10 Principles to Govern the Internet

The following principles were recently released by the Internet Rights and Principles Coalition, an international coalition of stakeholders participating in the Internet Governance Forum, a group within the United Nations.

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Universality. All humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights, which must respected, protected, and fulfilled in the online environment.

Accessibility. Everyone has an equal right to access and use a secure and open Internet.

Neutrality. Everyone must have uniform access to the Internet’s content, free from prioritization, discrimination, censorship, filtering, or traffic control.

Rights. The Internet is a space for the promotion, protection, and fulfillment of human rights. Everyone has the duty to respect the rights of all others in the online environment.

Expression. Everyone has the right to hold and express opinions, and to seek, receive, and impart information on the Internet without arbitrary interference or surveillance. Everyone has the right to communicate anonymously online.

Life, liberty and security. The rights to life, liberty, and security must be respected, protected and fulfilled online. These rights must not be infringed upon, or used to infringe other rights, in the online environment.

Privacy. Everyone has the right to privacy online free from surveillance, including the right to control how their personal data is collected, used, disclosed, retained, and disposed.DiversityCultural and linguistic diversity on the Internet must be promoted, and technical and policy innovation should be encouraged to facilitate diversity of expression.

Standards and regulation. The Internet’s architecture shall be based on open standards that facilitate interoperability and inclusion of all for all.GovernanceRights must form the legal and normative foundations upon which the Internet operates and is governed. This shall happen in a transparent and multilateral manner, based on principles of openness, inclusive participation and accountability as prescribed by law.