Wai Phyoe Myint, Asia Pacific Policy Analyst, Access Now

Concerns about the negative externalities from our growing reliance on digital communications services are well documented, and numerous legal and regulatory, co-regulatory, and voluntary efforts targeting company practices have emerged in response. Tangible progress in addressing these concerns is difficult to measure, however, and some approaches have (sometimes unintentionally) constricted legitimate expression or contributed to internet fragmentation. Correspondingly, there is a budding consensus that meaningful transparency from digital communications companies is a critical component of effective solutions for a more equitable and rights-respecting digital environment. This includes requirements around public reporting, data sharing for research purposes, risk assessments, and audits. Striving to maximize this opportunity, a broad and globally diverse coalition led by civil society has come together under the auspices of the Danish Tech for Democracy Platform to identify barriers to meaningful digital transparency and potential solutions, and to align and amplify the many related efforts. We will utilize this fora to foster additional participation in and awareness of the Action Coalition on Meaningful Transparency, to center perspectives of majority world contexts who often bear the brunt of regulatory conversations in the global north, and to provide an opportunity for diverse stakeholders to share their work.