Digital Infrastructure Solutions to Empower Citizens - A Toolkit forPolicymakers: Designing, Scoping and Governing DigitalInfrastructure to Advance Data Agency

Introduction:

The stakes for digital infrastructure have never been higher. Rapid

advances in technology – in particular, generative AI – are not only

transforming the nature of work and everyday life but redefining the

meaning of sovereignty for individuals, communities and even nation

states. This toolkit is meant to assist policymakers in designing digital

infrastructure that can keep pace with emerging technologies, while

preserving basic rights and rules that protect and empower individuals

as productive members of society.

The toolkit draws on insights from a series of expert, multistakeholder

dialogues convened on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum on

November 12, 2024 and the Decentralized Tech Summit in Washington, DC,

on March 31, 2025. It is also informed by a panel discussion at the Think7

Summit in Waterloo, Canada, on April 2, 2025 and individual interviews. An

intermediary report,1 released in December 2024, captured comments

and observations shared at the first consultation in Paris.

Inspired by Project Liberty Institute’s Fair Data Economy Task Force

Recommendations2 and informed by the Global Solutions Initiative’s

extensive experience engaging member states and engagement groups

of the G7 and G20, the toolkit assumes that digital infrastructure is too

vital a resource to be left in the hands of for-profit, proprietary interests.

Governments must ensure that this bedrock of the digital economy, from

energy supply to data capacity to data rights, is designed, resourced

and governed to encourage opportunity, innovation and prosperity.

While the toolkit is focused on assisting policymakers, its ultimate

stakeholders are citizens themselves. If given a meaningful voice,

choice and stake in the digital economy, individuals can spark

technological innovation, drive economic growth and strengthen

societal well-being. Digital infrastructure is a foundation for a better

world and a better tomorrow.

Executive Summary

While government initiatives drove the creation of the global internet,

for decades, governments have largely adopted a passive, or at best

reactive, posture as commercial interests have shaped the digital economy

– including the rights, rules, and protections that define how citizens

participate in economic, social and even civic life. If governments are to

become more agile and keep pace with technological change, this situation

must change. One answer is for policymakers to direct their attention to the

foundations of today’s – and tomorrow’s – economy: digital infrastructure.

Digital infrastructure encompasses not only physical elements like

broadband networks, data centers, and cloud services but also the laws,

standards, and protocols that govern transparency, access and control of

data. By developing comprehensive, long-term strategies for the design,

scope and governance of digital infrastructure, governments can influence

the social, economic and civic impact of new technologies, as they emerge

rather than after the fact.

This toolkit is intended to help governments reassert authority over

digital infrastructure, while simultaneously encouraging innovation and

empowering citizens. It walks policymakers through a four-stage process,

highlighting key questions, considerations and trade-offs that can affect

the degree to which digital infrastructure is trusted, used and responsive to

the needs of citizens and society.

Below is a brief description of each toolkit stage:

Assess

Conduct a holistic diagnostic evaluation of current digital infrastructure,

institutional capabilities, governance frameworks, and gaps. This step

emphasizes the importance of leveraging existing strengths and identifying

clear areas for strategic intervention.

Design

Make deliberate, strategic choices about infrastructure openness

(closed versus open systems), scope (global versus local standards), and

governance structures (centralized versus multistakeholder models).

Successful infrastructure solutions often employ hybrid models that

balance open standards with robust governance and security measures.

Safeguard

Implement essential cross-cutting safeguards such as transparency,

accountability mechanisms, inclusive stakeholder engagement, rights-

based frameworks, data governance standards, resilience planning,

and whistleblower protections. These safeguards are critical to ensuring

infrastructure remains equitable, secure, and responsive.

Adopt

Foster citizen engagement through digital literacy initiatives and awareness

campaigns to ensure meaningful use and trust in digital infrastructure.

Addressing widespread data illiteracy and promoting user-centered design

are essential for ensuring infrastructure adoption and efficacy.

Ultimately, this toolkit empowers governments to shift from passive or

reactive approaches to proactive governance and strategic investment,

enabling the creation of inclusive, resilient digital infrastructures that

promote equitable growth, protect citizens’ rights, and foster innovation.

This report draws on a series of multistakeholder consultations held

on November 12, 2024, on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum and

in the lead-up to the AI Action Summit, as well as on March 31, 2025, at

Georgetown University in Washington, DC. It captures key discussions

on the development and deployment of digital infrastructure, with a

focus on how governments can foster innovation in this space. While

every effort has been made to accurately reflect the input provided, the

views expressed in this report are those of the Project Liberty Institute

and the Global Solutions Initiative. They do not necessarily represent

the positions of the organizations with which participants of the

consultations are affiliated.

Read the full report here:

Project_Liberty_Institute_Digital_Infrastructure_Solutions_Policymakers_Toolkit.pdf

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