International Relations
In News: India, along with the G7 nations and four other countries, signed a statement that called for “guarding the freedom, independence and diversity of civil society actors” and “protecting the freedom of expression and opinion online and offline”.
- The “2022 Resilient Democracies Statement” was signed after Prime Minister attended a summit of the G7 countries.
- Apart from India, the signatories to the statement were Germany, Argentina, Canada, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Senegal, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the European Union
- The signatories said that democracies enable “open public debate, independent and pluralistic media” and the “free flow of information online and offline”, fostering legitimacy, transparency, responsibility and accountability for citizens and elected representatives alike
And that they are prepared to defend these principles and are resolved to:
- Protecting the freedom of expression and opinion online and offline
- Ensuring an open, free, global, interoperable, reliable and secure internet.
- Increasing the cyber resilience of digital infrastructure
- Countering hybrid threats, in particular information manipulation and interference, including disinformation.
- Cooperating to counter information manipulation, promote accurate information, and advocate for our shared democratic values worldwide.
- Promoting affordable access to diverse sources of reliable and trustworthy information and data, online and offline, including through a multi-stakeholder approach
- Enhancing transparency about the actions of online platforms to combat violent, extremist and inciting content online.
It said, “We commit to:
- Guarding the freedom, independence and diversity of civil society actors, speaking out against threats to civic space, and respecting freedom of association and peaceful assembly.
- Building resilience against malign foreign interference and acts of transnational repression that seek to undermine trust in government, society and media, reduce civic space and silence critical voices.
- Advancing programmes for the protection of human rights defenders and all those exposing corruption.
The statement said that democracies lay and protect the foundations for free and vibrant civic spaces, enabling and encouraging civic engagement and political participation, which in turn stimulate meaningful legitimacy, creativity, innovation, social accountability, and responsibility.
Source: Indian Express
Previous Year Questions
Q.1) Which of the following adopted a law on data protection and privacy for its citizens known as ‘General Data Protection Regulation’ in April 2016 and started implementation of it from 25th May, 2018? (2019)
- Australia
- Canada
- The European Union
- The United States of America
