Human Rights & the Internet

In recent years, the United Nations has proposed that Internet access be made a 'human right'. Finland and a range of other European countries, including Estonia, France and Greece are leading the way, having already enshrined access to the Internet as a basic human right.

Similar calls have been made in New Zealand, and, in July 2010, New Zealand human rights and Internet industry leaders held a roundtable discussion to discuss human rights and the Internet.

Hosted by InternetNZ and the Human Rights Commission, the roundtable’s objectives were to build relationships, discover areas of mutual interest and determine opportunities for discussion, activities or policy advocacy.

The Commission also received feedback on its draft chapter for the Review of Human Rights in New Zealand, Freedom of Expression.

Read the roundtable discussion report below:

Report on Human Rights and the Internet - 21 July 2010 (PDF)

InternetNZ continues to keep a watching brief on issues pertaining to Human Rights and the Internet.