"This edited volume documents the current reflections on the 'Right to be Forgotten' and the interplay between the value of memory and citizen rights about memory. It provides a comprehensive analysis of problems associated with persistence of memory, the definition of identities (legal and social)
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and the issues arising for data management." (Publisher description)
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"This report presents an up-to-date assessment of internet rights in Turkey, and has been prepared to coincide with the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2014 which is being hosted by Turkey in Istanbul from 2–5 September 2014. The IGF is a space that strives for a democratic and inclusive internet
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and this report assesses the Turkish government’s respect for international human rights standards in relation to freedom of expression online. The assessment [...] focuses on internet regulation, internet access, blocking, surveillance, liability of internet intermediaries, criminalisation of legitimate expression, and cyber-attacks. The report concludes with recommendations for actions to promote and protect an open and free internet in Turkey." (Abstract)
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"This paper takes four key policy issues for protecting human rights online - net neutrality; an absence of arbitrary online filtering and blocking; an absence of arbitrary surveillance; and protecting intermediaries from liability for user-generated content. For each policy area it summarises the t
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heoretical economic arguments for adopting a human rights-respecting position, and then attempts to collate any empirical data that exists to back up those arguments. In doing so, the paper aims to assist human rights defenders to develop persuasive arguments that they can use with policy-makers, and to highlight areas where more research and evidence is needed." (Summary, page 6)
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"This report responds to the opportunity provided by the WSIS+10 review which will culminate in 2015. Its purpose is to collate civil society perceptions of the changes that have taken place over the last ten years since the WSIS Declaration of Principles was adopted in 2003. The results are being u
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sed as input to the formal WSIS review process, as well as to strategise around civil society joint agendas and common positions. To this extent it contributes towards addressing two problems: An apparent absence - in most parts of the world - of a people-centred approach to information and knowledge-sharing society policy and regulation - and the fragmentation of the communications rights movement, which had mobilised so intensively to ensure that a people-centred approach informed the outcomes of WSIS." (Introduction)
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"In this policy paper, ARTICLE 19 proposes a set of recommendations to state actors and policy makers about what they should do to promote and protect the rights of bloggers domestically and internationally. It also gives practical advice to bloggers about their rights and explains how - and in what
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situations - they can invoke some of the privileges and defences that traditional journalists have found vital to the integrity of their work [...] ARTICLE 19 argues that it is no longer appropriate to define journalism and journalists by reference to some recognised body of training, or affiliation with a news entity or professional body. On the contrary, ARTICLE 19 believes that the definition of journalism should be functional, i.e. journalism is an activity that can be exercised by anyone. Accordingly, it argues that international human rights law must protect bloggers just as it protects journalists. The policy paper therefore addresses the key areas that bloggers are likely to face, that is: licensing, real-name registration (vs. anonymity), accreditation, the protection of sources, protection from violence, legal liability and ethical responsibility and suggests ways for them to be addressed." (Executive summary)
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"Through the lens of China in Africa, this paper explores the transformations in the relationship between the Internet and the state. China’s economic success, impressive growth of Internet users and relative stability have quietly promoted an example of how the Internet can be deployed within the
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larger political and economic strategies of developing states, moving beyond the democratization paradigm promoted in the West. New evidence suggests that this model is becoming increasingly popular, but it is not clear why and how it is spreading. Through a case study comparison of an emerging democracy, Kenya, and a semiauthoritarian country, Ethiopia, where China has recently increased its involvement in the communications sector, this paper investigates whether and how the ideas of state stability, development and community that characterize the strategies pursued by the Chinese government are influencing and legitimizing the development of a less open model of the Internet. It analyses how new ideas, technologies and norms integrate with existing ones and which factors influence their adoption or rejection. It is based on fieldwork conducted in Ethiopia and in Kenya between 2011 and 2013, where data was collected through mapping Internet related projects involving Chinese companies and authorities, analysing Internet policies and regulations, and interviewing officials in Ministries of Communication, media lawyers, Internet activists, and Chinese employed in the media and telecommunication sector in Kenya and Ethiopia." (Abstract)
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"Iraq’s parliament is in the process of enacting an “Information Crimes Law” to regulate the use of information networks, computers, and other electronic devices and systems. The draft law includes vague provisions that would allow Iraqi authorities to deter legitimate criticisms of or peacefu
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l challenges to governmental or religious officials or policies. As such, the law is part of a broad effort by authorities to suppress peaceful dissent by criminalizing legitimate information sharing and networking activities." (Back cover)
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"Turkmenistan is slowly emerging from decades of darkness. President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov has vowed to modernize the country by encouraging the uptake of new technology for economic development and more ef!cient governance. Hundreds of thousands of Turkmen citizens are now online. However, the
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country faces serious challenges as it prepares to go digital. Infrastructure is primitive, and public access is fully controlled by a stateowned monopoly. Slow speeds, exorbitant pricing, and technological illiteracy all constitute major hurdles. Authorities are moving to address the capacity problem, but Turkmenistan’s repressive regime is unlikely to relinquish its stranglehold on cyberspace access and content. All media – including the internet – are closely controlled. State censorship and surveillance are signi!cant, as are intimidation tactics that encourage user self-censorship. This study highlights the ambivalent policies and practices that have left Turkmenistan mired in the digital doldrums, torn between its desire to join the worldwide web and its compulsion to control cyberspace." (Executive summary)
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"Digital technology has made culture more accessible than ever before. Texts, audio, pictures and video can easily be produced, disseminated, used and remixed using devices that are increasingly user-friendly and affordable. However, along with this technological democratization comes a paradoxical
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flipside: the norms regulating culture's use —copyright and related rights —have become increasingly restrictive. This book brings together essays by academics, librarians, entrepreneurs, activists and policy makers, who were all part of the EU-funded Communia project. Together the authors argue that the Public Domain —that is, the informational works owned by all of us, be that literature, music, the output of scientific research, educational material or public sector information —is fundamental to a healthy society. The essays range from more theoretical papers on the history of copyright and the Public Domain, to practical examples and case studies of recent projects that have engaged with the principles of Open Access and Creative Commons licensing. The book is essential reading for anyone interested in the current debate about copyright and the Internet." (Publisher description)
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"This report reviews five pieces of legislation affecting the freedoms of assembly and expression that have been introduced in recent years in Iraq. Of these, only one, the Journalists Rights Law (Journalist Law), has actually been passed into law, in August 2011. The other four – the draft Commis
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sion of Media and Communication Law (draft CMC Law), the draft Informatics Crimes Law (draft Internet Law), the draft Political Parties Law (draft Parties Law) and the draft Law of Expression, Assembly, and Peaceful Protest (draft Assembly Law) – have not yet been formally adopted as laws. Together, the five laws cover a wide range of issues including restrictions on the content of what may be published or broadcast, whether over the airwaves or the Internet or via some other media, the establishment of political parties, how to apply to hold an assembly or demonstration, restrictions on such events, the overall system for regulating broadcasting, including the oversight body and the regimes for licensing and controlling content, and special rules for journalists. This report assesses the rules contained in these laws against constitutional and international human rights standards, in particular relating to freedom of assembly and expression." (Introduction, page 3)
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"Today, many OSCE participating States are reacting to the availability and dissemination of certain types of (illegal or unwanted) content through the Internet by trying to regulate or control its dissemination. There is particularly major concern about the availability of terrorist propaganda, rac
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ist content, sexually explicit content including child pornography, as well as content defined as hate speech on the Internet. This OSCE-wide Internet content regulation study involves a comprehensive overview of existing international legal provisions and standards relating to media freedom and freedom of expression on the Internet. The study will assess whether and how these are incorporated into national legislation and applied by the OSCE participating States." (Executive summary)
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"GISWatch has three interrelated goals: surveying the state of the field of information and communications technology (ICT) policy at local and global levels; encouraging critical debate; strengthening networking and advocacy for a just, inclusive information society. Each year the report focuses on
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one particular theme. GISWatch 2009 focuses on access to online information and knowledge – advancing human rights and democracy. It includes several thematic reports dealing with key issues in the field, as well as an institutional overview and a reflection on indicators that track access to information and knowledge. There is also an innovative section on visual mapping of global rights and political crises. In addition, 48 country reports analyse the status of access to online information and knowledge in countries as diverse as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mexico, Switzerland and Kazakhstan, while six regional overviews offer a bird’s eye perspective on regional trends." (Back cover)
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"The Guide contains six main chapters. After an Introduction (Chapter 1) the Guide provides an overview of the phenomena of cybercrime (Chapter 2). This includes descriptions of how crimes are committed and explanations of the most widespread cybercrime offences such as hacking, identity theft and d
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enial-of-service attacks. The Guide also provides an overview of the challenges as they relate to the investigation and prosecution of cybercrime (Chapters 3 and 4). After a summary of some of the activities undertaken by international and regional organizations in the fight against cybercrime (Chapter 5), the Guide continues with an analysis of different legal approaches with regard to substantive criminal law, procedural law, international cooperation and the responsibility of Internet Service Providers (Chapter 6), including examples of international approaches as well as good-practice examples from national solutions." (Introduction)
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"Partnerships between the public sector, the private sector and particularly civil society in promoting information and communication technology (ICT) policy are a relatively new venture. The mechanisms, management and governance of such partnerships, from loose arrangements to more formal mechanism
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s, are still relatively new and not always fully understood. This guide is an attempt to add to the growing body of knowledge and experience on multi-stakeholder processes and partnerships, based on the practical experiences encountered during the three-year CATIA programme on ICT policy advocacy. It presents guidelines that may assist national ICT policy facilitators in coming to grips with the complexities of multi-stakeholder relationships and the attainment of common goals and objectives. It considers practical issues for the establishment of a multi-stakeholder process for ICT policy and looks at how multi-stakeholder partnerships work, what has been successful and what has not, and offers some practical suggestions on how to make them more effective. Practical experiences from two African countries – the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Kenya – are used to illustrate two possible approaches." (About this guide, page 4)
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"The important balance between access to copyrighted works and protection for authors is vital for developing countries and LDCs. Despite provisions for limitations and exceptions to the rights granted to authors/ owners of protected works, the WIPO treaties represent minimum standards from which co
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untries can deviate only by providing greater rights than required as the United States has done under the DMCA. The maximalist approach to interpreting the available scope of permissible limitations and exceptions is reinforced by the similarities between TRIPS Article 13, and Articles 10 and 16 of the WCT and WPPT. The similarities suggest that it is not improbable that interpretations of the Internet treaties can be influenced by the ideology of the TRIPS Agreement. Consequently, public welfare interests will require explicit limitations and exceptions that at a minimum facilitate access and use of digital works for study, research, and educational purposes." (Executive summary, page 2)
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