About the Global Forum of Networks
The Global Forum of Networks: a collaborative space for an Internet for trust
The Global Forum of Networks (GFN) was launched during the Dubrovnik conference, which gathered over 250 participants from 124 countries, including representatives from 84 national and regional networks of regulators, the I4T Knowledge Network, the Social Media 4 Peace Project Coalitions as well as representatives from digital platforms, governments, electoral managerial bodies, and civil society.
The GNF provides a space for collaboration and discussion between various international regulatory authorities, enabling them to exchange good practices and the latest developments in the governance of digital platforms with a human rights-based approach.
Over the next two years (2024-2026), UNESCO will continue facilitating the Global Forum of Networks’ core activities to consolidate and implement its Roadmap for Action and support regulators across the world in the implementation of the UNESCO Guidelines.
The GNF: an unprecedented project
The Global Forum of Networks is an unprecedented project that embodies UNESCO's collaborative approach to digital platform governance. For the past two years, in the context of its “Internet for Trust” initiative, 91鶹Ʒ brought together regulatory networks around a common ambition: to make the Internet a trusted space.
During the “Internet for Trust” Conference in February 2023, six media regulatory networks (ACRAN, ERGA, GOSRN, MNRA, PRAI and REFRAM) published a in which they expressed their interest to champion an "Internet for trust”. Following this statement and the release of UNESCO’s Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms in November 2023, the Organization has been fulfilling its commitment and has used its convening to power to foster the development of global networks and inclusive multistakeholder forums that enable discussions of good practices in the governance of digital platforms.
An initiative supported by UNESCO
Over the next two years (2024-2026), UNESCO will continue to facilitate the Global Forum of Networks' core activities. UNESCO's main objectives are to enable GFN members' collective actions, to consolidate GFN's organisational structures, to ensure the Forum's sustainability beyond 2026 and to use its own convening power to integrate the GFN into broader UNESCO multistakeholder dialogues and initiatives. The Organisation will also support the development of plans for periodical GFN Conferences, providing inputs on the programme and enabling the meaningful inclusion of other stakeholder groups.
Members
The Global Forum of Networks brings together various international networks of regulatory authorities.
(ACRAN)
(ERGA)
(EPRA)
(GOSRN)
(MNRA)
(PRAI)
(REFRAM)
During the “Internet for Trust” Conference in February 2023, six media regulatory networks published a in which they expressed their interest to champion an "Internet for trust”. In this statement, they underscored their intent to develop consistent regulatory systems worldwide, aligning with UNESCO's objectives on safeguarding freedom of expression and information in the context of digital platform governance while dealing with potential harmful content and minimizing the fragmentation of the digital space.
Following this statement and the release of the UNESCO’s Guidelines for the governance of digital platforms in November 2023, the Organization has been pursuing its commitment and using it convening power to foster the development of global networks and inclusive multistakeholder forums for discussing and sharing good practices in the governance of digital platforms.
UNESCO is supporting the development and strengthening of the Global Forum of Networks, which will share experiences and best practices for the alignment and implementation of the principles set on the Guidelines at the national, regional, and global level. This commitment is substantiated through various initiatives, including building a Global Forum of Networks supported by UNESCO, which brings together international networks of audiovisual, electronic media and online regulators.
Who are these networks?
- The African Communication Regulation Authorities Network (ACRAN),
- The European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA)
- The Global Online Safety Regulators Network (GOSRN)
- The Mediterranean Network of Regulatory Authorities (MNRA)
- The Platform of Ibero-American Audiovisual Regulators (PRAI)
- The Francophone Network of Media Regulators (REFRAM).
The International Conference on Digital Platform Governance on the International Day for Countering Hate Speech / 18-19 June 2024, Dubrovnik, Croatia
The commemoration of the is an occasion to mobilize international networks of audiovisual, electronic media and online regulators to counter the exponential spread and proliferation of hate speech, discrimination and xenophobia online while also growing their efforts to address this phenomenon, in line with international human rights law. The conference will also acknowledge the crucial role international networks of audiovisual, electronic media and online regulators play in safeguarding human rights online, and it will promote the multi-stakeholder and human rights approach to digital platform governance. The second day of the conference will be dedicated to substantive discussions between the participants and to defining the way forward for the building of the Global Forum of Networks.
