U.N. Report Declares Internet Access a Human Right

[CptSternn]

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/201...a-human-right/

A United Nations report said Friday that disconnecting people from the internet is a human rights violation and against international law.

The report railed against France and the United Kingdom, which have passed laws to remove accused copyright scofflaws from the internet. It also protested blocking internet access to quell political unrest (.pdf).

While blocking and filtering measures deny users access to specific content on the Internet, states have also taken measures to cut off access to the Internet entirely. The Special Rapporteur 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 report continues:

The Special Rapporteur calls upon all states to ensure that Internet access is maintained at all times, including during times of political unrest. In particular, the Special Rapporteur urges States to repeal or amend existing intellectual copyright laws which permit users to be disconnected from Internet access, and to refrain from adopting such laws.

The report, by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, comes the same day an internet-monitoring firm detected that two thirds of Syria’s internet access has abruptly gone dark, in what is likely a government response to unrest in that country.

[CptSternn]

In countries like Sweden and Germany they have already included internet access in their list of rights. It's good to see the U.N. moving forward with this progressive way of thinking instead of following the same mentality put out there by the record companies.

[Llyallowyn]

I definitely agree with most of what The Special Rapporteur has concluded. Whie I frown upon infringement of intellectual copyrights, like illegally downloading music, it seems exceptionally drastic to ban someone from the internet because of something like that. The only people who hurt are record companies, really, the way the business is run.

That said, blocking internet access in an effort to suppress a people in revolt is an outright violation of civil and human rights. I am so glad to see others picking up on this as well.