A May 15, 2011 report issued by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) concludes that Internet access must be recognized as a human right. The report, entitled Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue (report A/HRC/17/27) urges, among other things:
Given that the Internet has become an indispensable tool for realizing a range of human rights, combating inequality, and accelerating development and human progress, ensuring universal access to the Internet should be a priority for all States.
The report also states that:
States [should] ensure that individuals can express themselves anonymously online and to refrain from adopting real-name registration systems.
Given that North American and British governments – those bastions of freedom – have made numerous moves in recent times to curtail Internet freedom, we can readily imagine that the dust has already begun to settle on this report.
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