US, EU Members Among 60 Nations Calling for Open, Global Internet

The "Declaration for the Future of the Internet" calls for the network to return to its decentralized roots, and warns against Russia peeling off to form its own network.

Apr 28, 2022 at 1:05 p.m. UTC

Updated Apr 28, 2022 at 1:20 p.m. UTC

The U.S. and EU members are among the 60 nations calling for an open internet. (E4C/Getty Images)

Jack Schickler is a CoinDesk reporter focused on crypto regulations, based in Brussels, Belgium. He doesn’t own any crypto.

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The U.S., European Union members and 32 like-minded nations have said they want to see the internet stay open and global in the wake of threats of fragmentation, firewalls and privacy violations.

The "Declaration for the Future of the Internet" warns of a rise in cybercrime and malicious behavior online, and that the invasion of Ukraine could disrupt the internet, or lead to Russia disconnecting from it entirely.
The statement points out the online economy has become "highly concentrated," raising concerns over data use, and calls for the internet to operate as a "single, decentralized network of networks."
Signatories call on online platforms to get rid of harmful content online without quashing freedom of expression – just after the 27-nation EU passed laws with the same goals, focused on web giants like Meta and Google.
Sixty countries signed up, including the U.K., Israel, Australia, Japan and Kenya. Nevertheless, big emerging economies such as China, Russia, Brazil and India are absent.

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