“Youth Unmute: Breaking the Silence-

Upholding Truth and Safeguarding Freedom of Expression in the Age of AI”

We, the participants of the Freedom of Expression Conference IX, youth leaders, human rights defenders, activists, educators, artists, community organizers, and advocates gathered at the Commission on Human Rights on the occasion of International Human Rights Week 2025, hereby declare our collective commitment to defend and advance freedom of expression, access to information, and digital rights in the Philippines.

We recognize that freedom of expression is fundamental to democracy, human dignity, accountability, and social justice. Yet today, we confront new and complex threats intensified by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and the digital environment. These include misinformation and disinformation, online harassment and gendered violence, censorship and surveillance, algorithmic bias, deepfakes, and shrinking civic spaces both online and offline.

In this critical moment, the youth “unmute”, refusing silence, resisting fear, rejecting manipulation, and insisting on truth, participation, and justice.

We affirm that:

• Freedom of expression is a universal human right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and other international human rights instruments, and is guaranteed under the Philippine Constitution and national laws.
• Artificial intelligence must be governed by human rights standards, transparency, accountability, and public participation.
• Youth voices matter and must be meaningfully included in policymaking, digital governance, and peacebuilding.
• Online and offline civic spaces must remain open, safe, and accessible for diverse perspectives, dissent, and democratic engagement.
• Gender equality and the protection of women and LGBTQIA+ persons from online harm are essential to protecting freedom of expression.
• Media freedom and journalist safety are indispensable pillars of democracy.
• Environmental, indigenous, and community defenders require special protection as AI-driven misinformation increasingly targets their advocacy.

We express deep concern that:

• AI tools are being weaponized to spread disinformation, distort public discourse, and undermine democratic participation.
• Deepfakes and manipulated content are used to silence women, youth activists, journalists, and political actors.
• Government and private sector deployment of AI-powered surveillance may violate privacy, chill speech, and endanger marginalized communities.
• Algorithms amplify hate speech, misogyny, red-tagging, and political propaganda.
• The digital divide prevents many young people from exercising their rights equally.
• The lack of transparency around AI systems limits accountability.
• These challenges threaten not only individual rights but also the collective capacity of communities to participate in shaping a just and democratic society.

Our commitments

We pledge to:

1. Uphold truth and combat disinformation.

• Strengthen digital literacy and critical thinking among youth and communities.
• Support fact-checking initiatives and responsible digital citizenship.
• Promote ethical and transparent use of AI in public information systems.

2. Defend freedom of expression and media freedom.

• Oppose all forms of censorship, online harassment, and violence targeting journalists, activists, and youth.
• Resist intimidation tactics including red-tagging, labelling that silence dissent.
• Advocate for strong legal and institutional protections for campus journalists and media workers.

3. Promote human rights–based AI governance.

• Advocate for national policies ensuring transparency, accountability, and fairness in AI design and deployment.
• Demand safeguards against algorithmic bias and discriminatory digital systems.
• Push for inclusive processes that meaningfully include youth, women, Indigenous peoples, and marginalized communities.

4. Expand and protect civic spaces.

• Strengthen online and offline platforms where young people can freely organize, advocate, create, and participate.
• Support arts, storytelling, cultural expression, and creative defiance as tools for truth and social change.
• Promote safe spaces for dialogue, learning, and collective action.

5. Stand in solidarity with, and ensure the protection of, all human rights defenders.

• Support community-based defenders, environmental activists, women human rights defenders, and LGBTQIA+ advocates who face heightened digital risks.
• Call for an enabling environment like the enactment of the Human Rights Defenders Protection Act that ensures their safety, wellbeing, and participation.
• Encourage solidarity networks across regions and sectors.

6. Advance youth participation and leadership.

• Ensure youth representation in national and local discussions on AI governance, digital rights, anti-corruption, peacebuilding, and democratic reform.
• Support youth-led innovations, climate justice and human rights-oriented initiatives.
• Empower youth to hold institutions accountable and champion truth.

Call to action

We call on:

• The Philippine Government to uphold constitutional rights, protect civic spaces, stop harmful AI-enabled surveillance, and advance meaningful AI regulation grounded in human rights.
• The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to strengthen its monitoring, investigation, and education efforts on digital rights and AI-related harms.
• Civil society and media organizations to collaborate in promoting truth, countering disinformation, and supporting affected communities.
• Technology companies to adopt transparent, accountable, and human rights, compliant AI systems.
• Youth communities to stay engaged, informed, creative, and courageous in speaking truth to power.

We, the participants of Freedom of Expression Conference IX, affirm our solidarity and determination to safeguard truth, protect civic spaces, promote digital rights, and defend freedom of expression in the age of artificial intelligence.

We unmute, not only for ourselves, but for our communities, our democracy, and our shared future.

Together, we Inform. Inspire. Take Action.

Adopted at the Freedom of Expression Conference IX

6 December 2025 • Quezon City, Philippines