Sec. 30249. Engagement with civil society in Latin America and the Caribbean regarding accountability, human rights, and the risks of pervasive surveillance technologies
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/bill/117/hr/4521/pcs/section-30249·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that— the Government of the People’s Republic of China is exporting its model for internal security and state control of society through advanced technology and artificial intelligence; and the inclusion of communication networks and communications supply chains with equipment and services from companies with close ties to or that are susceptible to pressure from governments or security services without reliable legal checks on governmental powers can lead to breaches of citizens’ private information, increased censorship, violations of human rights, and harassment of political opponents.
The Secretary of State shall conduct diplomatic engagement with governments and civil society organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean to— help identify and mitigate the risks to civil liberties posed by technologies and services described in subsection (a); and offer recommendations on ways to mitigate such risks. The Chief Executive Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media, who may work through the Open Technology Fund of the Agency, and the Secretary of State, working through the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor’s Internet Freedom and Business and Human Rights Section, shall expand and prioritize efforts to provide anti-censorship technology and services to journalists in Latin America and the Caribbean, in order to enhance their ability to safely access or share digital news and information.
The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, shall work through nongovernmental organizations to— support and promote programs that support internet freedom and the free flow of information online in Latin America and the Caribbean; protect open, interoperable, secure, and reliable access to internet in Latin America and the Caribbean; provide integrated support to civil society for technology, digital safety, policy and advocacy, and applied research programs in Latin America and the Caribbean; train journalists and civil society leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean on investigative techniques necessary to ensure public accountability and prevent government overreach in the digital sphere; assist independent media outlets and journalists in Latin America and the Caribbean to build their own capacity and develop high-impact, in-depth news reports covering governance and human rights topics; provide training for journalists and civil society leaders on investigative techniques necessary to improve transparency and accountability in government and the private sector; provide training on investigative reporting of incidents of corruption and unfair business and commercial practices; assist nongovernmental organizations to strengthen their capacity to monitor the incidents and practices described in paragraph (7); identify local resources to support the preponderance of activities that would be carried out under this subsection; and support and promote programs that support independent judicial sectors, anti-corruption efforts, rule of law activities, and good governance.