2016 ICT4D Conference

In December 2015, the United Nations reached a new WSIS agreement. Notably, the agreement cites the Human Rights Council and its landmark consensus finding that human rights apply online just as they do online. In a win for privacy, the outcome document calls for governments to review surveillance powers and practices, including interception and mass surveillance, in order to better uphold human rights. It also takes note of serious threats to the freedom of expression and access to information. And it calls for greater protections for journalists and civil society.

Access Now works to ensure that users' rights are not undermined in the name of cybersecurity, promoting a user-up approach that incorporates strong encryption and rapid fixes for vulnerabilities that put users at risk, with an emphasis on improving the entire security ecosystem. Bolstering our work, the recent report by the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the freedom of opinion and expression (A/HRC/29/32), David Kaye, found that encryption and anonymity on the internet are necessary for the advancement of human rights. We strongly advocated for the WSIS review to recognize that access to encryption and anonymity tools is essential to the exercise of freedom of expression online, but governments did not respond to our calls.
he internet belongs to all of us. Our aim in WSIS is to ensure that the development and technology agenda respects human rights. That way, WSIS can deliver on its promise as an open, innovative, and transformative vehicle for inclusive, people-centered development and internet governance.