On 15-16 September the Committee of Experts on Freedom of Expression and Digital Technologies (MSI-DIG) held its first meeting online, due to current travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee is composed of 13 members, comprising seven member States’ representatives, designated by the CDMSI Steering Committee on Media and Information Society, and six independent experts, appointed by the Secretary General, with recognised expertise related to freedom of expression, media and the functioning and broader impacts of digital technologies.

The Expert Committee is tasked with preparing two documents: a draft Recommendation by the Committee of Ministers to member States on the impacts of digital technologies on freedom of expression, and a Guidance Note for member States regarding best content moderation practices.

Following an introduction into the main objectives and working methods of Council of Europe Expert Committees, members and other participants had very constructive discussions on the preliminary drafts prepared by the rapporteurs and members of the MSI-DIG over previous months. The experts elected Natali Helberger, Professor of Law and Digital Technology with a special focus on AI from Amsterdam University and elected member in respect of the Netherlands as Chair of the MSI-DIG, and Viktors Makarovs, Special Envoy on Information Security Issues at the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and elected member in respect of Latvia, as Vice-Chair. Meeting report and working documents will be made available on this site in due course.