The recent publication of Revision 1 (or “Rev1”) and Revision 2 (or “Rev2”) of the WSIS+20 Outcome Document marks an important moment in the ongoing global conversation about the future of the Internet and digital governance. At a time when technology is deeply intertwined with human rights, economic opportunity, and civic life, the decisions made in this process will shape digital ecosystems for years to come. The Global Network Initiative (GNI) has been at the forefront of these discussions, serving as a leading multistakeholder forum for accountability, shared learning, and collective advocacy on government and company policies and practices related to technology and human rights.
GNI is a membership organization comprising over 110 academics, civil society organizations, investors, and technology companies from around the world, with nearly one-third based in the Global Majority. Our work is focused on promoting responsible governance of digital technologies and advancing the protection of human rights in online and offline contexts. Over the course of the WSIS+20 review process, GNI has actively participated in consultations, including the Open Consultation Process in March 2025, the virtual Stakeholder Consultations in June 2025, the review of the Elements Paper, and the consultations on Revision 1 of the WSIS+20 Outcomes document in November 2025. In partnership with Global Partners Digital (GPD), GNI has run the Shaping the WSIS+20 Review for a Unified Internet Multistakeholderism project to support global engagement in the WSIS+20 review process. Through this project, GNI and GPD have worked with local partners across ten countries to create awareness, deepen understanding of the WSIS process, and facilitate multistakeholder engagement. This work produced the report The Road to WSIS+20: Key Country Perspectives in the Twenty-Year Review of the World Summit on the Information Society, which provides insight into the positions and priorities of selected governments and supports inclusive and informed participation in the WSIS+20 process.
Separately, as a member of the broader Global Digital Rights Coalition, GNI has worked to amplify multistakeholder participation and embed human rights and accountability into the WSIS framework. We are signatories to the cross-stakeholder “Five-Point Plan” and “Eight Recommendations” for an inclusive WSIS+20 review, and have collaborated on the joint statement on Strengthening Human Rights and Multistakeholder Visions in the WSIS+20 Outcome Document, demonstrating our commitment to ensuring that all voices, including those from historically underrepresented regions, are meaningfully heard in shaping the digital future.
Rev1 was published on 7 November and Rev2 on 3 December, in advance of the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the WSIS+20 Review, which is to be held on 16–17 December 2025. At this meeting, Member States will review progress made in implementing the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society, consider updated priorities for advancing the WSIS vision, and are expected to finalize the WSIS+20 Outcome Document. This blog provides the analyses of Rev1 and Rev2 that GNI presented in various consultations with the Co-Facilitators of the WSIS+20 process, highlighting key strengths and areas where further improvements can help ensure a people-centred, inclusive, and development-oriented information society grounded in the promotion and protection of human rights.
Revision 1 of the Outcome Document builds on previous drafts in important ways, and GNI welcomes several notable developments. One of the most significant is the permanent recognition of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which affirms its central role as a space for dialogue, exchange, and multistakeholder decision-making on emerging digital policy issues. This formal acknowledgment reinforces the principle that digital governance cannot be left solely to governments or the private sector but must be shaped collectively, reflecting diverse perspectives and experiences from around the world.
Equally encouraging is the draft’s emphasis on connectivity as a foundational issue. Access to the Internet is not just a technical challenge; it is the gateway to education, economic opportunity, civic participation, and the exercise of fundamental rights. By recognizing connectivity as underpinning other elements of the WSIS framework, the document places equitable access at the center of global digital policy. GNI also welcomes the explicit references to multistakeholder governance and the NETmundial principles, which provide guidance for collaborative approaches to Internet policy and reinforce the values of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity. Additionally, the Outcome Document makes clearer connections between WSIS commitments and the Global Digital Compact, signaling an encouraging step toward coherence across international digital policy frameworks.
Yet, while these developments are promising, GNI’s review identifies critical areas where the Outcome Document could be strengthened to ensure it truly safeguards human rights and promotes accountability. Human rights must remain central to every aspect of digital governance. The principles of necessity, proportionality, and legality were in the Elements Paper and have been removed in Rev1. These must be re-added to the section on human rights (paras 65-77) to guide government powers, ensuring that surveillance, restrictions on expression, or network shutdowns are never employed in ways that undermine fundamental freedoms. Topic-specific sections also require reinforcement: Digital Public Goods should be rights-respecting by design, labor-focused policies should consider digital technologies’ impact on workers’ rights, and data governance frameworks should prioritize equity, transparency, and participatory control. Artificial intelligence, a technology with the potential for transformative benefits, must also be developed, deployed, and assessed through a human rights lens, with systematic evaluations to prevent harm and mitigate risks.
Private sector accountability is another area that demands continued attention. While the draft recognizes the role of companies in driving access and digital development, GNI emphasizes that all public-private partnerships and corporate initiatives must explicitly align with human rights obligations. Doing so not only protects individuals but also strengthens trust and sustainability across digital ecosystems.
Revision 2, released on 3 December, builds on the advancements introduced in earlier drafts and reflects continued overall positive progress in the WSIS+20 review process. GNI welcomes several developments that further strengthen the Outcome Document. The enhanced recognition of the “meaningful participation of all stakeholders” in paragraph 4 reinforces the centrality of multistakeholder engagement as a core element of the WSIS vision. This emphasis acknowledges that effective, inclusive digital governance relies on the diverse expertise and lived experiences of governments, civil society, the private sector, and technical and academic communities.
Revision 2 also makes important progress on human rights. The incorporation of references to international human rights law in paragraphs 8 and 52 helps ensure that digital governance is grounded in internationally recognized standards. GNI encourages the extension of this approach to the sections on data governance and artificial intelligence, where such references remain necessary for coherence and accountability. Likewise, the strengthened language on gender equality—including commitments to the empowerment of women and the condemnation of gender-based violence in paragraphs 11 and 54—marks a welcome step toward addressing persistent inequalities in the digital sphere.
Additionally, the recommendation in paragraph 22 to incorporate accessible-by-design principles into digital technologies is an important and forward-looking inclusion. By centering accessibility from the outset, the document advances an approach that supports universal access and enables greater participation by persons with disabilities.
Despite these improvements, Revision 2 also contains gaps that must be addressed to fully align the Outcome Document with human rights standards and ensure meaningful accountability. As in Rev1, the principles of necessity, legality, and proportionality—previously reflected in the Elements Paper—are still missing from the human rights section (paragraphs 65–77). These principles are indispensable in guiding government actions, particularly in areas such as surveillance, content restrictions, and law enforcement access to data.
Revision 2 would also benefit from clearly acknowledging the impact of internet shutdowns on freedom of expression and privacy (paragraphs 67-79). Shutdowns have far-reaching consequences for access to information, democratic participation, and economic life, and explicit recognition of their harms is essential for ensuring that they are neither normalized nor misused.
Similarly, the Outcome Document should recognize the risks posed by overly broad governmental surveillance, which can undermine fundamental rights including freedom of expression, privacy, and freedom of association. Without such acknowledgment, safeguards against abuse remain incomplete.
The revised language in paragraph 73 concerning business responsibility should also be adjusted. GNI recommends replacing the current formulation with: “We also call on private sector companies to respect human rights in line with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.” This streamlined phrasing reinforces universally applicable expectations without singling out specific sectors.
Finally, while the focus on capacity building in the AI section is welcome, the purpose and utility of the proposed AI fellowship in paragraph 84 remains unclear. We encourage clarification of its objectives or removal of the reference to avoid ambiguity. We also note the importance of preserving clear and strong language on the Internet Governance Forum in paragraph 98, consistent with the recognition of the IGF’s essential role in earlier drafts.
Revisions 1 and 2 signal meaningful momentum within the WSIS+20 review, demonstrating growing recognition of the importance of multistakeholder engagement, gender equality, accessibility, and human rights within global digital governance. Yet the path ahead remains critical. As negotiations move toward the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly, Member States and stakeholders have an opportunity—and responsibility—to ensure that the final Outcome Document fully embeds the principles needed to guide a rights-respecting, inclusive, and accountable digital future.
Strengthening references to international human rights law across all relevant sections, reinstating the principles of necessity, legality, and proportionality, and explicitly addressing harms such as internet shutdowns and overly broad surveillance will be essential for safeguarding fundamental freedoms. Clarity in emerging areas, such as AI governance and private sector accountability, will further help translate high-level commitments into effective, enforceable practice.
GNI remains committed to supporting this process by contributing expertise, amplifying diverse stakeholder voices, and advocating for policies that protect rights and promote equity. The WSIS+20 review represents a pivotal moment: with thoughtful refinement and continued collaboration, it can help chart a digital future that empowers individuals, strengthens democratic institutions, and upholds human dignity worldwide.