We are heavily dependent on the Internet for everything in our lives, but citizens have little control over how it works. The Internet grew organically from a series of interconnected local networks to a matrix that sustains our way of life. This technocratic network is under unprecedented pressure from many repressive governments, and it is vital that we ensure it remains open and free for all. In 2021, ID launched a cyberdiplomacy project with Small Island Developing States in the Pacific that enabled them to more effectively participate in diplomatic processes around cybersecurity and digital issues. ID helps the countries implement international norms of state behavior in cyberspace, and works with them towards a new global cybercrime treaty that respects human rights. Increasingly, ID is also considering how technology can help our partners achieve their diplomatic goals.

“The United Nations Secretariat Building” by Steve Cadman is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.