We are grateful for the opportunity to deliberate on the third revision of the Global Digital Compact (GDC) on August 22, 2024. However, when the fourth revision was quietly released under a silence procedure on August 27, 2024, it became clear how the GDC is being shaped—behind closed doors, far from genuine scrutiny. Our submission lays bare what this compact really is: a fancy document dressed up as progress but, in reality, a love letter to authoritarian control. By promoting centralisation through the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, the GDC is setting the stage for more censorship and surveillance, sacrificing the freedom and decentralisation that have made the Internet resilient and innovative. Let’s call it what it is: a blueprint for future digital dictatorships.

 

While we appreciate the chance to review and provide feedback, we’re tired of commitments that are all form and no substance. The GDC claims to value civil society involvement, yet it operates under procedures that stifle meaningful participation and transparency. This compact pretends to include us, but it’s a smoke and mirrors game designed to sideline real human rights defenders. We refuse to be played for fools! This pact must not become a blank check for digital oppression. Without genuine civil society input and a complete overhaul, the GDC risks becoming just another tool for governments to curb our digital freedoms.