The Council of Europe is Participating in the 18th UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Kyoto

05-10-2023 

Sofía Medina Sánchez 

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

The Council of Europe will participate in the 18th UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which is being hosted by the government of Japan from October 8 to 12 in Kyoto. This year's theme is "The Internet We Want - Empowering All People."

In addition to taking part in the general discussions, the Council of Europe will be responsible for organising or co-organising various events, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence (AI), the utilisation of electronic evidence, and open-source intelligence (OSINT) in the context of war crimes and human rights violations. The Council will also delve into emerging technologies such as the metaverse.

On the 8th of October, the Deputy Secretary-General, Bjørn Berge, will give a speech at an event aimed at discussing the challenges posed to human rights and democracy by the heightened utilisation of AI technologies. Moreover, this event will explore ongoing efforts to establish legal frameworks to address these challenges, including the draft framework convention currently under negotiation at the Council of Europe.

On October 9, the forum titled "Benefits and challenges of the immersive realities" will explore the potential and impact of immersive reality technology on human rights, the rule of law, and democracy. This technology is often associated with the concept of the Metaverse. The forum will also debate the conclusions of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers’ (IEEE) report on this topic prepared for the Council of Europe. 

The workshop scheduled for October 11th, titled "War Crimes and Grave Human Rights Violations: Electronic Evidence," will explore the pivotal function of electronic evidence and OSINT in revealing and recording instances of war crimes and serious human rights abuses. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine will serve as an illustrative example. Attendees will evaluate how global legal frameworks like the Cybercrime Convention and its Second Protocol can enhance cross-border collaboration and ensure the preservation of electronic evidence.

Lastly, on October 12, there will be a session titled "Artificial Intelligence and the Environment: Advancing Sustainable Development." This session will explore how AI technologies can make significant contributions to combating climate change and safeguarding the environment. These contributions encompass areas such as the reduction of energy emissions, the advancement of eco-friendly transportation networks, the monitoring of deforestation, and the prediction of extreme weather events. Moreover, the session will consider the implications of AI being a technology with significant energy consumption.

Overall, the Council of Europe's active involvement in these discussions and events underscores its commitment to addressing crucial issues related to technology, human rights, and global cooperation.

Sources and further Reading: 

Council of Europe, Newsroom, Kyoto: Council of Europe at the Internet Governance Forum, 6 October 2023 https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/kyoto-council-of-europe-at-the-internet-governance-forum

Council of Europe, Directorate General Human Rights and the Rule of Law, Council of Europe at the Internet Governance Forum 2023: https://www.coe.int/en/web/human-rights-rule-of-law/internet-governance-forum-2023