Freedom Online Coalition calls for rights-based AI governance at UN dialogue

The Freedom Online Coalition has issued a joint multistakeholder statement on the UN Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance.

The statement welcomes the first meeting of the Dialogue in Geneva in July 2026. It says the process should be open, inclusive and grounded in international human rights law.

The coalition warns that AI can bring social and economic benefits, but also serious risks. These include unlawful surveillance, censorship, discrimination, gender-based violence, child sexual exploitation, disinformation and harms to workers.

The statement calls for stronger safeguards across the full AI lifecycle. These include human rights impact assessments, meaningful human oversight, access to remedy, privacy protections and independent scrutiny of AI systems.

It also says AI governance must address digital divides. Developing countries, civil society, affected communities, women and girls, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups should have a meaningful role in shaping global AI rules.

The coalition urges the UN Dialogue to connect existing processes, including the Global Digital Compact, the World Summit on the Information Society, the Internet Governance Forum and UNESCO’s work, rather than creating parallel structures.

The statement ends with a call for governments, companies, civil society, academia, youth and the technical community to take part in the Dialogue and help ensure that AI governance protects human rights while enabling its benefits.

Read the full statement here.