In 2015, APC in partnership with Article 19 will be leading the project Local Actions to Secure Internet Rights (LASIR). Inspired by the principles of the WebWeWant campaign, advocacy initiatives will be supported in nine countries to engage organizations and activists in national campaigns to promote Internet rights, the Web We Want principles and develop an integrated strategy of policy research, context analysis, coalition building, media outreach and popular engagement. This was the focus of our panel Internet Rights In Your Backyard at the Global Voices Citizen Summit 2015. It was moderated by APC’s Valeria Betancourt; and joined by Renata Avila, from the Web We Want; Aida Mahmutovic, from OneWorldSee; Niels Ten Oever, from Article 19; Byoungil Oh; and Joana Varon.
It is becoming more difficult to protect citizen rights on the Internet, which is increasingly controlled by governments and corporations, Valeria Betancourt presented. Civil society needs to defend the internet as a free space in a stronger and more coherent way. Recognition of specific rights in the digital realm, like privacy, are key at a global and national level. What rights are more at risk at a global level?, she asked the speakers.
One third of the world still doesn’t have access, Niels Ten Oever said. He also referred to the massive threats on privacy posed by governments. “Open threats to encryption, by putting backdoors on our software. The roads to hell starts with backdoors. We call it surveillance when governments do it, service when corporations do it.”
“In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the conversation around internet rights is virtually inexistent”, Aida Mahmutovic explained. “Privacy rights are used to avoid providing information to journalists and citizens. Citizens perceive internet rights as a bubble that does not affect them directly.”
Focusing on the case of South Corea, Oh Byoungil mentioned the peculiar regulations affecting internet in the country. “Internet regulation in South Corea is referred to as a “Galapagos ecosystem” by Coreans.”
“Marco Civil has been debated in Brazil since 2009”, Joana Varon presented. “There is a conversation on the Open Web, but how do you regulate it? A public consultation on how to regulate Marco Civil will be launched soon, with a focus on Net Neutrality and Privacy.”
The panel also focused on the example of Tunisia. “Tunisians are excited about the changes taking place, but civil society has to remain vigilant to build on the achievements regarding internet freedom.”
What strategies civil society groups should follow?, Renata Ávila was asked.
“We need to be aware of the increasingly closed, fragmented and militarised nature of the Web. “If Global Voices started today in such an environment it would fail”, she assured. “We need to fight this trend, from the local to the global.“