News (Internet)

Επιστροφή 2015 Internet Governance Forum: Facing mass surveillance and other threats to privacy and freedom of expression

The world has been shaken by the revelations on electronic mass surveillance. The protection of personal data across virtual borders and the potential chilling effect of threats to privacy on freedom of expression are the subject of intense debate and controversy. What have governments, the private sector and civil society done concerning these problems so far? How should they address them in the future?

The Council of Europe aims to discuss these and other questions with representatives of governments, business and civil society at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to be held in João Pessoa, Brazil, from 10 to 13 November – including with Maximillian Schrems, an activist who litigated against Facebook in a recent case concerning the Safe Harbour data transfer pact between the EU and the USA. At the IGF, which is organised every year by the United Nations to discuss public policies concerning the Internet, the Organisation will share with other stakeholders its most recent work to promote and protect human rights on the Internet.

In an open forum, the Council of Europe will present the work of its Parliamentary Assembly on mass surveillance, including a Resolution adopted in April which stated that the mass surveillance practices disclosed by US whistleblower Edward Snowden “endanger fundamental human rights”. The Assembly also called for the collection and analysis of personal data without consent only following a court order granted on the basis of reasonable suspicion, better judicial and parliamentary control of intelligence services, and an effective protection for whistle-blowers exposing unlawful surveillance.

Participants will discuss Council of Europe policy guidelines on Internet freedom currently being prepared and its Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists, which by 1 November had received 88 alerts of media freedom violations in Europe. Other topics on the agenda are the challenges to preserving the confidentiality of journalists’ sources, how to ensure a safe online environment for journalists, and the question of if there is a slide towards online censorship in which both governments and private actors play a role.

In another open forum co-organised by the Council of Europe and the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights of the United Nations, participants will analyse the current challenges to the right to privacy, and in particular, what governments, the private sector and civil society have done with regard to the revelations of mass surveillance. Joe Cannataci, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Privacy, will address the participants.

The Council of Europe events at the IGF