Declarations and statements of principles

NETmundial Multi stakeholder Statement, 24 April 2014 | The “NETmundial Multistakeholder Statement" was developed through a process that started with 188 content contributions submitted by volunteer representatives of 46 countries. It is a document which comprises consistent definitions for principles of Internet governance and roadmap for future development of Internet governance.

Background note on the African Declaration on Internet Governance, 2017 | Under the African Union, Ministers in charge of Information and Communication Technologies of African countries gathered in Algiers on February 13th, 2017 set out a framework for internet governance guided by the universally accepted principles.

African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms, 2014 | The development of the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms is a Pan-African initiative to promote human rights standards and principles of openness in internet policy formulation and implementation on the continent. The Declaration is intended to elaborate on the principles which are necessary to uphold human and people’s rights on the internet, and to cultivate an internet environment that can best meet Africa’s social and economic development needs and goals.

Feminist Principles of the Internet, 2014 | This document comprises 15 principles that assert feminist views on positions related to internet and communication rights. It is designed to be an evolving document that informs APC's work on gender and technology, as well as influences APC's policy-making discussions when it comes to internet governance.

Marco Civil: Brazilian internet bill of rights – English translation, 2014 | At the NETmundial opening ceremony in Sao Paulo, President Dilma Rousseff sanctioned the historic Marco Civil Internet Bill of Rights, which was formally approved by the national parliament in March. Following two years of public consultations, the Marco Civil bill was sent to the national parliament in 2011, where it was intensely negotiated and revised. While the final adopted text includes some worrying changes from the original draft, civil society have expressed strong support for this legislative instrument that promotes, respects and defends human rights online.

APC Internet Rights Charter, 2006 | Inspired by the “People’s Communications Charter” and the statement of “A Global Movement for People’s Voices in Media and Communication in the 21st Century," the Charter was first developed in 2001-2002 by APC members and partner organisations at “Internet Rights” workshops held in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. The themes and principles outlined express the APC community’s views and goals concerning the rights of people and organisations to use the internet freely, particularly in their work for social, economic and environmental justice.

A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace, 1996 by John Perry Barlow | A widely distributed early paper on the applicability (or lack thereof) of government on the rapidly growing internet. Written by John Perry Barlow, a founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, in response to the passing into law of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 in the United States.