The governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada have endorsed an initiative aimed at countering foreign information manipulation and interference. Recognized as a national security threat, this tripartite alliance seeks to proactively combat misinformation that could potentially undermine democracy and human rights on a global scale.
According to a news release from the U.S. Department of State, the Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation aims to foster a common understanding of this threat. It also seeks to establish action areas from which the U.S., in collaboration with its allies and partners, can formulate coordinated responses to foreign information manipulation, thereby safeguarding free and open societies.
The news release stated, "Foreign information manipulation is a national security threat that undermines democratic values, human rights, governmental processes, and political stability." It further emphasized the need for collective action against this menace due to its borderless nature. "Securing the integrity of the global information ecosystem is central to popular confidence in governance institutions and processes, trust in elected leaders, and the preservation of democracy," it added.
The release pointed out that authoritarian governments exploit information manipulation as a tool to destabilize free and democratic societies. They achieve this by distorting social discourse, biasing national and international debates on critical issues, and undermining democratic institutions. In light of these concerns, the governments of the U.S., U.K., and Canada believe that this transnational threat necessitates a coordinated international response.
In addition to leading this initiative, these three governments plan on collaborating with other allies to promote the framework's key principles as per the release. These principles encompass civil society engagement, independent media support, academic involvement, multilateral engagement, national strategies and policies formulation, governance structures reinforcement and institutional capacity building. To implement these key areas effectively, they intend to utilize existing multilateral mechanisms such as the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism which bolsters coordination among G7 countries in identifying and responding to various evolving foreign threats to democracy.
