Information literacy as a human right

A clear line of argument can be set out to link the (passive) intellectual freedom rights offered by Article Nineteen of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration on Human Rights, to a consequent responsibility on governments, professionals and civil society activists for the (active) creation of suitable conditions for the effective exercise of intellectual freedom. Commentators on media in society and socially responsible computing are also increasingly drawing conclusions of this kind and stressing the importance of Media Literacy and Computer Literacy. This line of argument naturally directs attention towards the rationale currently offered for Information Literacy as a focus of professional activity. Whilst there are many elaborately worked-out programmes for Information Literacy instruction, these have so far been largely derived from practical perceptions of need. However, broad statements such as the Prague Declaration ‘Towards an Information Literate Society’ of 2003 and the Alexandria Proclamation of 2005 can be seen as beginning to point towards a rationale for Information Literacy activities rooted in human rights, Article Nineteen in particular. The contention is that starting from a human rights perspective leads towards a strong, inclusive interpretation of Information Literacy. This subsumes Media Literacy, Computer Literacy, Web Literacy and, to a considerable extent, Civic Literacy into a model that serves human needs rather than the established priorities of information professionals. The value of this approach for both practice and research is stressed

Status of Public Access to Government Information as an International Human Right (abstract)

Freedom of information, according to which the public has a right to have access to government-held information, is largely considered as a tool for improving transparency and accountability in governments, and as a requirement of self-governance and good governance. So far, more than ninety countries have recognized citizens’ right to have access to public information. This recognition often took place through the adoption of an act referred to as “freedom of information act”, “access to public records act,” and so on. Some steps have been taken at the national and international level towards the recognition of freedom of information as a human right. Freedom of information was recognized in a few countries as a part of freedom of expression, and therefore, as a human right. For example, the Supreme Court of India articulated that “[t]he right to know ... is derived from the concept of freedom of speech. Freedom of information was also recognized by some international bodies, such as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, as a human right. However, in spite of the measures that have been taken, public access to government information is not yet widely accepted as an international human right. The paper will analyze the arguments in favor and against the recognition of freedom of information as a human right. It will also examine the prospect of widespread recognition of such a human right around the world, and the possible benefits of such recognition

European Court of Human Rights : Magyar Helsinki Bizottság v. Hungary

On 8 November 2016, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered a landmark judgment on the right of access to public documents. It found that the Hungarian authorities’ refusal to provide the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Magyar Helsinki Bizottság (MHB), with information relating to the work of ex officio defence counsels was in breach of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which guarantees the right to freedom of expression. The Court noted that the information requested from the police by MHB was necessary for it to complete the study on the functioning of the public defenders’ system MHB was conducting in its capacity as a non-governmental human-rights organisation, with a view to contributing to discussion on an issue of obvious public interest. In the Court’s view, by denying MHB access to the requested information the Hungarian authorities had impaired the NGO’s exercise of its freedom to receive and impart information, in a manner striking at the very substance of its Article 10 rights. The Grand Chamber’s judgment is a victory for journalists, bloggers, academics, and NGOs, who rely on access to public documents in order to conduct investigations as part of their role as “public watchdogs”

Studio Monitori and Others v. Georgia : access to public documents must be ‘instrumental’ for the right to freedom of expression

In the case of Studio Monitori and Others v. Georgia the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in its judgment of 30 January 2020 has confirmed that the right to freedom of expression and information as guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) can only be invoked in order to obtain access to public documents when a set of conditions are fulfilled. It is one of the cases following the judgment of the Grand Chamber in Magyar Helsinki Bizottság v. Hungary to test the scope and limits of the right of access to information and the applicability of Article 10 ECHR. The most important consequence of the judgment in Studio Monitori and Others is that NGOs, journalists or other public watchdogs requesting access to public documents have to motivate and clarify in their request that access to the documents they are applying for is instrumental, and even necessary, for their journalistic reporting and that the requested documents contain information of public interest

Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Media Corporations: Incorporating Human Rights Through Rankings, Self-Regulation and Shareholder Resolutions

This article examines the emergence and evolution of selected ranking and reporting frameworks in the expanding realm of business and human rights advocacy. It explores how indicators in the form of rankings and reports evaluating the conduct of transnational corporate actors can serve as regulatory tools with potential to bridge a global governance gap that often places human rights at risk. Specifically, this article examines the relationship of transnational corporations in the Internet communications technology sector (ICT sector) to human rights and the risks presented to the right to freedom of expression and the right to privacy when ICT sector companies comply with government demands to disclose user data or to conceal information users seek. Specifically, it explores the controversial role of transnational ICT corporations in state censorship and surveillance practices. The article explains how conflicts over corporate complicity in alleged abuses served to catalyze change and lead to the creation of the Global Network Initiative, a private multi-stakeholder project, and the Ranking Digital Rights Initiative, an industry independent market-based information effort. Both aim to promote more responsible business practices in the social media industry sector. In conclusion, the article argues that regulating corporate reporting of information relevant to assessing the potential for adverse human rights impacts is necessary

THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION AS A MEANS OF PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION. ALBANIAN LEGISLATION ALIGNMENT WITH THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE STANDARDS

The right to information represents a key pillar for the well-being of democracy and the general interest of transparency towards the public. It is a key human right, and also a precondition for the enjoyment of other human rights, including the freedom of expression. While during the communist regime, Albania did not recognize it substantially, during the transition to a pluralist democratic country, democratic principles, and human rights are unequivocally embraced. The current Constitution guarantees it among other human rights. Albania is a member of the Council of Europe and has ratified ECHR since 1996. The Albanian Constitution stipulates that human rights if and when limited cannot exceed the European Convention on Human Rights. The right to information, as a human right and as a means to participate in the process of public governance and administration, is also sanctioned in different laws in Albania. These include the Administrative Procedure Law, the law “On the right to information”, the law “On public notification and consultation”, and several sectorial laws. The Commissioner for the Right to Information and Protection of Personal Data is established as a dedicated administrative institution to address infringements to this right. The article will shed light on the development of the right to information in the Albanian legal framework and analyses how the country meets the Council of Europe standards regarding this human right, highlighting the progress made throughout the political turmoil and the obstacles encountered in its implementation, in the framework of administrative practices in Albania. &nbsp

European Court of Human Rights: Cengiz and others v. Turkey

On 1 December 2015, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered a judgment dealing with a blocking order in Turkey of the popular video-sharing website YouTube. The Court found that the blocking of access to YouTube amounted to a violation of the right to receive and impart information under Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). The Court observed that YouTube, as an Internet platform, enabled information on political and social matters to be broadcast and citizen journalism to emerge. The Court found that there was no provision in the Turkish law allowing domestic courts to impose the blanket blocking order of YouTube at issue

THE RIGHT OF ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AS FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT GIVEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GLOBAL INFORMATION SOCIETY

Purpose – This article examines the pressing problem of ensuring the right to Internet access as a basic human right that is fundamental for the formation and the development of the modern information society. The purpose of the study is to promote the idea of adhering to such right, clarifying conceptual approaches, to understand its content as reflected in the decisions of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the European Court of Human Rights, as well as determining both the place and the role of this right in the European mechanism for the provision of human rights at the current stage of the information society. Methodology/Approach/Design – In order to reach a comprehensive understanding of the human right to Internet access and to reduce the level of digital inequality both in the European countries and globally, several authors have given their suggestions, which are considered appropriate for their implementation by international organizations, governments, telecommunication companies, and Internet service providers. Findings – By propelling this analysis, the authors advocate the need to recognize the right to Internet access as one of the inalienable human rights that are necessary for decent living and development in the information society. Special attention is given to the fact that the right to Internet access, due to its unique kind allows individuals to exercise other rights, namely the right to information, the right to freedom of opinion and the dissemination thereof, the right to freedom of assembly and association, the right to education, among others. This imposes positive obligations on states to ensure the human right to Internet access and to create a safe and favorable Internet environment for all