WORKING PAPER
Committee: United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
Agenda: Freedom of Speech in the Digital Age: Ensuring Expression
without Incitement
Sponsor: Russian Federation
The United Nations Human Rights Council,
Recalling Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantee
freedom of expression while permitting lawful and proportionate
restrictions,
Recognizing that digital platforms and artificial intelligence shape public
discourse for billions of users worldwide,
Acknowledging reports by the United Nations indicating that online
platforms have been used for terrorist recruitment, hate-based violence,
and the rapid spread of misinformation,
Emphasizing that unregulated digital spaces may contribute to real-world
harm, including violence, social instability, and discrimination against
vulnerable groups,
Noting with concern the absence of universally accepted international
standards governing AI-based content moderation and digital platform
accountability,
Proposes the following measures:
1. Encourages the development of UN-led guidelines clarifying
permissible restrictions on digital speech, ensuring that such
restrictions remain lawful, necessary, and proportionate under
international human rights law;
2. Calls for enhanced international cooperation on ethical
artificial intelligence governance, including:
a. transparency in AI-driven content moderation systems,
b. meaningful human oversight over automated decisions,
c. safeguards to reduce algorithmic bias and error;
3. Supports the establishment of an expert working group
under UNHRC to:
a. assess the human rights impact of digital platforms and
AI,
b. collect best practices from Member States,
c. issue non-binding recommendations for responsible
digital governance;
4. Urges Member States to strengthen judicial and legal review
mechanisms to ensure that restrictions on online expression
are subject to oversight and due process;
5. Encourages digital platforms to publish regular transparency
reports detailing content moderation practices, including data
on removals and the use of automated systems;
6. Calls upon Member States to promote digital literacy
initiatives enabling users to identify misinformation, hate
speech, and AI-generated or manipulated content;
7. Reaffirms the importance of respecting state sovereignty
while addressing cross-border digital challenges through
multilateral cooperation rather than unilateral measures.
Implementation Challenges and Considerations
The Council recognizes that implementing these measures involves
significant challenges. Variations in national legal systems,
technological capacity, and levels of digital development may affect
the ability of Member States to uniformly apply international
guidelines. Additionally, ensuring transparency and accountability
in AI-based moderation systems while protecting privacy and data
security requires careful balancing.
The Council further acknowledges that overly broad or unclear
regulation risks restricting legitimate expression, while insufficient
regulation may allow harmful content to spread unchecked.
Flexible implementation, capacity-building support, and continued
multistakeholder dialogue are therefore essential to ensure that
these measures remain effective, rights-respecting, and adaptable
to rapidly evolving technologies.
Call to Action
The United Nations Human Rights Council is urged to prioritize the
development of inclusive, evidence-based, and internationally
accepted frameworks for digital governance. Member States are
encouraged to engage in constructive dialogue, share best
practices, and support UN-led mechanisms to ensure that freedom
of expression in the digital age is protected without enabling
incitement, violence, or harm.