Sec. 215. 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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It is the sense of Congress that— the Government of the PRC 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 the Government of the PRC or security services without reliable legal checks on governmental powers can lead to breaches of citizens’ private information, increased censorship, violations or abuses of human rights, and harassment of political opponents.
The Chief Executive Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media, working through the Open Technology Fund, and the Secretary of State, working through the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, shall expand and prioritize efforts to provide anti-censorship and anti-surveillance 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, through the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, and in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, shall work with civil society partners 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 digital safety and related technology 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, unfair trade, and coercive and anti-competitive business and commercial practices perpetrated by the PRC, including the role of the Government of the PRC in such practices; assist civil society organizations to strengthen their capacity to monitor the activities described in paragraph (7); and identify local organizations to support the activities to be carried out under this subsection.