UN council affirms support for Internet freedom

The United Nations's Human Rights Council on Thursday backed a first-of-its-kind resolution affirming that people have the same rights in the digital world as they do offline, including freedom of expression.

More than 80 countries signed on to co-sponsor the Internet freedom resolution, including 30 members of the council. The United States, Tunisia, Brazil, Nigeria, Turkey and Sweden presented the resolution. 

“This outcome is momentous for the Human Rights Council,” said Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe. “It’s the first ever UN resolution affirming that human rights in the digital realm must be protected and promoted to the same extent and with the same commitment as human rights in the physical world.”

Carl Bildt, foreign minister of Sweden, wrote in a New York Times op-ed Thursday that the resolution was needed to help protect bloggers and online activists from harassment and to shed a light on abuse happening in closed-off countries.

“We cannot accept that the Internet’s content should be limited or manipulated depending on the flavor-of-the-month political leaders,” wrote Bildt. “Only by securing access to the open and global Internet will true development take place.”  

The resolution calls on countries to “promote and facilitate access to the Internet” and to work together to ensure media and communications facilities are developed worldwide. 

— This story was corrected at 5:47 p.m. to reflect that all the members of the UN Human Rights Council backed the resolution.