Internet rights
A principled fight against surveillance
Organization
Years before Edward Snowden leaked his first document, human rights lawyers and activists were concerned about a dramatic expansion in law enforcement and foreign intelligence agencies’ efforts to spy on the digital world. It had become evident that legal protections had not kept pace with technological developments – that the state’s practical ability to spy on the world had developed in a way that permitted it to bypass the functional limits that have historically checked its ability to spy.
Themes
Preface
The internet is a critical way to push for the progressive realisation of people’s rights – but, through communications surveillance, its potential to be used as a tool for collective, democratic action is slowly being eroded.
Using the 13 International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance as a basis, this Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) considers the state of surveillance in 53 countries. Eight thematic reports frame the key issues at stake.
Themes
Introduction
Organization
2014 - Communications surveillance in the digital age
Online surveillance, security and privacy are concerns that have been central to human rights activists for years – but with the recent revelations by former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden of United States (US) government spying on citizens, the issues have reached global attention.
Internet rights that went wrong in Turkey
This report presents an up-to-date assessment of internet rights in Turkey, and has been prepared to coincide with the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2014 which is being hosted by Turkey in Istanbul from 2–5 September 2014. The IGF is a space that strives for a democratic and inclusive internet and this report assesses the Turkish government’s respect for international human rights standards in relation to freedom of expression online.
GISWatch print editions now available on-demand
Two of the most recent print editions of Global Information Society Watch are now available for on-demand ordering. Activists, academics and policy makers are encouraged to order copies of “Internet rights and democratisation” and “The internet and corruption” through a new, online service.
Free Tag
Themes
Secrecy, privacy and transparency: The balance between state responsibilities and human rights
Organization
Introduction
Free Tag
2012 update on action steps for selected countries of GISWatch 2011
The 2012 update on action steps for selected countries of GISWatch 2011, conducted with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, looks back at progress in freedom of expression and association for 10 countries: Jamaica, Rwanda, Lebanon, Romania, Indonesia, Cameroon, Argentina, Brazil, India and Nigeria.