Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

U.N. Realizes Internet Surveillance Chills Free Speech

Posted by Soulskill on from the last-horse-finally-crosses-the-finish-line dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Electronic Frontier Foundation reports that the United Nations has finally come to the realization that there is a direct relationship between government surveillance online and citizens' freedom of expression. The report (PDF) says, 'The right to privacy is often understood as an essential requirement for the realization of the right to freedom of expression. Undue interference with individuals' privacy can both directly and indirectly limit the free development and exchange of ideas. An infringement upon one right can be both the cause and consequence of an infringement upon the other.' The EFF adds, 'La Rue's landmark report could not come at a better time. The explosion of online expression we've seen in the past decade is now being followed by an explosion of communications surveillance. For many, the Internet and mobile telephony are no longer platforms where private communication is shielded from governments knowing when, where, and with whom a communication has occurred.'"

4 of 90 comments (clear)

  1. Not the monitoring, it's the ACTION that matters by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It doesn't matter how much or who monitors you.

    What matters is what actions are taken from the monitoring - if any.

    Given that monitoring is impossible to prevent or really limit, all efforts should be made in shaming those taking bad ACTIONS based upon collected data.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  2. Re:Not the monitoring, it's the ACTION that matter by CmdrEdem · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "Information is power." This is not strictly true, but information multiplies actions` effectiveness. The more information someone has about anyone makes easier to manipulate the victim without anyone`s knowledge. Always keep that in mind.

    --
    This combination doesn`t exist: ETIs that know about humanity and want to see us dead. Otherwise we wouldn't exist.
  3. Surveillance is bad for business, too... by real-modo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Bruce Schneier points out one of the ways in this essay.

  4. Two quotes come to mind . . . by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "We must plan for freedom, and not only for security, if for no other reason than only freedom can make security more secure." -- Karl Popper, The Open Society and Its Enemies

    "To me, social media is the worst menace to society." -- Recep Tayyip Erdoan, Prime Minister of Turkey

    . . . what interesting times we live in . . .

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!