Image via Wikipedia
post Authored by Stan Schroeder from Mashable
The United Nations has declared Internet access a human right, and disconnecting people from it is against international law.
The recent UN report explores the issues of Internet access in great detail, both on the infrastructural level and as a matter of access to content.
“There should be as little restriction as possible to the flow of information via the Internet, except in few, exceptional, and limited circumstances prescribed by international human rights law,” the report says.
It recognizes that there are certain circumstances in which restricting the information flow on the Internet may be legitimate, such as cyber attacks. It also points out that states often misuse their power with this regard.
“In many instances, states restrict, control, manipulate and censor content disseminated via the Internet without any legal basis, or on the basis of broad and ambiguous laws, without justifying the purpose of such actions. … such actions are clearly incompatible with states’ obligations under international human rights law, and often create a broader ‘chilling effect’ on the right to freedom of opinion and expression,” the report says.
The report also strongly recommends against disconnecting people from the Internet — often considered an anti-piracy measure, for example in France — under any circumstances.
The report “considers cutting off users from Internet access, regardless of the justification provided, including on the grounds of violating intellectual property rights law, to be disproportionate and thus a violation of article 19, paragraph 3, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
The UN’s report echoes a European Parliament directive from 2008, which asked individual countries to “avoid adopting measures conflicting with civil liberties and human rights … such as the interruption of Internet access.”
With both the EU and the UN calling Internet access a human right, we hope disconnecting people from the Internet as a form of punishment will soon be abandoned by governments around the world.
The full text of the report is available here.
Related articles
- Internet is a human right (incertumdelectant.wordpress.com)
- Internet access a human right? (robbratby.com)
- UK response to file-sharing is still in trouble — but should it be? (ipkitten.blogspot.com)
- Is Disconnecting People From the Internet a Violation of Human Rights? [Lucas Wyrsch] (ecademy.com)
- UN Declares Internet Access A Human Right, But Fast and Cheap May Be as Important as Open (singularityhub.com)
- United Nations: Disconnecting People From the Internet Is a Violation of Human Rights (mashable.com)
Anytime I study a topic I have no clue what i could find. I am so very happy to have stumbled upon this detailed blogging as it perfectly details the questions I have under consideration as well as the unmentioned issues which i would have looked for later.
I would love to hear everything that you know regarding this topic. You only have scratched the top of your respective awareness for this which is clear in the way you write. Have you considered devoting a complete web site to ensure that others will not miss that which you have got to say?
Please continue to write about this subject matter. There is usually a increased need than you may anticipate for this kind of info and assistance. What you discuss is beneficial to the person who is seeking the ideas that you have come up with.
Almost everyone has overlooked this key idea. It simply needed a short while to read through your article and so have a comprehension that I realize most people overlook. You should continue on your research.
Such a stimulating shock your blogs are. It simply needed a few moments to read your post and so have an understanding which I realize most people pass up. You should stick to your authoring.
With all the doggone snow we have gotten recently I am stuck indoors, fortunately there is the internet, thanks for giving me something to do.
Its like you read my thoughts! You seem to understand so much about this, like you wrote the ebook in it or something. I think that you simply could do with some % to force the message house a bit, but instead of that, this is great blog. A great read. I’ll certainly be back.
Hello this is amazing site! really cool and it will be a new inspirations for me
Wow!, this was a top quality post. In theory I’d like to write like this too – taking time and real effort to make a good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and never seem to achieve anything
Almost everyone has skipped this key concept. I was seriously shocked to find your blog. You will have donated to my analysis in your writing.