The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media, the Organization of American States (OAS) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Special […]
Archive for June, 2011
“A Great Moment for the Free Flow of Information”
Google’s Public Policy Blog comments on the recent UN Report on freedom of expression and the Internet.
Creators’ Access Copyright on AC’s 2010 Financial Statements
“Revenue is dropping and expenses are rising. And expenses have risen 22.5% in four years.”
Is Internet Access A Human Right?: The Implications for the Rules of Access
Appeared in the Toronto Star on June 19, 2011 as Is Internet Connectivity a Human Right? Given the critical role it plays in communication, culture, and commerce, most people now recognize the importance of Internet access. A new report for the United Nations Human Rights Council takes Internet access a […]
Is Internet Access A Human Right?: The Implications for the Rules of Access
The report, written by Frank La Rue, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression (an internationally regarded human rights expert who was once nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize), took the political world by storm when it was released several weeks ago.
The report explored the need to ensure that citizens have Internet connectivity and also the rules associated with that access. As a result, it was highly critical of policies that block access to content, threaten to cut off Internet access due to allegations of copyright infringement, and fail to safeguard online privacy.