The United Nations Global Digital Compact (GDC) represents a historic effort to set universal principles for an open, free, and secure digital future for all. Slated for final adoption at the 2025 UN Summit of the Future, the GDC is part of the Secretary-General’s ‘Our Common Agenda’ and reflects growing consensus that digital technologies must be governed through inclusive and accountable frameworks at the global level.
First proposed in 2021, the Compact was shaped through three years of multistakeholder consultations involving governments, civil society, the private sector, technical communities, and youth. At its core, the GDC proposes a shared vision for the digital age rooted in the UN Charter and human rights principles.
Key objectives of the Global Digital Compact include:
- Promoting universal digital inclusion and affordable internet access
- Safeguarding human rights in digital spaces
- Strengthening trust and accountability in online platforms
- Advancing equitable access to digital public goods
- Supporting digital capacity in the Global South
The Compact also highlights the need for a global architecture to coordinate digital governance, including a call to strengthen the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and establish a multistakeholder ‘Digital Cooperation Forum’ under the UN umbrella.
AI governance has emerged as a major theme within the Compact, particularly after 2023, with many states urging harmonized principles on transparency, safety, and ethics. The Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology has released a set of guiding principles for inclusive AI, which are expected to be annexed to the final Compact.
However, consensus has been difficult. Debates continue over the roles of governments vs. private sector actors, as well as over cybersecurity, misinformation, and data sovereignty. Russia, China, and some developing countries advocate for stronger state control, while the U.S. and EU push for human-centric, rights-based approaches.
The Compact is not a treaty but is expected to serve as a soft law instrument guiding digital policy across agencies and member states. It has been endorsed by the Group of Friends on Digital Cooperation and by major UN bodies including UNESCO, UNDP, and the ITU.
Critics caution that the GDC’s impact will depend on implementation and political will. “We need more than nice words — we need infrastructure, accountability, and mechanisms for follow-up,” said Nnenna Nwakanma, a long-time advocate of digital rights in Africa.
Still, many view the Compact as a milestone. “For the first time, the UN is laying down universal principles for our digital lives,” said Amandeep Gill, the UN Tech Envoy. “It’s a signal that we are taking the digital future seriously — and we are doing it together.”
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