PRIVACY

One of the most important democratising aspects of the Internet, often overlooked, has been the creation of private online spaces. The most undemocratic societies are those that do not allow their citizens privacy and put everything they do under constant surveillance. Even in relatively democratic societies, exploited and/or marginalised sections of societies, can only organise against their oppression by being able to 'self-determine' their own agendas. A critical aspect of this is being able to discuss and debate in private, safe spaces.

Private spaces beyond national boundaries

The Internet provides the opportunity for such private spaces to develop beyond national boundaries. By enabling the international sharing of experiences by oppressed sectors and by allowing people living under undemocratic regimes to communicate safely and privately, the Internet is playing a role in helping to overcome oppression and exploitation. APC has played an important part in utilising this aspect of the Internet for the development of democracy, particularly in its work to oppose gender discrimination.

Legalised threats to privacy threaten democracy

Governments and states around the world are now claiming that the private communication that exists on the Internet has to be ended. Legislation, such as the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIP) Act in Britain and the Wiretapping Act in Japan, is being put in place, together with technical resources, to enable state interception and monitoring of private Internet communication. International agreements are being made between states to combat "cybercrime" by intercepting private email correspondence. For many of the states involved, democracy itself is considered to be a crime. These developments have been given a new impetus by the events of September 11th, 2001. In the name of "the war against terrorism" serious challenges to fundamental privacy rights are being made. One example of this is the attempt being made (at the time of writing, May 2002) by the US and some European governments to overturn European Union legislation forbidding the preservation of communications traffic data beyond its use "for billing purposes". This legislation is regarded by the EU data protection authorities as essential to protecting EU citizen's privacy rights online.

These moves have the effect of destroying democracy in the name of defending it against terrorism and cybercrime. They enforce unacceptable surveillance measures against the general population that would soon be avoided by terrorists and criminals. If implemented this would represent a major victory for terrorism over democracy.

The right to private discussion and debate free from monitoring and surveillance

Another justification for interception of Internet communications often put forward to the general public is that this is needed to combat the sexual exploitation of women, and particularly children, and to combat the activities of racist groups. But it is the creation of private spaces, where the victims of abuse can discuss between themselves and with others they trust and have chosen to talk to, that has, in fact, proven to be the most powerful weapon against both sexual exploitation and racial oppression. Many such spaces have been brought about on the Internet by activist user groups, often operating on APC member networks. Governments and states mostly try to preserve the status quo, which often includes the exploitation of women and children and the oppression of racial and national minorities. All too often, when victims try to organise against their oppression, it is they that are labelled as criminals, whilst the exploiters are often protected by having a relatively powerful position within society.

APC supports the rights of its members and users to create areas of private discussion and debate free from monitoring and surveillance. We believe this is a basic requirement of democracy, particularly essential for empowering exploited and victimised sections of society. We work with our member organisations and other civil society groups to defend the privacy of the correspondence of our Internet communities.

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