An Invitation to Consider a Progressive and Decolonial Civil Society Agenda for WSIS+20

The authors call for a shift from a market-driven digital ecosystem to one based on Communication Rights, which treats media and AI as public utilities rather than commodities. They trace the history of communication struggles from the MacBride Commission to the current era of 'data colonialism,' where Big Tech extracts personal data as a resource. The document proposes a set of 'non-negotiables' for the WSIS+20 summit, including data sovereignty, public ownership of AI, and the creation of a new UN institution dedicated to Communication Rights.

• The authors identify a contemporary phenomenon termed 'data colonialism,' where Big Tech corporations extract human data—including thoughts, feelings, and desires—as a valuable resource to manipulate social affairs and generate wealth, mirroring traditional colonial land grabs.
• The document advocates for 'Communication Rights' (CRs) as a framework that expands beyond simple freedom of expression to include the right to be heard, listened to, and responded to, encompassing both individual and collective rights.
• The authors argue that the current digital governance landscape is dominated by corporate interests and the US government, citing the role of ICANN as a US non-profit and the 'Global Digital Compact' as a proposal trimmed by corporations to avoid significant constraints.
• The text highlights the environmental and human costs of the digital transition, noting that Colombia generated 390 million kgs of e-waste in 2022 and that lithium mining in Chile's Atacama Desert causes water shortages for 18 Indigenous communities.
• The authors propose a set of 'non-negotiables' for the WSIS+20 summit, which include treating AI and digital platforms as public utilities, ensuring data subjects own their own data, and mandating interoperability for social media platforms.
• The document calls for the establishment of a new United Nations institution specifically dedicated to Communication Rights and digital matters to provide accountable global governance.

APA

Rodriguez, C., Siochrú, S. Ó., & Singh, P. J. (2024). An Invitation to Consider a Progressive and Decolonial Civil Society Agenda for WSIS+20. World Association for Christian Communication. https://waccglobal.org/an-invitation-to-consider-a-progressive-and-decolonial-civil-society-agenda-for-wsis20/

Chicago

Rodriguez, Clemencia, Seán Ó Siochrú, and Parminder Jeet Singh. An Invitation to Consider a Progressive and Decolonial Civil Society Agenda for WSIS+20. World Association for Christian Communication, 2024. https://waccglobal.org/an-invitation-to-consider-a-progressive-and-decolonial-civil-society-agenda-for-wsis20/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Rodriguez |first1=Clemencia |last2=Siochrú |first2=Seán Ó |last3=Singh |first3=Parminder Jeet |title=An Invitation to Consider a Progressive and Decolonial Civil Society Agenda for WSIS+20 |publisher=World Association for Christian Communication |date=18 November 2024 |url=https://waccglobal.org/an-invitation-to-consider-a-progressive-and-decolonial-civil-society-agenda-for-wsis20/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{rodriguez2024invitation, author = {Rodriguez, Clemencia and Siochrú, Seán Ó and Singh, Parminder Jeet}, title = {{An Invitation to Consider a Progressive and Decolonial Civil Society Agenda for WSIS+20}}, publisher = {World Association for Christian Communication}, year = {2024}, month = nov, url = {https://waccglobal.org/an-invitation-to-consider-a-progressive-and-decolonial-civil-society-agenda-for-wsis20/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }