- The US has exited 66 organizations, including the Freedom Online Coalition.
- This coalition promotes internet freedom and digital rights globally.
- Experts warn that global norms are now at risk.
Digital rights advocates have condemned the decision by the Trump administration to withdraw from the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) and its broader retreat from multilateral cooperation.
In a statement, Alexandra Givens, President and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), remarked, “These withdrawals are an abdication of important US commitments and responsibilities to uphold human rights and democratic principles, both broadly and in the digital realm.”
This sentiment is echoed by Konstantinos Komaitis, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab and a member of the FOC's advisory network.
“The message is clear: Internet freedom is no longer a cornerstone of US foreign policy,” Komaitis stated in an article for Tech Policy Press.
Targeting 'Progressive' Tech Bodies
On Wednesday, the United States withdrew from 66 international organizations that the Trump administration considers “contrary to the interests” of the nation. Affected groups include UN climate treaties, organizations focused on international conflict resolution, and gender equality initiatives.
The CDT emphasized the extensive nature of the withdrawal, which includes the FOC, the Venice Commission, the Global Counterterrorism Forum, and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
In a press statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed these organizations have become “dominated by progressive ideology and detached from national interests.”
Real-World Repercussions
The Freedom Online Coalition consists of over 40 governments collaborating to foster a world where the Internet and digital technologies enhance human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
Its strength lies in its collective voice, as noted by Komaitis. When “member states spoke collectively about internet shutdowns, surveillance practices, or digital repression, those interventions were amplified by the presence of actors able to project influence across multiple policy domains,” he explained.
In 2012, the FOC initiated the Digital Defenders Partnership (DDP) – a fund managed by Hivos to support digital activists facing threats. This fund has been crucial in financing digital rights initiatives, including providing VPNs to safeguard human rights defenders from censorship and surveillance.
According to Komaitis, the US withdrawal is “unlikely to have an immediate or direct impact” on the group. However, he cautioned that this decision could influence the broader international landscape in which the DDP and similar organizations operate.
When asked if the FOC could respond to this decision, Komaitis stated, “Any response would likely focus on maintaining cooperation among remaining partners and ensuring continuity of support through existing multilateral channels.”
A Gift to Authoritarians?
While US involvement in these organizations was significant, experts believe they will continue to function. “It would be incorrect to suggest that the FOC will falter, let alone collapse, in the absence of the US,” Komaitis asserts.
Nonetheless, the long-term consequences of this move could be profound. By stepping back from the global arena, the US risks allowing others to fill its role.
By withdrawing, the US “creates space for China to reappropriate the language of governance and rights,” Komaitis warns. This shift could alter fundamental concepts of internet freedom “in ways that subordinate individual freedoms to regime stability.”
The consensus is that this retreat jeopardizes the digital safety of everyday users.
Alexandra Givens from the CDT argues that the administration is “abandoning longstanding efforts to advance democracy, defend human rights online, and combat the abuses of spyware, especially as free expression faces attacks from governments worldwide—including our own.”
“US participation in international collaboration on human rights standards helps keep Americans safe,” Givens concludes. “This move will inevitably weaken the rights and security of Americans and people around the globe for years to come.”
