The Advancing Digital Freedom Act of 2024 establishes digital freedom as a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy and creates a new position—the Coordinator for Digital Freedom within the State Department's Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy—to lead efforts protecting internet freedom and democratic values globally. The coordinator will work with foreign governments, nonprofits, and international partners to counter digital authoritarianism, fight disinformation, promote responsible artificial intelligence governance, and advance digital inclusion worldwide. The bill requires the State Department to submit an annual report to Congress within 180 days of enactment and every year thereafter documenting the global state of digital freedom, including analysis of concerning trends like censorship, privacy threats, and authoritarian uses of technology in specific regions and countries. The legislation aligns digital freedom initiatives with existing U.S. international cyberspace and digital policy strategies but does not specify new funding amounts or appropriations. The bill was introduced by Senators Coons and Tillis in November 2024 and referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
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