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   US withdraws from internet freedom bodies it deems "wasteful, ineffective and   
   harmful"   
      
   Date:   
   Thu, 08 Jan 2026 16:17:41 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   President Trump has signed an executive order withdrawing the country from    
   key international internet freedom organizations, including the Freedom    
   Online Coalition and Global Forum on Cyber Expertise.   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
   The United States has withdrawn from 66 international organizations the Trump   
   administration deems "contrary to the interests" of the country.    
      
   The list, which includes UN climate treaties and groups working on   
   development, gender equality, and conflict resolution, also targets two   
   organizations working to make the internet a safer and more equitable place:   
   the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) and the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise   
   (GFCE).    
      
   The executive order , signed by President Trump on Wednesday, directs all US   
   agencies to immediately cease participation in and funding for the listed   
   groups.    
      
   The Freedom Online Coalition is a group of more than 40 governments that work   
   together to promote a world "where the use of the Internet and digital   
   technologies reinforces human rights, democracy, and the rule of law."    
      
   Similarly, the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise brings together over 250   
   members from governments, the private sector, academia, and civil society   
   around the world.    
      
   In an email to TechRadar, it said its mission is to "strengthen cyber   
   resilience of nations, to assist building digital economies, whilst    
   advocating an open, free and secure internet for all."    
      
   In a press statement , Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledges that many   
   of the organizations added to the list were established to promote "peace and   
   cooperation."    
      
   However, he argues they have since "morphed into a sprawling architecture of   
   global governance, often dominated by progressive ideology and detached from   
   national interests."   
      
   Digital rights under fire    
      
   This is not the first time the US has targeted organizations that promote   
   digital rights. Last year, the Open Technology Fund (OTF) saw its budget cut   
   during broader cuts at US Agency for Global Media (USAGM).    
      
   The OTF provides critical backing for anti-censorship technologies,     
   including VPNs and Tor  as well as research advocating for global digital   
   rights.    
      
   The group filed a legal challenge against the cuts in March 2025. While a   
   court injunction means the OTF is continuing to receive funding, litigation    
   is ongoing.    
      
   Other entities caught in the crosshairs include Freedom House, which    
   publishes the annual Freedom on the Net report, and the National Endowment    
   for Democracy (NED), which funds on-the-ground human rights and digital    
   rights advocacy worldwide.   
      
   A blow to global coordination    
      
   The loss of US support is expected to place significant strain on the Freedom   
   Online Coalition and the GFCE, affecting both their reach and resources.    
      
   This, in turn, could severely hamper their capacity to achieve their stated   
   aims: improving internet freedoms and promoting cyber capacity and expertise   
   around the world.    
      
   Combined with funding cuts to other international organizations, the digital   
   rights sector now faces unprecedented challenges. It remains unclear whether   
   other democratic nations have the capacity  or the political will  to step in   
   and match the scale of American support.    
      
   In a statement, the GFCE said it "respects the decision of the US    
   government."    
      
   "The GFCE community remains fully committed to its shared mission of   
   strengthening cyber capacity through practical cooperation,    
   knowledge-sharing, and multistakeholder engagement," the group added.    
      
   TechRadar has reached out to the Freedom Online Coalition for comment. We    
   will update (the article below) when they respond.   
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/us-withdraws-from-internet-   
   freedom-bodies-it-deems-wasteful-ineffective-and-harmful   
      
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