Standards for a Free, Open, and Inclusive Internet
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OEA/Ser.L/V/II CIDH/RELE/INF.17/17 March 15, 2017 Original: Spanish Standards for a Free, Open and Inclusive Internet Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Edison Lanza Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression OAS Cataloging-in-Publication Data Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression. Standards for a free, open, and inclusive Internet. v. ; cm. (OAS. Official records ; OEA/Ser.L) ISBN 978-0-8270-6637-3 1. Freedom of expression--America. 2. Freedom of information--America. 3. Internet--America. I. Lanza, Edison. II. Title. III. Series. OEA/Ser.L/V/II CIDH/RELE/INF.17/17 Document prepared and printed thanks to the financial support of Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and the governments of Costa Rica, Chile, France, Finland, Switzerland, Peru, United States and Uruguay. INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Members Francisco José Eguiguren Praeli Margarette May Macaulay Esmeralda Arosemena de Troitiño José de Jesús Orozco Henríquez Paulo Vannuchi James L. Cavallaro Executive Secretary Paulo Abrão Assistant Executive Secretary Elizabeth Abi-Mershed This book corresponds to chapter III of the 2016 Annual Report of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression approved on March 15, 2017 by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. INDEX INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER I: GUIDING PRINCIPLES ....................................................................... 13 A. Free and Open Internet.................................................................................................................................... 16 B. Access ...................................................................................................................................................................... 20 C. Multi-stakeholder Governance ..................................................................................................................... 25 D. Equality and Nondiscrimination ................................................................................................................. 27 CHAPTER II: THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF THOUGHT AND EXPRESSION ......................................................................................................................................... 33 A. The Right to Freedom of Thought and Expression in the Inter-American System ............... 33 B. Internet and Freedom of Expression ......................................................................................................... 37 CHAPTER III : RIGHT TO ACCESS TO INFORMATION .................................... 65 A. International Standards on the Right to Access to Information .................................................... 65 B. The Internet and the Right to Access to Information ......................................................................... 68 CHAPTER IV: FIGHT TO PRIVACY AND PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA.............................................................................................................................. 73 A. International Standards on Privacy and Data Protection ............................................................... 74 B. The Internet and Protection of Privacy .................................................................................................... 77 INTRODUCTION Introduction | 9 INTRODUCTION 1. The Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the IACHR has acknowledged that the Internet is a unique instrument with which to extend the enormous potential of human rights and, in particular, the right to freedom of expression, to broad sectors of the public.1 2. The growing expansion of the web throughout the world, and especially in the Americas, makes it an indispensable instrument for the full exercise of human rights and contributes to the achievement of increasing levels of social benefits and inclusion.2 In order for the benefits of the Internet and other communications technology to be distributed inclusively and sustainably among the population, the relevant policies and practices must be based on respecting and guaranteeing human rights—especially the right to freedom of expression, which facilitates and enables the exercise of other rights on the Internet. In the words of the United Nations General Assembly, “progress towards the vision of the World Summit on the Information Society should be considered not only as a function of economic development and the spreading of information and communications technologies but also as a function of progress with respect to the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”3 3. In its report on Freedom of Expression and the Internet (2013), the Office of the Special Rapporteur noted that the Internet’s unprecedented potential for the right to freedom of expression is mainly due to its “multidirectional and interactive nature, its speed, and its global scope at a relatively low cost, as well as its decentralized and open design.”4 The Office of the Special Rapporteur also affirmed that “the Internet also 1 IACHR. Annual Report 2013. Annual Report 2013. Report of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression 2013 Chapter IV (Freedom of Expression and the Internet). OEA/Ser.L/V/II.149. Doc. 50. 31 December2013. 2 United Nations. Human Rights Council. Resolution about the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet. UN Doc. A/HRC/32/L.20. 1 July 2016. Available at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session32/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc=/ EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session32/Documents/A.HRC.32.2_AUV.doc&action=default&DefaultItemOp en=1; United Nations. General Assembly. Resolution 70/125. Outcome document of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society. UN Doc. A/RES/70/125. 1 February 2016. Para. 9. Available at: http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/125. 3 United Nations. General Assembly. Resolution 70/125. Outcome document of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society. UN Doc. A/RES/70/125. 1 February 2016. Para. 9. Available at: http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/125. 4 IACHR. Annual Report 2013. Annual Report 2013. Report of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression 2013 Chapter IV (Freedom of Expression and the Internet). OEA/Ser.L/V/II.149. Doc. 50. 31 December 2013. Para. 36. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights | IACHR 10 | Standards for a Free, Open, and Inclusive Internet serves as a platform for fulfilling other human rights, such as the right to participate in cultural life and enjoy the benefits of scientific and technological progress (article 14 of the Protocol of San Salvador), the right to education (article 13 of the Protocol of San Salvador), the right to assembly and association (articles 15 and 16 of the American Convention), political rights (article 23 of the American Convention), and the right to health (article 10 of the Protocol of San Salvador), among other rights.”5 4. The Office of the Special Rapporteur has underscored that the right to freedom of expression, in particular, is fully applicable to communications, ideas, and information that is disseminated and accessed through the Internet.6 Along the same lines, the UN Human Rights Council reaffirmed that “the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online.”7 5. This report draws from the standards developed on the 2013 Report on Freedom of Expression and the Internet, broadening its analysis to the new challenges faced in the exercise of human rights online, particularly freedom of expression. The document reviews current principles and summarizes the Inter-American case law and the advances made throughout the world, with the understanding that the right to freedom of expression is instrumental to the exercise of human rights on the Internet. Because of this, the standards on this subject shed light on the analysis of other, interrelated rights. The aim of this report is to assist the member States in their efforts to incorporate a human rights-based focus in the design, development, and implementation of policies affecting the Internet. 5 IACHR. Annual Report 2013. Annual Report 2013. Report of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression 2013 Chapter IV (Freedom of Expression and the Internet). OEA/Ser.L/V/II.149. Doc. 50. 31 December 2013. Para. 36. 6 IACHR. Annual Report 2013. Annual Report 2013. Report of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression 2013 Chapter IV (Freedom of Expression and the Internet). OEA/Ser.L/V/II.149. Doc. 50. 31 December 2013. Para. 2. 7 United Nations. Human Rights Council. Resolution about the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet. UN Doc. A/HRC/32/L.20. 1 July 2016. Available at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session32/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc=/ EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session32/Documents/A.HRC.32.2_AUV.doc&action=default&DefaultItemOp en=1 Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression | RFOE CHAPTER I GUIDING PRINCIPLES Chapter 1 Guiding Principles | 13