Distinguished Co- facilitators,
My delegation joins others in thanking you for convening this thematic deep dive on Digital Trust and Security. We also thank the briefers for sharing their important insights.
We align ourselves with the statement made by Cuba on behalf of G-77 and China.
Trust is the fundamental ingredient of social capital, creating shared norms and ethical principles. The world today needs trust more than ever, given the widespread proliferation of information and spread of mis-and disinformation – thanks to burgeoning digital technologies. The virtual nature of these technologies magnifies the crucial role of trust in daily activities.
Co- facilitators
In response to your guiding questions, let me highlight the following points:
First, let us reaffirm that no individual, institution, or country can create or maintain digital trust and security alone. It requires a transformative multi-stakeholder approach.
Governments, industries, civil society, international organizations, and the private sector must collaborate closely. Clear regulatory frameworks for collaboration across the entire cyber-ecosystem are essential, leveraging the influence and impact of the private sector.
Second, across the governments, industries, and citizens there lacks a common understanding on the question of what we owe one another in digital domain. Therefore, establishing a common understanding and framework for digital trust and security is critical.
In this regard, we call for a new social contract for the digital age that redefines the relationship between public and private sectors and establishes new obligations. The private sector should prioritize long-term investments in a balanced cyber security ecosystem, while the government must provide timely threat information and treat industry as a vital partner.
Private sector firms must prioritize security and resilience in their hardware manufacturing and software development, while the government should provide support.
Third, to protect public information and preserve civic spaces, governments and companies should adopt policies like fact-checking, transparent content policies, and enhanced digital media literacy. Collaborative approaches with fact-checkers, partnerships with academia, responsible journalism, public awareness campaigns, and improved algorithms and AI systems are essential.
Finally, digital social media platforms introduce new trust dynamics concerning identity, privacy, and information validity. How can we trust the creators of information or ensure that our social interactions are with real individuals? How do we guarantee the privacy of the information we provide? Are our photos truly private?
Co-facilitators, until we get definitive answer to the above questions, we, as humanity, will continue to miss out the tremendous transformative potential of digital technology for a better world.
I thank you.