[Internet Rights & Principles Coalition – UN IGF]
EuroDIG: Friday 21 June 2013, 08:00am
Background: Surveillance has never been easier: a sharp increase in stored data, better surveillance and data mining tools, and security-oriented political priorities together threaten privacy, freedom of expression and democratic participation worldwide.
In Resolution 20/8 (2012), the Human Rights Council affirmed that “the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, in particular freedom of expression”. As UN Special Rapporteur La Rue wrote in his 2013 report, Internet surveillance may not only violate privacy but has serious chilling effects on a range of other human rights.
Key questions: Following on from the IRP Coalition Workshop on Thursday 20 June, and international mobilization in the wake of the PRISM revelations that has seen a wide range of organizations and individuals signing petitions to the Human Rights Council, and the US Congress this Flash Panel discusses key questions arising from these recent events in light of Mr. La Rue’s report and ongoing work to incorporate human rights and principles into internet design, access, and use.
-
What are the limits to Internet surveillance?
- What is worse: If the surveillance systems in place are illegal or if they are legal under national legislation? What about international standards as developed in the jurisprudence of, e.g., the European Court of Human Rights?
- What role and responsibilities do the different actors (in particular states and companies) in Internet surveillance have? What can civil society do? What about extisting standards, such as the IRP Charter on Internet Rights and Principles?
- What lines of action exist: Should the Human Rights Council convene a special session? Do we need new norms? Or better practice? Which organizations – regionally, universally – should be activated?
Focal Point and moderator
Matthias C. Kettemann (University of Graz, Austria; IRP Coalition)
With confirmed interventions from
Olof Ehrenkrona (Sweden)
Sophie Kwasny (Council of Europe)
Viktor Szabados (European Youth Forum)
Meryem Marzouki (CNRS & UPMC Sorbonne Universités, France)
and you …