Generation Z and Digital Human Rights: Towards an International Organization for Protecting the Digital Future

Wars have never been confined solely to land or resources; more often than not, ideas and beliefs have been the fuel that ignites conflicts and determines the course of history. From the religious wars in medieval Europe to the Cold Wars between communism and capitalism, it is clear that these conflicts involved imposing ideologies and reshaping societies according to particular visions. With the evolution of the world following the Cold War and the Third and Fourth Industrial Revolutions, digitization has emerged as a new instrument of power, and cyberspace and algorithms have become part of the struggle for influence among major powers, as evidenced clearly in the digital competition between China and the United States. Furthermore, the digital divide between developed and developing nations exacerbates disparities in access to information and opportunities, necessitating collective efforts to promote digital literacy, infrastructure, and capacity-building.

In this context, this essay seeks to examine the intersection between realism, which focuses on state power and the struggle for influence, and digital governance, which aims to establish standards and rules to protect rights and promote international cooperation, while shedding light on challenges related to cybersecurity and human rights. A historical parallel of this context can be observed in the Paris Cyber Agreement, which represented the first attempt to coordinate international policies despite limited adherence. Accordingly, the paper raises the central question: How can a balance be struck between the interests of major powers and the requirements of international cooperation to ensure fair global digital governance that protects the rights of Third World states and their citizens?

 Section One — Digital Competition Among Major Powers and Its Impact on Sovereignty:
We note that in our current era, we have transitioned from states competing to assert their territorial presence and control over traditional spheres of influence to a new competition centered on dominance over cyberspace, where power is no longer measured solely by geographic borders but has become linked to the ability to control data, digital platforms, and emerging technologies. This transformation occurs through investment in technology, the development of advanced algorithms, control over digital infrastructure, and the setting of global technical standards, making cyberspace a strategic arena that transcends the boundaries of traditional territorial sovereignty. Specifically in the case of China and the United States, this competition is closely tied to national security, economic dominance, and the capacity to shape the future of the entire international order. One of the most prominent manifestations of this struggle is the growing American concern over the spread of Chinese digital platforms, such as TikTok, which are considered in Washington as potential tools for collecting sensitive data or influencing public opinion, a concern that led the United States and China to reach a deal to transfer ownership of the American version of the application to new owners while maintaining a specified degree of Chinese control, within a framework that balances digital influence with national interests. This makes control over such platforms an integral part of a broader battle for control over information flows and the shaping of collective social consciousness. Additionally, the scope of competition extends to advanced telecommunications infrastructure, particularly fifth-generation (5G) networks, where China, through its giant companies such as Huawei, seeks to expand its global presence and offer technological alternatives that could reduce global dependence on American technology — which prompted the United States to adopt a strategy of international pressure to prevent the use of Chinese equipment, stemming from its belief that Beijing's control over global communication networks could grant it an unprecedented strategic leverage.

The fundamental divergence between the American and Chinese models of digital sovereignty represents another major source of tension, as China adopts a model based on strict governmental oversight over information flows and the cultivation of digital autonomy through the development of domestic alternatives to Western platforms, in contrast to the American approach, which relies on relative openness and extensive control by private companies over the digital space. This contradiction is reflected in the struggle to determine the global rules that will govern the internet, data, privacy, and the limits of the use of advanced technology. The artificial intelligence race cannot be overlooked, as it represents the pinnacle of this competition; both states invest massively in the development of AI technologies to secure future economic and military supremacy. Advanced technology is no longer merely an economic factor — it has become a decisive element in the global balance of power, and whoever succeeds in controlling artificial intelligence tools and its data will hold the power to direct international economic and social trends. All of these dynamics confirm that the competition between China and the United States has transcended the traditional commercial domain to become a comprehensive struggle for control over the global digital space. In the absence of an effective international framework governing the use of data and technology, the urgent need grows for discussion of the possibility of establishing an international body capable of setting shared rules aimed at reducing tension and ensuring the protection of the rights of individuals and states in the midst of this accelerating digital age.

Section Two — Protecting the Rights of Third World States from the Dominance of Major Powers over Digitization:
The digital space has witnessed a radical transformation in how global political discussions are managed, as conflict has become a pivotal issue debated across social media platforms. These platforms are no longer merely tools for expression; they have become strategic instruments for directing international public opinion, supported by extensive digital advertising campaigns such as the events of October 2023 by parties supporting Palestinians and those supporting Israel alike. Analysis of this digital landscape reveals a clear disparity in spending strategies, transparency, and oversight standards applied by major platforms, which directly affected each party's ability to convey its narrative and shape public opinion. On the part of entities supporting Israel, media campaigns saw massive investments amounting to millions of dollars, led by governmental and quasi-governmental entities across platforms such as Google, Meta, X, and YouTube. These campaigns sometimes targeted specific audiences, including young users and children, with messages aimed at framing the narrative intensively and continuously. On the other hand, pro-Palestinian campaigns relied primarily on internationally recognized non-governmental organizations (such as Médecins Sans Frontières and United Nations bodies). Observations revealed that this disparity in advertising reflects the influence of digital platforms on policies and the capacity to control the political narrative. Analysis of more than 4,500 advertisements from Meta's advertising library between 2023 and 2024 revealed that pro-Israel content remained visible for longer periods despite sometimes violating platform policies, while pro-Palestinian content was removed more quickly. This reflects how algorithms and moderation decisions can create gaps in political influence and reinforce the ability of some parties to control information and frame public opinion at an international level.

From another angle, social media has played an important role in engaging youth in political debate, stimulating civic activity, and strengthening grassroots movements and citizen journalism, demonstrating its profound impact on shaping public policies and democratic practices around the world. The outcome of this disparity was not merely technical — it was eminently political. The unequal control over the distribution of digital advertisements provided greater space for some parties to frame the conflict and establish a particular narrative in the collective international consciousness, especially among young demographics who represent the primary consumers of digital information. This indicates that oversight decisions and algorithms do not merely regulate content — they actively contribute to creating gaps in political influence and determining who holds the greatest capacity to reach audiences and shape their convictions. Consequently, while social media does indeed affect states and societies by amplifying voices, empowering marginalized groups, facilitating access to political information, and enabling direct communication between politicians and citizens, it also contributes to the spread of misinformation, the formation of filter bubbles and echo chambers, political polarization, and challenges related to privacy and surveillance — making regulation and oversight a vital matter for governments and platforms alike. Far from merely reflecting public opinion, these platforms have become a primary force in redirecting the compass of international public opinion toward this complex conflict, affirming their role as gatekeepers of global information.

In Conclusion:
As digital risks and gaps in digital sovereignty escalate, it has become imperative to establish an international body specializing in digitization and cybersecurity to serve as a comprehensive solution for addressing the complex digital challenges facing the world today. This body aims to establish a global framework for governing digital technology and protecting digital rights, while ensuring international cooperation among states and digital platforms, and activating proposals previously put forward by the United Nations — but transforming them into a binding mechanism endowed with legal personality and represented in every state, encompassing major companies such as Meta, ChatGPT, and TikTok.

The importance of this body lies in its capacity to confront challenges such as data security and privacy protection by establishing strict standards and applying independent digital auditing to verify compliance, drawing on the principles contained in general data protection agreements and international cybersecurity standards. It also focuses on combating misinformation and political disinformation through the development of shared mechanisms for monitoring fake news and harmful content, and the creation of coordination protocols between states for exchanging data on dangerous digital incidents, in alignment with international treaties against cybercrime. In addition, the body seeks to establish a global ethical and legal framework for artificial intelligence that encompasses transparency and accountability, and obliges companies to disclose their recommendation algorithms and their impact on public opinion, drawing on United Nations recommendations and organizations such as the OECD AI Principles. The body ensures access to digital inclusion support through training programs for youth and national policies to promote safe digital learning. The body relies on innovative solutions including transparent platforms for monitoring data and digital analytics, open-source algorithms to reduce bias and misinformation, global reports and indicators to measure the level of digital security, privacy, and credibility, as well as international arbitration mechanisms to resolve disputes between states or companies regarding the use of data or the influencing of public opinion. This framework enables the protection of digital rights globally, the reduction of the political and economic risks of unregulated digitization, and the support of fair digital innovation — while strengthening international cooperation to prevent the monopolization of technology, making digitization a comprehensive strategic tool for addressing contemporary digital challenges, and ensuring the representation of every state and major company to guarantee the effective and fair implementation of international commitments.

In conclusion, digital platforms have become powerful tools that control not only local political discourse, but whose effects extend to influence international balances, digital sovereignty, and the control of information at the level of the Third World — making digital governance, transparency, and the protection of user rights a fundamental axis in analyzing the impact of social media on international politics. It is becoming clear to us that digitization and digital platforms have become instruments of power no less significant than traditional economic or military power, and that global digital policies are in need of a comprehensive international regulatory framework that balances freedom of innovation, the protection of digital rights, and the promotion of international cooperation. The establishment of an international body for digitization and cybersecurity thus represents an essential step toward fair, secure, and sustainable digital governance — one that protects the rights of all states and citizens, establishes clear standards for responsible innovation and fair competition, and empowers every state and major company to comply with international standards effectively and equitably.