On February 11–13, Member of the National Council Oleksandr Burmahin took part in the International Conference on Digital Platform Governance, held in Pretoria, South Africa. This was the third event organized within the Global Forum of Networks (GFN), aimed at developing and implementing digital platform regulation policies based on peace, human rights, trust, and cooperation.
The conference was held under UNESCO’s global “Internet for Trust” initiative and focused on reviewing the implementation of UNESCO’s Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms (adopted in Dubrovnik in 2024) and identifying ways to apply them worldwide.
Participants emphasized that digital platforms have long transcended national borders and have a significant impact on global information processes. Therefore, responding to challenges solely with national instruments is no longer sufficient. There is a need for coordinated international regulatory measures that would not depend on the political situation or the willingness of platforms to comply with legislation only in economically attractive jurisdictions. At the same time, such regulatory measures must guarantee and protect the rights of users.
In Indonesia, for example, the adoption of UNESCO guidelines with recommendations on digital governance has sparked active interest from the government and civil society, and associations for platform control have begun to emerge. At the same time, there are concerns about the formation of asymmetry in information sources, as AI search algorithms provide information without references to primary sources, which jeopardizes the survival of local media and generally leads to a reduction in the media landscape.
In South Africa, active discussions on the development of digital governance also began in 2021. In fact, there was no legislation in this area, so they started with “soft law” instruments — “white papers” on platform regulation, privacy issues, freedom of expression, AI, and countering fake news. Nowadays, a full-fledged, systematic legislative reform in the digital sphere is a priority.
Most of the discussion focused on issues related to the development of artificial intelligence, algorithmic systems, and digital advertising. These technologies create additional risks for freedom of expression, access to information, and national information sovereignty. That is why it is important for regulators to strengthen their analytical capabilities, introduce risk assessment systems, and develop clear protocols for action in crisis situations.
Some speakers noted that digital regulation policies must be grounded in robust research and evidence. This approach can ensure that decisions are reasonable and effective in the long run. In a forward-looking context, the ongoing development of digital literacy among the population is no less important. Regulators could be leaders in this area.
The European Digital Services Act, as was emphasized at the event, cannot simply be replicated in national legislation. It sets clear obligations for platforms in terms of transparency, content moderation, and risk management, but its implementation requires an “ecosystem” of coordinators—government bodies, experienced NGOs, experts from academia, as well as effective international cooperation, etc.
Ensuring fair and democratic electoral processes in the digital environment and transparency in political advertising were also part of the discussion at the forum. Countering anonymous bot networks, low levels of cooperation with platforms, and the need to create specialized monitoring tools were identified as some of the most pressing challenges.
During the panel discussion “Ensuring Resilient Digital Information Ecosystems in Times of Crisis” Maksym Dvorovyi, senior legal counsel at the Digital Security Lab NGO, spoke about Ukraine’s experience in countering information aggression after 2014 and the full-scale invasion of 2022. He stressed that any digital ecosystem relies on basic infrastructure, primarily electricity, and therefore it is important to more clearly define the provisions of international humanitarian law regarding the protection of critical infrastructure. In some regions of Ukraine, people currently have electricity for only a few hours a day, and free access to information becomes impossible or loses its priority altogether.
The expert also shared his thoughts on how Ukraine has been consistently improving its mechanisms for protecting the information space since 2014 and during the period of martial law. These improvements have been based on the Law of Ukraine “On the Media” and on balancing the need to effectively protect the national security interests with ensuring compliance with international standards of freedom of speech. At the same time, effective interaction with global platforms remains a problem, as platform providers are not ready for active and systematic cooperation.
Following the forum, the adoption of the Pretoria Principles is expected to enhance the implementation of UNESCO recommendations. They should contribute to strengthening international coordination, reinforcing the independence of regulators, and developing partnerships between governments, platforms, and civil society.
