The Mozilla Manifesto Addendum

Pledge for a Healthy Internet

The open, global internet is the most powerful communication and collaboration resource we have ever seen. It embodies some of our deepest hopes for human progress. It enables new opportunities for learning, building a sense of shared humanity, and solving the pressing problems facing people everywhere.

Over the last decade we have seen this promise fulfilled in many ways. We have also seen the power of the internet used to magnify divisiveness, incite violence, promote hatred, and intentionally manipulate fact and reality. We have learned that we should more explicitly set out our aspirations for the human experience of the internet. We do so now.

  1. We are committed to an internet that includes all the peoples of the earth — where a person’s demographic characteristics do not determine their online access, opportunities, or quality of experience.
  2. We are committed to an internet that promotes civil discourse, human dignity, and individual expression.
  3. We are committed to an internet that elevates critical thinking, reasoned argument, shared knowledge, and verifiable facts.
  4. We are committed to an internet that catalyzes collaboration among diverse communities working together for the common good.

Our 10 Principles

  1. Principle 1

    The internet is an integral part of modern life—a key component in education, communication, collaboration, business, entertainment and society as a whole.

  2. Principle 2

    The internet is a global public resource that must remain open and accessible.

  3. Principle 3

    The internet must enrich the lives of individual human beings.

  4. Principle 4

    Individuals’ security and privacy on the internet are fundamental and must not be treated as optional.

  5. Principle 5

    Individuals must have the ability to shape the internet and their own experiences on it.

  6. Principle 6

    The effectiveness of the internet as a public resource depends upon interoperability (protocols, data formats, content), innovation and decentralized participation worldwide.

  7. Principle 7

    Free and open source software promotes the development of the internet as a public resource.

  8. Principle 8

    Transparent community-based processes promote participation, accountability and trust.

  9. Principle 9

    Commercial involvement in the development of the internet brings many benefits; a balance between commercial profit and public benefit is critical.

  10. Principle 10

    Magnifying the public benefit aspects of the internet is an important goal, worthy of time, attention and commitment.