The declaration is the first international attempt to draw up a
framework on the issue and breaks ground by updating the principles
of the European Convention on Human Rights for the internet-age. It
also looks at how all the stakeholders – such as
ISP
s,
hardware and software manufacturers, governments and civil society
– can co-operate both nationally and internationally on the
issue.
The declaration covers issues such as state and private
censorship, protection of private information such as content and
traffic data, education to help people assess quality information,
media ethics, the use of information technology for democracy and
freedom of assembly in cyberspace.
But according to lobby group European Digital Rights
(
EDRi
), while the declaration is welcome and
reassuring, it does not really offer anything new to internet
users.
EDRi
argues that, while the rights to freedom of
speech, privacy and access to knowledge are all upheld by the
declaration, the document creates a feeling of ambivalence by
balancing them against internet threats such as the need to fight
terrorism, uphold intellectual property rights and restrict access
to illegal content.
