For policy & rights online

Internet Freedoms

The right to privacy and freedom of expression apply online just as they apply offiline. These are very precious rights because as well as protecting individuals, they also protect society as whole. Democracy, culture and access to knowledge are safeguarded because we have these two rights. These rights online are threatened by any proposals to block content or conduct surveillance. Such threats can come from governments or from private corporations. This section will discuss ways in which human rights online can be valued and protected.

If you are interested in how Internet freedoms may be influenced by policy, you may like my book The Closing of the Net .

If you are interested in copyright policy, you may like my previous books A Copyright Masquerade: How Corporate Lobbying Threatens Online Freedoms and The Copyright Enforcement Enigma - Internet Politics and the ‘Telecoms Package’

Why we should not let terror destroy online values

Monica Horten

Published on 15 June 2017

In seeking a response to terrorism, how can we protect our democratic values online as well as offline? Theresa May says there should be no safe spaces for online extremism, but attacking online platforms, and laying the blame entirely at their feet, is at best unhelpful and fundamentally problematic. How should we, as a society, ensure safeguards against the unintended consequences of such measures?

Network consolidation, counter-terrorism, Sony hack – Internet policy game-changers for 2015?

Monica Horten

Published on 03 January 2015

In the 800^th anniversary year of Magna Carta, what of our free speech rights?

As we begin 2015, let’s remind ourselves that this year is the 800^th anniversary of Magna Carta – the Great Charter that first established rights and on which later charters of human rights have been built. In 2015, we are seeing more and more threats to those hard won rights by various interest groups (corporate and non-corporate) who want to block and take control of our communications systems that have been established over the Internet in the past two decades or so. It does look like 2015 is going to be critical year for the protection of those rights.

UN report says freedom of expression trumps copyright

Monica Horten

Published on 03 June 2011

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression backs up the European Parliament's position on the Telecoms Package which calls for due process where Internet freedom of expression is to be restricted.

A United Nations report released today has a stern message for democratic governments that want to impose meaures to restrict the Internet. He says that restrictions applied to the Internet must be limited to issues such as public security, and that cutting off access - for copyright enforcement or any other reason - is a disproporationate measure. Singled out for special reprimand are the UK's Digital Economy Act and France's Hadopi law, which the report considers ‘alarming'.

The report is entitled Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue. It addresses freedom of expression on the Internet from a global perspective. What's interesting is that it does not just focus on autocratic regimes and dictatorships that restrict political speech. Instead, it widens the brief to investigate other restrictions imposed by liberal democracies, including those in the European Union.

The UN report is concerned about liability for content being