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Internet Access Is A Human Right, United Nations Report Declares

China Internet User

Posted: 06/ 8/11 08:09 AM ET

Internet access is a human right, and ensuring universal access to the Web "should be a priority for all states," according to a new United Nations report.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the report -- which comes on the heels of a communications blackout in Syria last week -- was written by Frank La Rue, a special rapporteur to the U.N. who was quick to acknowledge the importance of Internet access as demonstrated by the recent "Arab Spring" uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt and other countries. Though the Internet has been in existence since the 1960s, La Rue notes it is its "incorporation into virtually every aspect of modern human life" which makes an unprecedented force and thus worthy of protection.

From the report:

The Special Rapporteur believes that the Internet is one of the most powerful instruments of the 21st century for increasing transparency in the conduct of the powerful, access to information, and for facilitating active citizen participation in building democratic societies.

Indeed, the recent wave of demonstrations in countries across the Middle East and North African region has shown the key role that the Internet can play in mobilizing the population to call for justice, equality, accountability and better respect for human rights.

La Rue goes on to urge governments to eschew laws that block citizens' Internet access:

The Special Rapporteur remains concerned that legitimate online expression is being criminalized in contravention of States' international human rights obligations, whether it is through the application of existing criminal laws to online expression, or through the creation of new laws specifically designed to criminalize expression on the Internet. Such laws are often justified as being necessary to protect individuals' reputation, national security or to counter terrorism. However, in practice, they are frequently used to censor content that the Government and other powerful entities do not like or agree with.

The report, which the Atlantic describes as reading "like a hat tip to WikiLeaks and its campaign for transparency," was met with strong praise from groups like the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT).

"As Rapporteur La Rue affirms, the Internet's unique ability to provide ample space for individual free expression can lead to the strengthening of other human rights, including political, economic and social rights," Cynthia Wong, Director of CDT's Project on Global Internet Freedom, tells PC Magazine. "In order for these rights to be realized, governments, civil society and industry must all continue to build on the work begun by the Special Rapporteur."

Story continues below

You can view the full report here.

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Internet access is a human right, and ensuring universal access to the Web "should be a priority for all states," according to a new United Nations report. According to the Los Angeles Times, the ...
Internet access is a human right, and ensuring universal access to the Web "should be a priority for all states," according to a new United Nations report. According to the Los Angeles Times, the ...
 
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11:46 AM on 6/09/2011
Don't tell Comcast.
11:17 AM on 6/09/2011
Get out of here, UN. No one can have a right to something that they have to obtain from someone else.
11:30 AM on 6/09/2011
I think what the UN is saying is that Internet access has become such a powerful economic engine that people should have a right to obtain it. They aren't saying it should be free. Think of this like the right to buy or grow food and the impact if you couldn't get food at any price and had no way of growing or raising it.
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Eris23
My micro-bio is empty
22 hours ago (6:04 PM)
You have the right to create a newspaper and always have and, yet, you haven't been subsidized to do that from the government­. See the parallel?
16 hours ago (11:53 PM)
But do I have a right to a New York Times, everyday? Even if I can't afford one? Your comparisio­n is hopelessly invalid.
10:59 AM on 6/09/2011
The Internet is a powerful economic engine. Without it individual­s, cities and nations are at risk in this global society. Even in 3rd world countries, the Intenet gives acces to education, jobs, commerce, and government­. Maybe we should turn this UN report onto US policy makers, since we trail so many developing nations in broadband Internet access and need a plan to regain leadership­. This HP audience may be unsimpathe­tic to my view since you already have access, but many parts of the US still don't.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
n2zyk
08:43 AM on 6/09/2011
Wow, so now we in the US will have to make sure every grass hut swammy land has internet access. After all, we carry well over half the cost of the UN as it is. Funy how these Un delegates represent tin hron dictators who suppress their own people for their own gain, but the INTERNET is a Human right.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
deluk
masterdbater
12:33 PM on 6/09/2011
Don't worry nobody looks to the USA has a provider of rights...i­t's not seen as doing too well in providing for it's own people let alone Africa's.
01:42 AM on 6/09/2011
Eating is a human right. They need to work on that first.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
MikeyJaii
Fan me ... or else!
12:12 AM on 6/09/2011
Of all the things they could have put first, ... internet..­. wow.
11:47 PM on 6/08/2011
Oh finally! now the red cross can air-drop web-relief packets to those in need...
10:56 PM on 6/08/2011
Yes, and in the US you have the right to visit your local library an use a computer to get internet access.
10:45 AM on 6/09/2011
But that's often only if you live in the county and pay property taxes to fund it. I don't, so I can't.
09:07 PM on 6/08/2011
The internet provides the people of the world with a taste of what others have and are dealing with.It also serves as an observer of what gov't's around the world are doing for or to their people.Tha­t's why some countries have sought to censor the internet.
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n2zyk
08:44 AM on 6/09/2011
That is , of course, if the Gov isn't filtering it , like they do in China and other Dictatorsh­ips around the world.
07:26 PM on 6/08/2011
next step is for the un to appoint syria the special counsel on the human right of internet access to ensure that all "citizens of the world" have access to this right.
07:11 PM on 6/08/2011
Nice, its about time they got it right. Wow.
online-pri­vacy.no.tc
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
n2zyk
08:45 AM on 6/09/2011
where did you see Privacy there? It says access...n­ot privacy.
07:03 PM on 6/08/2011
There are places in the world where people don't have food, clean water, sanitation­, freedom from government persecutio­n, basic education, health care, freedom from slavery ( the Sudan or the sex slave trade of children in South East Asia for example), electricit­y, infrastruc­ture to support computers and wireless devices (for those life and death required wireless devices) I could go on. Internet access, while nice to have, is hardly a human right. Typical stupid UN pronouncem­ent that has no basis in reality. This bloated, impotent, self-impor­tant, internatio­nal buraucracy is so incredibly out of touch it can't even figure out the difference between wants and needs.
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n2zyk
08:46 AM on 6/09/2011
If they think this is that important you KNOW it will cost us in the US something.
11:24 AM on 6/09/2011
You are so right! And you can bet they'll find a way to blame Israel because every nation on earth doesn't have internet access. It's a Mossad plot I'm sure.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
AKL1985
Fueled by biscuits..
04:47 PM on 6/08/2011
I know it's an extremely valuable tool, but is it really a HUMAN RIGHT?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
deluk
masterdbater
05:20 PM on 6/08/2011
Yes..like healthcare­.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
n2zyk
08:47 AM on 6/09/2011
Go to Africa and see how many countries consider healthcare a Human Right. Yhe internet, like healthcare is a right you grant yourself. Not up to anyone else to doi it for you.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
krm1255
06:59 PM on 6/08/2011
Yes, if you are able and want to buy internet access, the government should not be able to keep you from it! Some of these comments miss the point entirely.
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Eris23
My micro-bio is empty
22 hours ago (6:08 PM)
Bingo.
09:09 PM on 6/08/2011
Yes. It is a human right because it facilitate­s communicat­ion.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
n2zyk
08:48 AM on 6/09/2011
Unfiltered Internet facilitate­s communicat­ion, filtered internet is nothing more then propaganda
01:04 PM on 6/09/2011
It's an interestin­g question. Access to informatio­n should most certainly be a given. Whether that access has to be through the internet or not is another question.
04:21 PM on 6/08/2011
Thats for sure. The Internet is a free college education for those who couldn't afford to go. Its absolutely incredible that we have learned so much online that our govts never told us. An example of that is the UFO Phenomenum­. The Internet is slowly disclosing the informatio­n to us that the Govt was afraid to do out of losing face because they have lied and covered up. Also, the chemtrails in our skies. Learned alot about those online too. People all over the world have learned that we actually have the right to be free beings and shouldn't have to live under the thumb of dictators and government­s who control our lives.
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n2zyk
08:48 AM on 6/09/2011
and like most colleges, you can't be sure whats fact and whats the Teachers own opinion.
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Eris23
My micro-bio is empty
22 hours ago (6:08 PM)
Did you even go?
2 hours ago (1:44 PM)
Very true. Have to be both open minded and skeptical, which I try to do. There is both true and untrue, because people will always try to get attention the best way they can.
04:02 PM on 6/08/2011
and so is an iphone
09:10 PM on 6/08/2011
Wrong. Iphone is an accessory that links with the Internet. Get real!
3 minutes ago (3:40 PM)
how does the human gain access to his "right"?