The US special envoy addressing the issue announced the formation of a global coalition of democracies to defend against disinformation campaigns by foreign governments.

James Rubin, special envoy for combating non-state propaganda and disinformation at the US Department of State’s Global Engagement Center (GEC), mentioned that the coalition aims to establish a clear understanding of information operations and the rights of other governments. He also highlighted the importance of reaching a consensus on defining common opinion even in moments of disagreement.

The US, UK, and Canada have already signed a formal framework agreement, and there are expectations of more countries joining the coalition. The GEC primarily focuses on countering disinformation campaigns by foreign powers and has been working towards developing a global strategy while uncovering covert disinformation operations, like Russia’s activities in Africa discrediting US health services.

A framework signed between the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada aims to counter foreign manipulation of states by addressing disinformation as a national security threat, requiring a coordinated response from governments and civil society. This emphasizes the need for a collective approach to enhance resilience and response to foreign intelligence threats through information sharing and collaborative data analysis tools.

James Rubin, a seasoned US government official and journalist, serving as a special envoy, acknowledged the complexity of the issue of disinformation and its intellectual challenges. He emphasized the importance of distinguishing between hostile opinion and disinformation to determine the appropriate government interventions.

He emphasized the need for fact-based information promotion while also finding ways to label information operations originating from foreign governments like China and Russia. He stressed the importance of identifying the sources of covert disinformation without censoring thoughts or opinions.

This challenging issue raises questions about the dynamics between the government and social media companies, particularly in countries like the United States with constitutional guarantees of free speech. In contrast, the European Union has taken more interventionist measures with laws regulating digital services and social media content.

Rubin underscored that it is essential to expose foreign disinformation operations without dictating social media companies’ behavior. He advocated for the enforcement of terms of service by these platforms in combatting disinformation efforts.

Addressing the asymmetry in information space access, Rubin highlighted the challenges posed by closed-off information environments of countries like Russia and China.