICT specialists required
at all levels, building the institutional capacities to collect,
organize, store and share information and knowledge deserves special
attention. Governments should develop comprehensive and
forward-looking strategies to respond to the new human capacity
needs, including the creation of an environment that supports
information literacy, ICT literacy and life-long learning for the
general public.
31. The use of ICTs for education and human resource
development, in both formal and informal learning environments,
should be promoted, with special reference to the requirements of
disadvantaged groups, and to the specific needs of girls and women.
[Creators, publishers and producers of content, as well as teachers
and trainers, can play a crucial role in promoting the Information
Society.]
33A. The attainment of the
shared aspirations of developing countries to become fully-fledged
members of the Information Society, and their positive
integration into the knowledge-economy, depends largely on capacity
building in the areas of education, technology, know-how and
information, which are major factors in determining development and
competitiveness.
[33B In order to enhance
ICT capabilities of developing countries, it is essential to promote,
inter alia, technology transfer, sharing of experiences and
best practices, investment, research and development, incubation
schemes and locally-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)]
[New 33C: Recognising that
ICTs are progressively changing how, where and when people work
it is important to create and improve a safe,
healthy and secure and fair working environment.]
[New 33D: ICTs create new
possibilities not only for traditional jobs but also for
self-employment, circumventing traditional obstacles like
distance and time. However, the development of
special measures, including retraining, in order to minimise the
possible negative impact of ICTs on job security, constitutes one of
the important challenges of the 21st century.]
5) Building
confidence, trust and security in the use of ICTs
[34. Strengthening
the trust framework including, inter alia, security,
authentication, privacy and consumer protection, is a prerequisite
for the maturation of the Information Society and for building
confidence among all users of ICTs. Ultimately, a global culture of
cyber-security needs to be promoted, developed and implemented in
co-operation with all stakeholders and these efforts should be
supported by increased international cooperation. Therefore,
governments should work in close coordination with private
enterprise, civil society and with international expert bodies in the
field of network and information security. Within this global culture
of cyber-security, it is important to strike a balance between, on
the one hand, measures to enhance security and, on the other hand,
the need to ensure the protection of data and privacy, as well as to
avoid the creation of barriers to access and trade. In addition, it
must take into account the level of social and economic development
of each country and respect, inter alia, the
development-orientation of the Information Society.]
[35C. As is noted in a number of United Nations
General Assembly resolutions (resolutions 53/70, of 4 December 1998,
54/49 of 1 December 1999, 55/28 of 20 November 2000, 56/19 of 29
November 2001 and 57/53 of 22 November 2002), information
technologies and facilities can potentially be used for purposes that
are incompatible with the efforts being made to ensure international
stability and security that could have a negative impact on the
integrity of State infrastructures by infringing their security in
both the civil and military spheres. It is therefore necessary to
become aware of and to examine on a multilateral basis, taking into
account the measures already undertaken by the United Nations in that
regard, existing and potential threats in the area of information
security and possible measures to be taken in order to limit such
threats. It is also necessary to prevent the use of information
resources and technologies for criminal and terrorist ends.
35D. Issues pertaining to the use of ICTs which
have a bearing on national sovereignty and which are not governed by
existing international law should be resolved by means of negotiation
between the representatives of all interested States]
Enabling environment
38A The rule of law, accompanied by flexible,
stable and implementable regulation, that takes into account national
realities, is essential for building confidence, trust and security
in the Information Society. The rights of individuals—and
especially children—should be protected, and users empowered[,
to avoid harmful content]. Governance, administration and justice
should become more open and efficient. [The rule of law will be a
reality when state regulation, co-regulation and self-regulation work
together to build a clear regulatory framework, in the full respect
of human rights.]
[38 + 40 The legal, regulatory and policy environment
needs to be trustworthy, predictable, transparent, inclusive and
non-discriminatory as well as capable of promoting technological
innovation and fair competition.
Governments need to foster a supportive, transparent, pro-competitive
and predictable policy, legal and regulatory
framework—intervening, as appropriate, to correct market
failures[, as a subsidiary role]—in order to enhance the
development of the ICT services, infrastructure and applications, and
to maximize economic and social benefits. [Access by countries to the
benefits of the digital revolution requires adherence to the
universally-accepted principles of non-discrimination, within the
framework of negotiations, based on a spirit of justice and
equity.]]
[39. The Information
Society must support participative democracy, long-term transparency,
efficiency and accountability, at all times upholding the principle
of legality. Strengthening relations with citizens is a sound
investment in better policy-making and a core element of good
governance. Properly organised and accessible information and records
are the basis of a well functioning and transparent decision-making
process for private and public actors at all levels. ICTs should be
used as a key tool for good governance and more accessible
government.]
[NEW 40C
Intellectual property protection is
essential to the Information Society. Existing intellectual property
regimes and international agreements should continuously provide this
protection, [so as to contribute to this objective,] thus promoting
the necessary balance between owners and users of intellectual
property. [Intellectual property protection can and should be
interpreted in a manner supportive to state’s rights to protect
public policies, in particular, to promote access to the Information
Society.
]
41. [With
the integration of ICTs and applied innovations into the national and
regional politics and strategies, the Information Society will
enhance effectively the progress of every sector, primarily of
development—economic and social—through the betterment of
efficiency and productivity, and important component of trade and a
means to develop other products and services. At the social level, it
is essential to distribute the benefits to combat poverty and assure
the development of social cohesion, especially for the most
vulnerable. To obtain results, it is important to strengthen
government capacities in terms of development and execution of
policies and strategies, so that the ICT initiatives and programmes
will be fully integrated in the national and regional visions and
plans.]
[Economic and social development can best be advanced in the
Information Society when ICT-related efforts and programmes are fully
integrated in national and regional development strategies.]
[41D Fair and effective liberalization of
trade in [ICT and related]/[goods and] services, together with
domestic regulatory reform, can promote more investment and
innovation and thus making technology more readily available for use
in the economy by governments, organizations, and individuals.]
[alternative 41D. Liberalization of trade
in ICT and related services, together with domestic regulatory
reform, promotes investment and innovation and makes technology more
readily available for use in the economy by governments,
organizations, and individual users. All countries should join the
international trade policy mechanisms developed to implement and
facilitate liberalization and regulatory reform as ICT is both an
important component of trade and a means by which trade in other
goods and services can be expanded or facilitated. Improving the
preconditions for successful entry into international trade fosters
e-business and economic growth both internationally and domestically.
Consequently, governments should promote an open trade regime in the
ICT sector and strive towards improving market access. ICTs play a
key role in trade facilitation, with automation, e-customs and
e-government tools reducing the costs and time associated with moving
goods across borders, and enhancing the efficiency and integrity of
customs operations.]
42. Standardization
is one of the essential building blocks of the Information Society.
The development and use of open, interoperable, non-discriminatory
and market-driven standards is a basic element in the development of
ICTs, and more affordable access to them, particularly in developing
countries. [Governments should pursue an approach based on the
principle of technological neutrality. In this regard, there
should be cooperation in the development of innovative products and
services and to reduce uncertainty.]
43. The radio frequency
spectrum should be managed in the public interest and in accordance
with the principle of legality, with full observance of national laws
and regulation as well as relevant international agreements.
44. [The
international management of the Internet should be democratic,
multilateral, transparent and participative with the full involvement
of the governments, international organisations, private sector and
civil society. This management should encompass both technical and
policy issues. While recognizing that the private sector has an
important role in the development of the Internet at the technical
level, and will continue to take a lead role, the fast development of
Internet as the basis of information society requires that
governments, take a lead role, in partnership with all other
stakeholders, in developing and coordinating policies of the public
interests related to stability, security, competition, freedom of
use, protection of individual rights and privacy, sovereignty, and
equal access for all, among all the other aspects, through
appropriate [intergovernmental/international] organisations.]
alternative text 1 for
44 [Internet governance must be
multilateral, democratic and transparent, taking into account the
needs of the public and private sectors as well as those of the civil
society, and respecting multilingualism. The coordination
responsibility for root servers, domain names, and Internet Protocol
(IP) address assignment should rest with a suitable international,
inter-governmental organization. The policy authority for country
code top-level-domain names (ccTLDs) should be the sovereign right of
countries.]
alternative text 2 for
44 [The international management of the Internet should be
democratic, multilateral and transparent. It should secure a fair
distribution of resources, facilitate access for all and ensure a
stable and secure functioning of the Internet. It should respect
geographical diversity and ensure representativeness through the
participation of all interested States, including public authorities
with competence in this field, of civil society and the private
sector, with due respect to their legitimate interests].
44A. A
vital aspect of securing consumer confidence in electronic commerce
is to ensure that consumer transactions occur within a sound legal
framework. To this end, consumers using electronic commerce should be
provided with protection that is at least equivalent to that provided
to consumers using other forms of commerce.
44B. Spam is a
significant and growing problem, not just for individuals but for
networks and the Internet as a whole. Spam refers to an electronic
mail message that is transmitted to a large number of recipients and
most or all of the recipients have not requested those messages.
Spam raises key issues that need to be addressed and
these include privacy, illicit content, misleading and deceptive
trade practices and network issues.
• Privacy: issues surrounding the manner with
which personal information such as e mail addresses is collected
and handled - address collectors harvest e mail addresses off
the Internet or even buy and sell them in bulk without the consent of
the owner.
• Illicit content: most promotes scams,
pornography, illegal online gambling services, medical cures, get
rich quick schemes or misleading and deceptive trade practices.
• Network issues: The cost of spam is borne by
the recipient in the form of higher cost Internet subscriptions due
to larger downloads. The increased volume of e mail can
significantly slow Internet speeds and could threaten the viability
of the entire network. In addition, there is some evidence that spam
is being used deliberately in Denial of Service (DoS) attacks.
[45. Governments must take steps with a view to
the avoidance of and refrain from any unilateral measure not in
accordance with international law and the Charter of the United
Nations that impedes the full achievement of economic and social
development by the population of the affected countries, that hinder
the well-being of their population and that creates obstacles to the
universal enjoyment of the benefits of the information society.]
7) ICT-Applications
46. The usage and
deployment of ICTs should seek to create benefits in all aspects of
our daily life including government, health care, education,
employment, management of natural resources, business and culture,
and for alleviating poverty. ICTs should also contribute to
sustainable consumption and production patterns, through improved
efficiency and sustainability in the use of resources and production
processes and in improving market access. Application should be
user-friendly, accessible to all, affordable, suited to local needs
and culture and support socio-economic development of the local
community.
[NEW
47C:
Scientists, universities and research institutions have a
central role in knowledge production, analysis, sharing and
dissemination as well as the development of a worldwide affordable
network infrastructure, high-speed Internet connection, information
processing equipment and training, all of which form an essential
part of building the Information Society.]
[NEW
47D: We also confirm that in the event of natural disasters, such
as earthquakes and floods, or in the event of wars and conflict
situations, knowledge, information and communication are vital means
to prevent or minimise possible harm, support humanitaroian emergency
and rescue activities, and promote rehabilitation and restoration
after such disasters or in post-conflict situations.]
8) Cultural [identity]
and linguistic diversity, local content [and media development]
48. The Information
Society is founded on respect for, and enjoyment of, cultural
expression. ICTs may stimulate cultural diversity and multilingualism
and governments should promote policies to that end. Cultural and
linguistic diversity, multilingualism and local languages are driving
forces for the process of developing content for both local and
international use.
Cultural heritage is
the bridge between our past and our future. The preservation of
cultural heritage is a crucial component of identity and
self-understanding that links a community to its past. The
information society should harness and integrate cultural heritage
for the future by digitalisation of the cultural inventories in
archives and libraries. The shared heritage includes the public
domain of cultural information, especially of writings, speech,
images and music.
50. Creativity
and the creation, processing, dissemination and conservation of local
content within the Information Society must be accorded high
priority. A diverse and widely disseminated range of cultural,
educational and other products and information services can stimulate
creativity and deepen access to the benefits of the information
society. The local development of contents suited to domestic or
regional needs will encourage social and economic development and
will stimulate participation of stakeholders not only as users but
also as providers, creators and generators of contents and innovative
applications. [The nurturing of creativity and support for the
flourishing of free flow of a multiplicity of ideas from a diversity
of sources, create favourable conditions for the production,
processing, dissemination and protection of local content.]
This approach will be particularly useful for meeting the needs of
rural, remote and marginal areas.
[8a) Media]
51. [The existence of free
and independent communication media, in accordance with the legal
system of each country, is an essential requirement for freedom of
expression and a guarantee of the plurality of information.
[Consequently, concentration in the ownership of media should be
limited, and unhindered access by individuals and communication media
to information sources shall be ensured and strengthened in order to
promote the existence of vigorous public opinion as a pillar of civil
responsibility in accordance with the UN declaration of Human Rights
and other international and regional instruments dealing with human
rights.] [Traditional media, such as broadcasting and print, will
continue to have an important role in the Information Society and
ICTs should continue to play a supportive role in this regard.]
9) Ethical dimensions
of the Information Society
[52. The
Information Society should be subject to universally held cultural
and ethical values such as truth, justice, solidarity, tolerance,
human dignity, shared responsibility, transparency and
accountability[, and without prejudice to the moral, social and
religious values of all societies]. All actors in the Information
Society should seek to promote the common good, protect privacy, and
to prevent abusive uses of ICTs. The freedom of use of ICTs should
not undermine the human dignity, human rights and fundamental
freedoms of others, including personal privacy, matters of faith and
other personal beliefs. These values are particularly relevant when
commercial activities are conducted through networks.]
10) International and
regional cooperation
[53. The Information
Society is intrinsically global in nature. Therefore,
its conception should fundamentally consider political dialogue among
all nations that allows the establishment of solid bases and
effective international cooperation mechanisms, necessary to assist
in eliminating the financial obstacles that impede developing
countries’ access to ICT. The governments of developing
countries are the ones who most need to advance in the knowledge and
understanding of the possibilities of the digital revolution and its
implications for public policy, the risks and opportunities for
development. To this end, we shall use the cooperation programmes
offered by the international financial institutions and shall assume
the commitments derived from international fora such as, the World
Summit on Financing for Development. In this sense we shall take
measures among which we can envision a “Fund for the
Information Society”[“Fund for Digital Solidarity”]
in order to facilitate[ and support ITU’s and UNESCO’s
ongoing work on]:
– Technical and financial assistance, directed
towards national and regional capacity building;
– Technology transfer;
– The sharing of experiences;
– The sharing of knowledge; and
– The development of compatible regulations and
standards that respect national characteristics and concerns,
including spectrum management.]
54
We commit ourselves to strengthening cooperation to seek common
responses to the challenges of the Information Society and to the
implementation of the Plan of Action, which will realize the vision
and the key principles incorporated in this Declaration.
]
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