2-day conference and high-level forum on Internet accountability.
Rationale
Free, open, safe and unfragmented internet is the cornerstone of today’s digital societies. It provides opportunities for economic growth, development, and supports people around the globe in reaching their aspirations and full potential. However, governments along the democratic spectrum, from authoritarian regimes to democracies, are using the Internet in ways that undermine its open, free, safe and secure character. In trying to understand these trends, their intensity and sophistication, we have seen growth in research and technologies that aim to unmask such practices or counter their proliferation.
The EU-funded Global Initiative on the Future of the Internet (GIFI), implemented by the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (EUI), organised a two-day conference focused on exploring the theme of Internet accountability. The Forum aimed to strengthen digital transformation and global digital governance that respects, promotes and protects universal human rights, democracy and sustainable development, and puts people and their universal human rights at the centre, in line with international law and the commitments under the UN Global Digital Compact, among others.
The conference also contributed to identifying policies and practices that could strengthen and promote Internet accountability, against the backdrop of the escalating trend of digital authoritarianism and its impact on the global, open, free, safe, and secure use of the Internet. There is a clear need to establish a stronger connection between the research and policy communities, particularly in terms of the policy and political implications of using the Internet, the various models of online censorship and information suppression, automated surveillance systems, and the application of information technologies for social control purposes more broadly.
Format
The conference will be organised over two days and will bring together policymakers, researchers, the private sector, and civil society representatives. Funds available through the GIFI project will facilitate participation of senior government officials from other countries and regions.
Multistakeholder Forum (2 October), was organised in cooperation with the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, bringing together leading experts and institutions to explore topics ranging from the geopolitics of disinformation to
strengthening the resilience of the internet freedom ecosystem and the responsibility and accountability of AI systems.
High-Level Forum, (3 October), hosted panel discussions focused on the main themes linked to Internet accountability and digital rights. It featured speakers from different regions and stakeholder groups.
Outcomes and Key Takeaways
The Forum underscored a critical shift from aspirational declarations to operationalising accountability through concrete measurement and enforcement. A major step in this direction was the launch of the Internet Accountability Compass, a tool designed to benchmark whether states are fulfilling their commitments under international frameworks like the Global Digital Compact. Participants emphasised that true accountability goes beyond monitoring; it requires a robust digital infrastructure built on openness and interoperability, alongside tangible consequences for egregious violations such as internet shutdowns.
The conference stressed that preventing internet fragmentation remains essential to preserving a single, interoperable global network, as technical splits, data localisation mandates and geopolitical drivers increasingly threaten the internet's universal character. Participants recognised that the EU is strategically positioned to defend a free, open and rights-respecting internet through both regulatory power and diplomatic engagement, yet called for sustained investment to match these ambitions, particularly through targeted support for digital rights and civil society. The Forum also highlighted emerging threats including disinformation campaigns, automated surveillance systems and unchecked AI deployment, emphasising the need for robust governance frameworks and algorithmic transparency to prevent abuses. Participants stressed that addressing these interconnected challenges requires strengthened multistakeholder governance, with meaningful participation from researchers, civil society, the private sector and policymakers, particularly those from the Global South.
This event is part of the Global initiative on the future of the internet, a project funded by the European Union under the service contract no. NDICI/2023/447-807