3. Applying Commonwealth values in Cyberspace
3.1. The Commonwealth Charter of March 2013 reflects the values and aspirations which
unite the Commonwealth - democracy, development, human rights and the rule of law. The
Charter expresses the commitment of member states to the development of free and
democratic societies and the promotion of peace and prosperity to improve the lives of all
peoples of the Commonwealth. It also acknowledges the role of civil society in supporting
the goals and values of the Commonwealth.
3.2. The principles concerning our use of Cyberspace today and the evolving nature of
Cyberspace tomorrow should be derived from, should respect and reflect our shared
Commonwealth values as set out in the Commonwealth Charter. Within the context of the
Charter as a whole, we identify the key characteristics, which led to our principles, as
exemplified in Appendix 1. This analysis is based on the principle that what is unacceptable
off-line is unacceptable on-line. Priorities for practical action, in accordance with these
principles, will depend on the prevailing circumstances in each country.
4. Commonwealth principles for the use of Cyberspace
4.1. As we operate in Cyberspace and work with others to shape its continuing development,
we will use the following principles to guide our decisions, actions and demonstrate our
progress towards meeting these principles. The principles are best considered collectively
and not each in isolation without regard to the whole because frequently some are in tension
with each other. We reiterate the urgency with which these issues need to be addressed.
Principle 1: We contribute to a safe and an effective global Cyberspace
as a partnership between public and private sectors, civil society and users, a
collective creation;
with multi-stakeholder, transparent and collaborative governance promoting
continuous development of Cyberspace;
where investment in the Cyberspace is encouraged and rewarded;
by providing sufficient neutrality of the network as a provider of information services;
by offering stability in the provision of reliable and resilient information services;
by having standardisation to achieve global interoperability;
by enabling all to participate with equal opportunity of universal access;
as an open, distributed, interconnected internet;
by providing an environment that is safe for its users, particularly the young and
vulnerable;
made available to users at an affordable price.
Principle 2: Our actions in Cyberspace support broader economic and social
development
by enabling innovation and sustainable development, creating greater coherence and
synergy, through collaboration and the widespread dissemination of knowledge;
respecting cultural and linguistic diversity without the imposition of beliefs;