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SEEDIG 2016 | Programme details

22 April 2016 | Belgrade

Come and solve the human rights puzzle with us

16:30 – 18:00

 
Teaser 
From content to code & algorithms – an interactive and inclusive session aimed in better understanding the major Internet human rights issues at stake in SEE and discover possible solutions. Everyone will have the right to speak! Literally!!!
Key words
Intersectionality, human rights, interactivity, content, code, algorithms
Session description
The standards of human rights and how they apply on the Internet is a continuous developing topic. Starting with the analysis of an over 60-years old text of the European Convention of Human Rights and ending up with the most recent decisions of the European Court of Human Rights that include an Internet topic, the discussion around the human rights online seem to be more important than ever. Especially in a context of increased number of voices that claim that the rights should be restricted in order to solve much more important issues – starting with terrorism and ending with migrants crisis. But as Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe explains: “Terrorists can’t destroy our democracies, only we can do that.” In this context we are looking to better understand the puzzle of the online human rights in the SEE region. How do the participants feel the current most important challenges that tackle this field? Is it the freedom of expression being under threat by government or privatised law enforcement? Would it be the surveillance that empties the right to privacy? Or the lack of real freedom to participate in online protests? What about gender based violence, is safety ever a right or just a twisted tool for mass-surveillance? Do we have any effective remedies for the violation of human rights or for recognising the role played by gender in the Internet sphere, and would they work on a national level? These are part of the questions where we aim not to provide the perfect answers, but to give the participants the chance to think them through and raise their experiences and expectations. And to attempt in mapping the complicated puzzle that spans across multiple Internet governance areas.
Session format
Working in small groups for setting the puzzle (mapping the major issues and possible remedies) in the following scenario: Part 1 – Introduction about what were the issues that were raised by the proposals – A very large view of the puzzle
  • Ideally to be presented by one resource person from human rights and one from the technical community or business side, to bring another perspective.
  • Time: 10 min. each.
  • Questions + remote participation intervention.
Part 2 – Split in smaller groups (4 or 5 people – if possible split by colour tags, which are linked to their constituency). Scope:
  • to map the major digital civil rights issues at stake (from the presentation or new issues) and to list top 3 critical from the participants view.
  • finding best practices & remedies to tackle the critical list from the participants experience
  • One of the small groups could be formed by members of the remote participants and moderated by the remote moderator (who will present the results).
  • Time:  30 min.
Part 3 – Reporting
  • One representative from each group to come in front in a semicircle open position.
  • Time: 3 min. each group to do the presentation + 2 min. questions. Total: 30 min.
Part 4 – Conclusion of the rapporteur
  • Time: 10 min.
Ideally also to create an on the spot MindMap or TagCloud with the top three results from each group.
Main roles
Key participants:
  • Patrick Penninckx, Council of Europe
  • Nevena Ružić, Office of the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, Serbia
Moderators:
  • Bogdan Manolea, Association for Technology and Internet, Romania
  • Valentina Pellizzer, One World Platform Foundation, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Remote moderator: Auke Pals, Network of European Digital Youth, Netherlands Rapporteur: Su Sonia Herring, youth delegate, Turkey
Session messages
  • Privacy is one of the most important human rights online. Privacy and anonymity are needed to ensure that other human rights, such as freedom of expression and assembly, are freely exercised and protected.
  • Freedom of expression in every sense should be protected online.
  • Access to information will help ensure equality online.
  • An important question that needs further consideration is who should be more responsible when it comes to ensuring the protection of human rights online. Governments or the private sector?
  • Remedies to issues regarding human rights online need to be discussed by all stakeholders in length and depth.
 
Resources

1. Council of Europe Guide to Human Rights for Internet Users 2. Internet Case Law – ECtHR 3. European Convention on Human Rights 4. Thorbjørn Jagland – “Terrorists can’t destroy our democracies,only we can do that” 5. From impunity to justice: Domestic legal remedies for cases of technology-related violence against women (include research and case studies from Bosnia Herzegovina) 6. Women’s rights, gender and Internet governance, author Avri Doria 7. Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2015: Best Practice Forum (BPF) on Online Abuse and Gender-Based Violence Against Women 8. Global Information Society Watch 9. Internet Rights and Principles Coalition – The Charter of Human Rights and Principles for the Internet
Relevant proposals
20, 21, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, (42), 43, 44, 54, (58), 59 – See full list of proposals
Organising team
  • Bogdan Manolea, Association for Technology and Internet, Romania (focal point)
  • Valentina Pellizzer, One World Platform Foundation, Bosnia and Herzegovina (focal point)
  • Charles Bradley, Global Partners Digital, United Kingdom
  • Marianne Franklin, Internet Rights and Principles Coalition, New Zealand
  • Su Sonia Herring, Turkey/USA
  • Marija Laganin, Ministry of State Administration and Local Self-Government, Directorate for eGovernment, Serbia
  • Minda Moreira, Internet Rights and Principles Coalition, Portugal
  • Auke Pals, Nederlands
  • Andrii Paziuk, Partners for Digital Rights Defenders, Ukraine
  • Matthew Shears, Center for Democracy & Technology, United Kingdom
  • Contact point from SEEDIG’s executive committee: Lianna Galstyan