Group of Seven ministers in charge of information and communication technology (ICT)agreed Saturday to seek private sector involvement in policymaking to ensure an open Internet, a move apparently aimed at countering government-led online restrictions in countries such as China and Russia.
After a two-day meeting in Takamatsu, representatives from the G-7 industrialized countries also agreed to work more closely to bridge digital divides and connect another 1.5 billion people to the Internet by 2020.
"We continue to support ICT policies that preserve the global nature of the Internet, promote the flow of information across borders and allow Internet users to access online information, knowledge and services of their choice," the G-7 ministers said in a joint declaration released after the meeting.