Since technologies are not neutral, the principles underpinning digital technologies and their governance system are fundamental to protecting their capacity to foster, maintain and protect human rights. This paper identifies four areas of work that highlight the main opportunities for embracing democracy through an open and safe digital future, as well as the challenges to doing so.

These are:

• Closing the digital divide;
• ensuring that human rights are the core value shaping the GDC;
• putting in place artificial intelligence (AI) governance that protects fundamental rights and democracy; and
• advancing data governance for the common good.