Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas promoted U.S. efforts to mitigate technology misuse and abuse during the second Summit for Democracy virtual gathering last month in Washington, D.C.
"Democracies are coming together to reinforce that human rights are the bedrock of our national and international security and must be the North Star guiding the design, regulation, and use of technologies,” Mayorkas said a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press release.
President Joseph Biden co-hosted the summit, held March 29 and March 30, with the governments of Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea and Republic of Zambia, the State Department (DOS) reported in a news release. World leaders assembled for a "virtual, plenary format," the DOS reports, then met in-person with representatives from civil society, government and the private sector in the capitals of the co-host countries.
"Together, we showcased progress made by Summit partners on commitments announced at the first Summit for Democracy hosted by President Biden in December 2021," the DOS states in its news release, "and organized collective action to address emerging challenges to democracy."
Mayorkas highlighted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) High-Risk Community Protection (HRCP) initiative to strengthen the cybersecurity of U.S. communities, such as civil society organizations, that “are at heightened risk of cyber-threat targeting and transnational repression,” according to the DHS release.
CISA intends to expedite HRCP efforts and collaborate with partners on joint cyber-defense plans "focused on civil society," according to the release.
"This work will focus initially on engaging civil society organizations to listen and learn about the cybersecurity threats they are facing, find out what support is most needed, identify positive work to amplify, and then work through the JCDC (Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative) and with partners to fill cybersecurity gaps," DHS states in the release.
CISA Director Jen Easterly said in the release that she is "proud" the agency is leading efforts "to help strengthen the collective cyber defense of high-risk communities and civil society organizations."
“Protecting democratic values and civil society organizations in the U.S. and across the globe from cyber threats could not be more important and timely,” Easterly said in the release.
Mayorkas noted the U.S. was working to make sure technology furthers, not infringes on, democracy and human rights.
“We must ensure that democracies reject harmful uses of technology and stand together as a model for how to harness technology responsibly and ethically," Mayorkas said.
