Human Rights Day: Let's not forget Digital Rights! - Internet Sans Frontières

On December 10, 1948 the then young General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a founding text: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A founding text first of all with regards to the important role played by women in its drafting and adoption; but also because for the first time in history, countries all over the world agreed on a set of rights inherent to every human being, regardless of their origin, religion or sex.

70 years later, 78 % of people recently polled around the world believe that human rights must be protected, demonstrating their natural place in the minds of citizens around the world.

There is one field on which respect and protection of Human Rights must also become principles, not exceptions: the Internet. As digital technologies take center stage in our lives and in our societies, they question the degree of protection we give to these rights on the Internet, sometimes leading to doubts that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights also applies to this new space.

And it does: the UN proclaimed it at several occasions, Human Rights offline apply and must be protected with the same strength online. Freedom of expression, the right to privacy, the freedom of thought are rights to be protected especially in the cyberspace, to allow information to circulate.

Challenges are many: the right to privacy is regularly violated by States and companies; freedom of expression is stiffled by the increasing number of internet shutdowns. Internet Sans Frontières joins all human rights organizations to celebrate this day, and remind that digital rights are human rights.

We #StandUp4HumanRights