Policy paper

Statement on freedom of religion or belief and digital technology

Updated 7 July 2022

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

© Crown copyright 2022

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-religion-or-belief-and-digital-technology-statement-at-the-international-ministerial-conference-2022/statement-on-freedom-of-religion-or-belief-and-digital-technology

Preamble

  1. The Internet and digital technologies provide enormous opportunity to strengthen democracies, democratic institutions and individuals’ enjoyment of human rights, including freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression.

  2. Yet human rights and democracy are coming under growing pressure, both online and offline, and digital technologies can be used as a means of targeted persecution, including towards religious or belief minorities. The use of digital technology to target human rights defenders and civil society is increasing.

We commit to

  • protecting human rights online, including freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression, so that everyone can make the most of the positive opportunities that the online world offers

  • working with tech companies and other stakeholders, including governments, academics and civil society, to tackle the threats faced by individuals online as a result of their religion or belief, including hate crimes, harassment and cyberstalking, and to respect their rights online

  • in line with UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and other relevant instruments, encourage digital technology companies to respect human rights in their business operations, in accordance with their responsibilities

Co-signatories

  • Albania
  • Australia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Brazil
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • Georgia
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Malta
  • The Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • The Slovak Republic
  • Slovenia
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America
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