Sixty countries led by the United States on Thursday launched an initiative to promote a safe and free internet in the face of what they see as an increase in digital authoritarianism by governments like Russia and China.

The so-called Future of the Internet Declaration (DFI) seeks to restore the “enormous promise” of the Internet by rejecting “the rise of digital authoritarianism” to strengthen democracy, protect privacy and promote a free world economy, the White House said.

This goal is increasingly threatened by governments that suppress freedom of expression and access to news, spread misinformation or suppress the internet, the statement said.

In recent months, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has “aggressively promoted disinformation at home and abroad, censored internet news outlets, blocked or shut down legitimate websites, and even attacked Ukraine’s internet infrastructure.” “, a senior Joe Biden administration official told reporters. “But Russia is not alone,” the source added, quoting China.

Among the 60 countries supporting the initiative are developed countries such as Germany, Australia, Canada, France, Japan and the United Kingdom, and developing countries such as Argentina, Cyprus, Slovenia, Kenya and Montenegro, and Ukraine. . In Latin America, the text was signed by Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.

While not legally binding, the declaration lays out “core principles” and “calls for a commitment from governments to promote an open, free, global, interoperable, reliable and secure internet for the world,” another Biden administration official said. He said the effort was aimed at combating the fragmentation of the internet, but would “respect the regulatory autonomy” of each country.

The Declaration also reaffirms the commitment to a single global internet and speaks to the need to ensure equitable access for underserved groups.