Cities coalition for digital rights

For the first time, cities are coming together to "protect digital rights on a global level.". That is the claim and aim of the Cities Coalition for Digital Rights, an effort launched in 2018 with leadership from Barcelona. The group's efforts are organized around implementing five core principles of the UN's Charter of Human Rights and Principles for the Internet--"Universal and equal access to the internet, and digital literacy; Privacy, data protection and security; Transparency, accountability, and non-discrimination of data, content and algorithms; Participatory Democracy, diversity and inclusion; and Open and ethical digital service standards."

With dozens of cities joining the founding signatories of Barcelona, Amsterdam, and New York, the group has become an important reference point and catalyst for individual cities and nulti-lateral groups to develop their own agendas. This points towards a future where—as they have for climate change, resilience, and other fast-evolving challenges—cities have found it possible to band together to shape the global agenda in their own interests.