Irrepressible

[Ronin Storm]

Do you believe that we should be free to express ourselves on the Internet? Should we be allowed to express fringe political views, hold debates on the values of certain human rights, voice our displeasure over atrocities that take place around the world? Should we be able to do any of these things and not fear recriminations?

I believe we should be free to think and express ourselves, albeit with respect for others; after all, without that respect, we may deny others the right to express themselves in return.

Amnesty International (AI) believes a very similar thing.

Check out Irrepressible, an AI campaign to show governments around the world that we believe that the Internet should be a force for political freedom, not repression. In November 2006, governments and companies from all over the world will be meeting at a UN conference to decide the future of the Internet. You can sign the AI Irrepressible pledge on their site to uphold the following:

The pledge

I believe the Internet should be a force for political freedom, not repression. People have the right to seek and receive information and to express their peaceful beliefs online without fear or interference.

I call on governments to stop the unwarranted restriction of freedom of expression on the Internet ? and on companies to stop helping them do it.

I've signed. Will you?

[edit]Should have quoted my original source...[/edit]

Originally directed there from a BBC News article.

 

[Wraith]

I'm all for this. The only caveat I'd make is that it should still be illegal to share illegal material (warez etc). Other than that I think freedom of opinion is not only desirable but absolutely essential.

Pledge signed

Wraith

 

[Fi$hy]

Yes and No, in my opinion....

Yes we should be able to do as we please.

But ethically, where do we draw the line. If we are all "Sovereign Individuals" then the government has no more right to intervene in 'state-secrets' than it does the viewing of child porn.

Who should decide what we do?

Collective or individual decisions?

 

[Ronin Storm]

The AI pledge is about political freedom and doesn't attempt to extend its boundaries beyond that.

Whether information wider than that should be free? That's arguable, of course, though I'd tend towards the "information wants to be free" slant in most things.

 

[Pestcontrol]

Signed.

 

[DocBot]

signed.

 

[thatbloke]

Signed.

Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V.

 

[MadGinga]

Signed.

Free speach is essential, in what ever form media may take now and in the future, be it newspapers, television, radio, or the internet.

Without it the general population would be like sheep, and would probably live in a state of fear*. If the government controls the media, the government will be able to do as it pleases, without fear of reprisals or complaints. Which isnt a good thing, imagine what Bush Jnr. would be getting up to if he could get away with it!

*Everyone should read "State of Fear" by Michael Crichton , it's a really good book, and it's about controlling the media to scare the public into supporting certain ideas.

 

[Gopha]

Signed, Hmmmm The internet is Like the French ,if theres something t doenst like theyll say it!

 

[MadGinga]

...The internet is Like the French ...

What? It runs away and hides at the first sign of danger?!

 

[thatbloke]

I mentioned this in one of my exam questions today. We had a load of stuff to read up on the whole China thing where they essentially have their own version of the Internet (to cut a long story short, that is).

 

[Fuzzy Bunny]

Signed.

 

[lt.kirby]

Signed... theres alot of good things about the internet and some that are not to great

[edit]grate > great[/edit]

 

[Pestcontrol]

A small update: Even though irrepressible is (ironically) rather easy to suppress, i've found another purpose just as important as spreading censored content. I frequently find myself clicking the small texts to see what it's about, and read more. Through this, i learn what exactly it is that's censored, and the wrongs and unjustice there is in this world, and the people exposing it and fighting against it with the help of amnesty.

Really a wonderfully innovative and useful webcampaign.

 

[PsiSoldier]

The inter-noodle