Due to the big number of countries that currently are minimizing the
liberty on internet, the US Freedom House has published the report Freedom on the Net 2012, which analyses the impact of new rules and laws that affect citizens´ rights and even their security.
Internet has become almost something indispensable in our lives. Today, thousands of people around the world use the net to connect with others, to be informed, to work or express their political ideas. Is this last point what governments don´t like and some of them are trying to control online communications with authoritarian measures.
The control of internet is growing and some regions are using “invisible” tactics, like hire internet users to write positive comments about the government and also discredit the opposition, explained Sanja Kelly, Director of Freedom House´s project.
These strategies are more evident in countries like Saudi Arabia, China
or Iran, where authorities imposed strong restrictions after the
political uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, in which social media played
an important role. However, there are also prohibitions in democratic countries
like Estonia and US. Despite both of them are in the first and second
position of the ranking, their score is under 30 (which means they
respect liberty) they are not 100% free. “No country has a perfect
score”, said Sanja Kelly.
The report studies 47 countries and shows that 14 countries registered a positive trajectory, but others such as Bahrain, Pakistan and Ethiopia are now more restrictive than the past year. Because of the independent voices that write their opinion on internet, governments started their own manipulations and now citizens can not differentiate between real information and propaganda.
Physical and technical attacks against bloggers, journalists and internet users have also been on the rise during 2011 and 2012. Those tactics used with professionals of the media are now been used also with citizens.
Nevertheless, not everything is negative. Citizens are more aware about these kind of violent actions and their activist movements had generated several victories. For instance, some European countries expressed their disagreement about ACTA, in the US had same reactions about SOPA, and in Turkey 50,000 demonstrated against a mandatory filtering of content.
New laws, arrests, paid commentators, hijacking attacks, surveillance and physical attacks, are some of the restrictive measures that authoritarian, or not, countries are using to destroy internet freedom. But, the report also highlights that with collaboration between regions, companies and citizens, the situation can change.
In Europe companies have their own responsibilities, but sometimes this is not enough and there should be a strategy to respect citizens´ rights on the net. “Europe should take the opportunity to be the leader on internet freedom”, stated Marietje Schaake, MEP and Repporteur for the EU strategy on digital freedom in foreign policy.
Europeans have to be aware of the problems and human rights defenders and journalists must spread the word to avoid these situations within the Member States, she explained.
Besides, in December 2011 the European Commission presented the “No-Disconnect” strategy, which will develop tools to help activists bypass restrictions, will educate them about pros and cons of ICT and will generate co-operation between all the actors. Andrea Glorioso, Member of DG Connect, explained that human rights are always included in the Commission´s plans, including the future project on cybersecurity.
Internet has become almost something indispensable in our lives. Today, thousands of people around the world use the net to connect with others, to be informed, to work or express their political ideas. Is this last point what governments don´t like and some of them are trying to control online communications with authoritarian measures.
The control of internet is growing and some regions are using “invisible” tactics, like hire internet users to write positive comments about the government and also discredit the opposition, explained Sanja Kelly, Director of Freedom House´s project.
The report studies 47 countries and shows that 14 countries registered a positive trajectory, but others such as Bahrain, Pakistan and Ethiopia are now more restrictive than the past year. Because of the independent voices that write their opinion on internet, governments started their own manipulations and now citizens can not differentiate between real information and propaganda.
Physical and technical attacks against bloggers, journalists and internet users have also been on the rise during 2011 and 2012. Those tactics used with professionals of the media are now been used also with citizens.
Nevertheless, not everything is negative. Citizens are more aware about these kind of violent actions and their activist movements had generated several victories. For instance, some European countries expressed their disagreement about ACTA, in the US had same reactions about SOPA, and in Turkey 50,000 demonstrated against a mandatory filtering of content.
New laws, arrests, paid commentators, hijacking attacks, surveillance and physical attacks, are some of the restrictive measures that authoritarian, or not, countries are using to destroy internet freedom. But, the report also highlights that with collaboration between regions, companies and citizens, the situation can change.
In Europe companies have their own responsibilities, but sometimes this is not enough and there should be a strategy to respect citizens´ rights on the net. “Europe should take the opportunity to be the leader on internet freedom”, stated Marietje Schaake, MEP and Repporteur for the EU strategy on digital freedom in foreign policy.
Europeans have to be aware of the problems and human rights defenders and journalists must spread the word to avoid these situations within the Member States, she explained.
Besides, in December 2011 the European Commission presented the “No-Disconnect” strategy, which will develop tools to help activists bypass restrictions, will educate them about pros and cons of ICT and will generate co-operation between all the actors. Andrea Glorioso, Member of DG Connect, explained that human rights are always included in the Commission´s plans, including the future project on cybersecurity.
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