1 / 9

Challenges to freedom of expression

Challenges to freedom of expression. The right to freedom of expression is a “foundation right” in society. Defined in Universal Declaration of Human Rights It protects the right to: Express ourselves in words, music etc. Receive and exchange ideas and information

bien
Télécharger la présentation

Challenges to freedom of expression

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Challenges to freedom of expression • The right to freedom of expression is a “foundation right” in society. Defined in Universal Declaration of Human Rights • It protects the right to: • Express ourselves in words, music etc. • Receive and exchange ideas and information • Operates “regardless of frontiers”

  2. Why is it important • Essential to our humanity to express ourselves • Enables us to better protect other rights and freedoms • Provides the basis of democracy by allowing the exchange of ideas and opinions • Enables human development

  3. What does it need? • To express ourselves we need means of communication • - One to one conversation • - To meet as groups in association • - One speaking to many • Otherwise the right is meaningless • All of these operate in different ways and by different rules

  4. What limits free expression? Geographical and linguistic boundaries Create a global, accessible communications network carrying all kinds of content available through different devices Technical limits An environment where 1 to1, group conversations and 1 to many communication happen side by side Censorship, direct and indirect Traditional “gatekeepers” and bottlenecks - government, corporations, “mediators” -undermined Commercial factors Do networked digital communications affect these limits? }

  5. A communication democracy? The content layer – the subject matter of the communication • It depends who controls the new environment. • Actors and institutions can exercise influence at a vast number of places in the environment… The Application layer – tools to navigate content. Connectivity & code layer – the ‘language’ or protocols of the communication. The Physical layer – the physical infrastructure that makes communications possible.

  6. The issues • How networked communications • Expands the way we get information and debate issues • Increases our ability to act • Offers the possibility of changing politics and empowering people • Increases the opportunities to share and develop human creativity

  7. The result • We strengthen and enhance freedom of expression • We increase the capacity of humanity to realise its own potential • We strengthen democracy and democratic participation • We will have new opportunities for sustainable development

  8. Unless • Governments control networked communications for their own ends • Traditional media companies take over the environment • Private companies use it exclusively for commercial ends • The technology is turned against us

  9. The questions? • Can networked communications help overcome the limitations of monopolisation and censorship in Africa • Can it help build a democratic politics, a more equal society and a vibrant culture • Can we have a global communication environment that is under “public” control, rather than government or business

More Related