The ethical dimensions of internet governance: the utility of the human rights framework.

Abstract

The Working Group on Internet Governance has defined internet governance as the development and application by Governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.1 The aim of this paper is to examine whether international human rights standards and guidelines provide an adequate framework for the ethical dimensions of internet governance, capable of shaping the evolution of the internet in the interests of its current and future users. The rapid evolution of communications technology over the past decade has dramatically changed communication practices across the world. The internet and mobile phones have opened up new horizons for communication, connecting people around the world to a global network for sharing information and ideas. The internet in particular presents new opportunities for capturing and enhancing the benefits that communication has for humankind, including innovation, creativity, selfexpression, collaboration and democratic politics. However, it also presents new opportunities for the erosion of these benefits, for example through facilitating enhanced censorship and surveillance. From an ethical perspective, the challenge for internet governance is to ensure that the internet continues to evolve in such a way as to maximise its capacity to support positive social change and minimise its use for negative ends.