A/RES/80/215 Promotion and protection of human rights in the context of digital technologies Recognizing that rapid technological change affects States in different ways and that addressing these impacts, which depend on national and regional particularities, States’ capacities and levels of development, requires international and multi‑stakeholder cooperation in order for all States, especially developing countries and the least developed countries, to benefit from opportunities and to address the challenges arising from this change and to bridge digital divides, while emphasizing that it is the duty of all States to promote and protect all human rights, online and offline, Recognizing also that certain applications of new and emerging digital technologies are not compatible with international human rights law, noting that uses of new and emerging digital technologies that impact the enjoyment of human rights may lack adequate regulation and governance mechanisms, and recognizing the need for accountability and effective measures to prevent, mitigate and remedy potential and actual adverse human rights impacts of such technologies in line with obligations of States under international human rights law and responsibilities of business enterprises in line with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Stressing the importance for all Member States, and stakeholders as appropriate, to promote universal, free, open, interoperable, safe, reliable and secure use of and access to the Internet by facilitating international cooperation aimed at the development of media and information and communications facilities in all countries, by respecting and protecting human rights and by refraining from undue restrictions, such as Internet shutdowns, arbitrary or unlawful surveillance or online censorship, Recognizing that a lack of access to affordable, safe, inclusive, quality, accessible, reliable and trustworthy technologies and services remains a critical challenge in many developing countries, and that such access to technologies is a first step in promoting digital literacy, Stressing the need to close digital divides, which may reflect and amplify existing social, cultural and economic inequalities, both between and within countries, including the rural-urban, youth-older persons, gender, racial and ethnic digital divides, and to harness digital technologies for sustainable development and the promotion and protection of human rights, and recalling the need to emphasize quality of access to bridge digital and knowledge divides, using a multidimensional approach that includes speed, stability, affordability, safety, language, training, capacity-building, local content and accessibility for all, Underlining that digital contexts provide opportunities for exercising human rights, including by improving access to information, and by seeking, receiving and imparting information and ideas of all kinds, and emphasizing that efforts to promote access to digital technologies, digital, media and information literacy, civic participation and online safety are important to bridge digital divides and ensure digital inclusion in its broader interpretation, which includes the development of digital skills, Recognizing that the human right to privacy, according to which no one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence, and the right to the protection of the law against such interference, is important for the enjoyment of other rights and can contribute to an individual’s ability to enjoy political, economic, social and cultural rights, and noting with concern that violations or abuses of the right to privacy might affect the enjoyment of h uman rights, including the right to freedom of expression and to hold opinions without interference, and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, Emphasizing that, in the digital age, technical solutions to secure and to protect the confidentiality of digital communications and transactions, including measures 4/10 25-20986