EDRi participates in UNESCO study on Internet related issues

UNESCO ran a major consultation on “Internet related issues” which closed on November the 30th. The areas covered were fourfold: access to information and knowledge, freedom of expression, privacy, and ethical dimensions of the information society. While the scope of this consultation was breathtakingly broad, UNESCO should be applauded for at least acknowledging that all these topics are related and relevant for policy-makers in the internet age.

In its response, EDRi has largely focused on the intersection of freedom of expression and privacy and less so on the wider ethical questions of the information society posed by the consultation. This was not because we feel that there are none, or that they aren’t relevant, but simply because the broadness of the consultation exceeded our ability to answer all of the questions to the level of detail needed to do them justice.

Our response can be found here (28.11.2014): https://edri.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/20141128_EDRi_UNESCO_consultation.pdf

Also valuable reading EDRi member Article 19’s response: https://edri.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/UNESCO-questionnaire-A19-response-FINAL-28112014.pdf

(Co-author of EDRi’s input to the UNESCO study: Maria Świetlik, Internet Society Poland;
EDRi-gram contribution by Walter van Holst, EDRi-member Vrijschrift, The Netherlands)