Global Coalition for Tech Justice (GCTJ) is an advocacy group that promotes censorship and regulation in the name of protecting democracy.

Global Coalition for Tech Justice is convened by Digital Action. ¹ Digital Action is itself a fiscally-sponsored project of New Venture Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incubator managed by left-of-center consulting firm Arabella Advisors. ²

Activities

In October 2023, its website header motto was “Protect people and elections, not Big Tech.” It stands against the “spread of online disinformation, hate speech, abuse and manipulation” which it claims are “threatening democracy and freedoms everywhere.” To fight back against these perceived threats, GCTJ aims to lead a movement to legally force big tech corporations to censor users on their platforms, particularly in light of the more than 65 elections that will occur in 2024. ³ GCTJ is particularly concerned with non-English-speaking countries and the ways they are allegedly affected by social media companies’ poor content moderation standards. ⁴

It says that social media platforms put citizens’ rights and freedoms in danger by failing to properly regulate their content, specifically calling out Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp), Google (YouTube), X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok. ⁵

In October 2023, GCTJ had four featured articles: “Brazil municipal elections: Have Big Tech companies learnt anything from the January 8^th attacks?”; “In India Meta flouts own rules on ads and hate speech targeting Muslims”; “A recipe for disaster: Xenophobic hate on social media in South Africa”; and “She led anti-government protests in Tunisia. Social media attacks forced her to flee.” ^{6 7 8 9 10}

GCTJ offers supporters the opportunity to formally join its movement. It asks applicants to participate in one of several ways, such as providing data, lobbying governments, engaging influencers and celebrities, and investigating stories for media posts. One of the questions it asks applicants is, “Do you agree to support the 2024 Year of Democracy campaign asks and adhere to the coalition’s Code of Conduct? (required).” ¹¹

The 2024 Year of Democracy campaign calls on Big Tech companies to employ “international human rights and electoral standards,” routinely publish human rights impact assessments, and partner with “fact checkers, independent media, civil society, and other bodies that protect electoral integrity,” among other things. ¹² GCTJ’s Code of Conduct insists that all members participate in its meetings, share its values of “upholding equity, diversity, inclusion, transparency, and solidarity,” and other items related to behavior and accountability. ¹³

In September 2023, LifeSite News reported that GCTJ did not assess that Big Tech is ready for the 2024 elections, partly because the companies have not responded to its call to “fully resource election action plans.” ¹⁴

Funding

Global Coalition for Tech Justice is convened by Digital Action. ¹⁵ Digital Action is itself a fiscally-sponsored project of New Venture Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incubator managed by left-of-center consulting firm Arabella Advisors. ¹⁶

In 2023, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation gave a $37,000 grant to Digital Action; in 2022, it gave Digital Action a two-year grant of $400,000; in 2020, it gave a two-year grant of $400,000; in 2019, it gave $250,000. ¹⁷

1. “About.” Year of Democracy. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://yearofdemocracy.org/about/.
2. “How We Are Funded.” Digital Action. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://digitalaction.co/how-we-are-funded/.
3. “Year of Democracy.” Year of Democracy. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://yearofdemocracy.org/.
4. “About.” Year of Democracy. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://yearofdemocracy.org/about/.
5. “Year of Democracy.” Year of Democracy. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://yearofdemocracy.org/.
6. “Year of Democracy.” Year of Democracy. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://yearofdemocracy.org/.
7. “Brazil municipal elections.” Year of Democracy. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://yearofdemocracy.org/case-study/brazil-municipal-elections-have-big-tech-companies-learnt-anything-from-the-january-8th-attacks/.
8. “In India Meta flouts own rules.” Year of Democracy. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://yearofdemocracy.org/case-study/in-india-meta-flouts-own-rules-on-ads-and-hate-speech-targeting-muslims/.
9. “A recipe for disaster.” Year of Democracy. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://yearofdemocracy.org/case-study/a-recipe-for-disaster-xenophobic-hate-on-social-media-in-south-africa/.
10. “She led anti-government protests in Tunisia.” Year of Democracy Accessed October 15, 2023. https://yearofdemocracy.org/case-study/a-recipe-for-disaster-xenophobic-hate-on-social-media-in-south-africa/.
11. “Join the coalition.” Year of Democracy. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://yearofdemocracy.org/join-the-coalition/.
12. “2024 Year of Democracy campaign.” Global Coalition for Tech Justice. Accessed October 15, 2023. http://year-of-democracy.leapness.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Campaignasksforthe2024campaign-GlobalCoalitionforTechJustice-25thmay.pdf.
13. “Coalition Code of Conducts.” Year of Democracy. Accessed October 15, 2023. http://year-of-democracy.leapness.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CoalitionCodeofConduct_25thMay.pdf.
14. Freiburger, Calvin. “‘Tech justice’ group wants social networks to do more to control information for 2024 election.” LifeSite News, September 27, 2023. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/tech-justice-group-wants-social-networks-to-do-more-to-control-information-for-2024-election/?utm_source=daily-usa-2023-09-28&utm_medium=email.
15. “About.” Year of Democracy. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://yearofdemocracy.org/about/.
16. “How We Are Funded.” Digital Action. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://digitalaction.co/how-we-are-funded/.
17. “New Venture Fund.” MacArthur Foundation. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://www.macfound.org/grantee/new-venture-fund-43535/.