Tim Berners-Lee, founder of the World Wide Web, has recently called for the development of an “Internet Users’ Bill of Rights” as part of the “web we want” campaign[1]. Against this backdrop, Pirate Party Australia renews its calls for a global treaty to enshrine net neutrality, freedom from state control, and protection for private communication, free expression and unrestricted access to information[2]. In 2012 the United Nations Human Rights Council effectively declared that Internet access should be a human right, and that the same rights that people take for granted offline must be also enshrined online[3].
“Many of the rights we take for granted are being violated online because the Internet is still be treated as a dark and scary place,” said Fletcher Boyd, lead candidate for the Senate in WA. “The approach taken by governments and intelligence agencies is fundamentally misguided. The Internet is not separate to society, it is a key part of how our society functions. Our rights must be respected online just as much as they are offline.”
“There is a place for surveillance online, but it must be targeted and warranted. The practice of indiscriminately sucking up as much personal information as possible is an unreasonable incursion into personal privacy. Revelations about the extent of online surveillance by intelligence agencies, especially in Australia and the US, highlight why we need to make sure that all countries are onboard and committed to protecting rights online.”
The Pirate Party is one of the few political parties to have highly developed Internet-related policies, including plans to reform copyright laws, protect freedom of speech, prohibit censorship and ensure that the Internet is as neutral a conduit of information as possible[4]. The Pirate Party opposes interference with the quality of Internet access by Internet service providers, such as slowing speeds to competitors’ services to funnel users towards their own.
“Government policies relating to the Internet have focused on regulating how users interact with each other and access content on the Internet. Instead of ensuring the Internet remains a neutral and trusted platform for communications, entertainment, economic competition, global cooperation and political participation, continuous attempts are made by governments and corporate interests to censor material and control the movement of data,” Mr Boyd continued.
Pirate Party Australia is contesting the WA Senate election on 5 April this year. Following the Federal Election in September 2013, and the Griffith By-Election last month, this is the Pirate Party’s third tilt at a federal seat in nine months. At the Federal Election, the Party averaged 0.31% of the total national vote, despite not running in WA, SA, the ACT or NT. In the Griffith By-Election, the Pirate Party achieved 1.51%, coming fourth out of the eleven candidates who contested. Pirate Party Australia will be making further announcements regarding its preferences and other election matters shortly.
[1] http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/12/online-magna-carta-berners-lee-web
[2] https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Policies/Foreign_Policy_and_Treaty_Making#Support_principles_of_transparency_and_openness_in_treaties_and_trade_agreements
[3] http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/alldocs.aspx?doc_id=20280 (“The promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet”)
[4] https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Platform