United Nations Report Declares Internet Access a Human Right

Authored by techland.time.com and submitted by cunninglinguist316

A United Nations report released Friday declares Internet access a human right. Presented to the General Assembly, the report by UN Special Rapporteur Frank La Rue states that, “the Internet has become a key means by which individuals can exercise their right to freedom and expression.”

As LaRue highlighted, Internet access can be particularly valuable during times of political unrest, as evidenced in the Arab Spring uprisings. LaRue emphasized the power of the Internet as a communication medium and said in his report that, “given that the Internet has become an indispensable tool for realizing a range of human rights, combating inequality, and accelerating development and human progress, ensuring universal access to the Internet should be a priority for all states.”

LaRue explains that because “vast potential and benefits of the Internet are rooted in its unique characteristics,” powerful governments often try to block Internet access in an effort to restrict mobilization. He says that, instead, governments should strive, “to make the Internet widely available, accessible and affordable to all.”

LaRue concludes his report by calling on states to ensure that individuals can have online anonymity, can adopt privacy and data protection laws, and can decriminalize defamation.

sgt0pimienta on May 8th, 2017 at 21:49 UTC »

Ok, I actually read this report by UN rapporteur LaRue.

The United Nations did not make Internet a human right, ever. In his report, LaRue talks about the digital divide and how having internet is becoming key to fulfilling one's right to having a decent life. He personally implies that internet is necessary to achieve human rights, not that it is a human right itself.

Also, UN rapporteurs have free agency to opine and discuss on various topics, but a report made by one of them is by no means an official UN stance. Even if LaRue said "Internet is a human right", for Internet to become a human right it would have to be declared so by the general assembly.

So:

Internet is not a human right It was not deemed so even by the rapporteur referenced It is not even being considered for human right status

Edit: Thanks for the gold! This article comes up now and then and I think it gets the UN a bad rap it doesn't deserve when people misunderstand the intention of it.

beezel- on May 8th, 2017 at 18:17 UTC »

For the people being confused, it doesn't mean everyone should have internet access all the time. It means the government can't deny access to the internet.

There was a case in Estonia where a killer serving his time in prison sued the country when he was denied access to basic sites on the internet.

Poemi on May 8th, 2017 at 18:03 UTC »

The UN is fond of making proclamations which they have neither the interest nor capability of enforcing.