APC Statement to the UN Global Mechanism on ICTs and International Security

• The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) urges the UN Global Mechanism to prioritize the security of vulnerable communities in global cybersecurity policy.
• APC advocates for inclusive, gender-sensitive policy frameworks that address the disproportionate impacts of cyber threats on women, LGBTQI+ individuals, and human rights defenders.
• The organization calls for direct engagement with civil society to provide empirical evidence on surveillance, hacking, and disinformation campaigns.

Core Recommendations

• Inclusivity: Ensure the Global Mechanism provides a safe and enabling environment for civil society, researchers, and grassroots communities to participate.
• Addressing Cyber Mercenaries: Build on existing findings to further investigate and mitigate the harm caused by the global hack-for-hire spyware industry.
• Gender-Sensitive Legislation: Support member states in developing cybersecurity laws that explicitly address digital violence and include rapid response mechanisms.
• AI and Information Security: Examine the security vulnerabilities emerging from the rapid deployment of AI, particularly its impact on the Global Majority and public sector infrastructure.

Implications for Governance

• The Global Mechanism must move past the initial exclusion of stakeholders to foster meaningful, multi-stakeholder collaboration.
• Policy development should utilize feminist-anchored approaches to technology, drawing on two decades of observed experience regarding digital rights and privacy.
• Cyber policy should avoid government overreach, ensuring that security measures protect citizens rather than enabling oppression.