Internet and Human Rights Resource Center

Featured News

The Internet Society believes that people deserve to have their rights protected on the Internet as well as offline.

We believe in the power of the Internet to bring all of us closer together. Whether people use the Internet to create powerful apps, find information, buy and sell things, or even just stay in touch with their family and friends — it’s important we all have the freedom to do any of these of things online.

Here you can find out more about what ISOC does, as well as find other groups researching and fighting for an open Internet.

Featured Profile: Mishi Choudhary

We regularly ask people in the field of Internet and Rights about their projects, hopes and fears for online freedoms.

In this feature, learn more about Mishi Choudhary, Legal Director at the Software Freedom Law Center, and the situation of Internet shutdowns in India.

Previous profiles:

  • Nighat Dad category image

    Nighat Dad

    Nighat Dad is founder and executive director of the Digital Rights Foundation, based in Lahore Pakistan.

  • Sanja Kelly category image

    Sanja Kelly

    Sanja Kelly is the director for Freedom on the Net, Freedom House’s assessment of global Internet freedom.

  • Mondher Laabidi category image

    Mondher Laabidi

    Mondher Laabidi is the president of the Internet Society Tunisia Chapter and lead organiser of the Alliance Article 32 project.

Human Rights News

Our Internet, Our Future: Our Plan to Protect the Internet for Today and Tomorrow
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Human Rights 8 December 2022

Our Internet, Our Future: Our Plan to Protect the Internet for Today and Tomorrow

Our Action Plan 2023 outlines how we will address challenges, so that the Internet can be a resource for...

Why Embedding Content Matters
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Human Rights 26 October 2022

Why Embedding Content Matters

A court case against Instagram could make it very hard to embed videos or photos. The Internet Society filed...

Indigenous Connectivity Summit to Take Place this October—Transitioning to a New Home
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Human Rights 1 August 2022

Indigenous Connectivity Summit to Take Place this October—Transitioning to a New Home

The Summit offers a unique opportunity for participants to discuss challenges and develop practical community-led recommendations and solutions.

Our Pledge to Achieve Universal Connectivity
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Human Rights 13 May 2022

Our Pledge to Achieve Universal Connectivity

We have joined the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition, with two pledges to change the lives of the world's hardest-to-connect communities.

Together, We Made a Difference: Our Impact in 2021 
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Human Rights 21 April 2022

Together, We Made a Difference: Our Impact in 2021 

The 2021 Impact Report tracks our work through our actions and the actions of those across the Internet Society's...

Why the World Must Resist Calls to Undermine the Internet
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Human Rights 2 March 2022

Why the World Must Resist Calls to Undermine the Internet

We must resist calls to cut off the Internet. It remains our best hope to communicate among all the...

MANRS in 2021: A Year of Growth and Change
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Human Rights 15 February 2022

MANRS in 2021: A Year of Growth and Change

Here are some highlights in the MANRS Community Report 2021 and outline some of our plans for 2022.

Introducing the 2022 Action Plan: A Healthy Internet for Future Generations
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Human Rights 9 December 2021

Introducing the 2022 Action Plan: A Healthy Internet for Future Generations

For the past 30 years we have strived toward our vision that the Internet is for everyone. Our 2022...

Developing Talent for the Digital Revolution
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Human Rights 12 November 2021

Developing Talent for the Digital Revolution

More than 4,000 people have taken the NetOps course so far – and next year we're launching NetOps 2.0...

Pandemic and Digital Transformation—The Middle East and North Africa Are Ready to Level Up
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Human Rights 6 October 2021

Pandemic and Digital Transformation—The Middle East and North Africa Are Ready to Level Up

Demand for the Internet has been on the rise since the advent of COVID-19, and it’s a trend likely...

New MANRS Equipment Vendor Program Launched To Improve Internet Routing Security
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Human Rights 15 September 2021

New MANRS Equipment Vendor Program Launched To Improve Internet Routing Security

Enabling routing security features on network equipment – and providing support and training on them – means network operators can...

Register for the Fifth Annual Indigenous Connectivity Summit
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Human Rights 17 August 2021

Register for the Fifth Annual Indigenous Connectivity Summit

In its second year as a virtual event, the Indigenous Connectivity Summit will take place on 12-15 October 2021....

We Can’t Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals without the Internet
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Human Rights 7 July 2021

We Can’t Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals without the Internet

The Internet is a critical enabler for sustainable development. It unlocks human capabilities and provides the platform upon which...

The Opportunity Your Future Needs: How I Helped Build the Internet and My Career
Human Rights 2 June 2021

The Opportunity Your Future Needs: How I Helped Build the Internet and My Career

Have you ever wondered how you can change the course of the Internet? Do you want to share your...

Community Networks: In Tanzania, Helping to Close the Connectivity Gap
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Human Rights 22 January 2019

Community Networks: In Tanzania, Helping to Close the Connectivity Gap

Community established networks, also referred to as “community networks” (CNs), have existed for many years and provide a sustainable...

How the Espírito Santinho Community Created Brazil’s First Fiber Community Network
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Human Rights 14 March 2023

How the Espírito Santinho Community Created Brazil’s First Fiber Community Network

Espírito Santinho's Internet access was made possible by a partnership model that could connect other communities in Brazil, where...

We Testified Because the Internet Needs a Voice
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Human Rights 8 March 2023

We Testified Because the Internet Needs a Voice

We testified in front of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law in support...

Misguided Policies the World over Are Slowly Killing the Open Internet
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Human Rights 1 March 2023

Misguided Policies the World over Are Slowly Killing the Open Internet

We must defend the Internet whenever there are threats, whether they come from a country, a corporation, or a...

What is Section 230 and Why Should I Care About It?
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Human Rights 24 February 2023

What is Section 230 and Why Should I Care About It?

The protections in Section 230 are up for debate in the Supreme Court. Learn what it is and how...

NDSS Symposium 2023: 30 Years of Cutting Edge Network Security Research
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Human Rights 23 February 2023

NDSS Symposium 2023: 30 Years of Cutting Edge Network Security Research

The 30th edition of the Network and Distributed Systems Security (NDSS) Symposium kicks off 27 February in San Diego,...

In One Corner, Large Telecom Operators. In the Other, Everybody Else.
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Human Rights 23 February 2023

In One Corner, Large Telecom Operators. In the Other, Everybody Else.

We encourage everyone interested in defending an open Internet to contribute to the European Commission's public consultation on the...

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Internet Shutdowns

Internet Society Policy Brief: Internet Shutdowns

Statements on the topic of Internet shutdowns:

IFLA statement: “No Development Without Access to Information: We Need Alternatives to Internet Shut-Downs” (August 2017)

Common Statement By AF* on Internet Shutdowns in Africa (June 2017)

AFRINIC Board statement on keeping the Internet open to everyone (April 2017)

The Freedom Online Coalition: Joint Statement on State Sponsored Network Disruptions (March 2017)

Let’s Keep The Internet On For Everyone (ISOC statement on Internet shutdowns) (February 2017)

Global Network Initiative and Telecommunications Industry Dialogue Joint Statement on Network and Service Shutdowns (July 2016)

Video: Session with UN Special Rapporteur on Privacy

On Tuesday June 14, 2016, the Internet Society hosted an exclusive online conversation with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy, Prof. Joseph Cannataci.

 

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