The discussion was devoted to national experiences of legal interaction between the state and global digital platforms, as well as the need to adopt supranational standards that enshrine the responsibility of such platforms in terms of information dissemination. Their role in shaping public discourse was also discussed by the speakers.
Vadim Glushchenko noted in his speech that in many countries of the world there is now a tendency to strengthen the regulation of transnational corporations - owners of digital platforms and hold them accountable in case of violation of national legislation. A clear abuse of the trust of users, the state and the economy are the main reason for such measures. "The relationship of the global digital platforms with the user can often be characterized as an abusive one, because what are we witnessing here? Surveillance, manipulation, leaking personal information, violating personal space, and much more," he added.
The Center's director also spoke about UN Secretary General António Guterres' initiative to create the Global Digital Compact (GDC), which would become a set of voluntary rules and commitments for all players in the online space. One of the directions of the GDC is to ensure trust in the Internet by introducing liability standards for discrimination against users and the dissemination of misleading content. In preparation for the GDC, the UN Secretary General's report on how global digital platforms abuse their influence and often become the mouthpiece of misinformation was released in June this year. As a possible solution to this problem, the report proposes the creation of a "Code of Conduct for Ethical Information on Digital Platforms," which could serve as a basis for concerted global action against disinformation and hate speech.
"It is safe to say that the world community is aware of the risks posed by the lack of control over the activities of digital platforms at the supranational level, so it is important for Russia and like-minded countries not to miss the opportunity to contribute to the global discussion on this issue," he concluded.
