Tag: Telcos

The 24th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) opened last Monday, and already in the first week, internet-related human rights issues were highlighted as areas of concern by governments, civil society, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, alike. With the international community still reeling from the revelations of mass state surveillance sparked by Edward Snowden’s leaks in May, much, but not all, discussion of internet issues focused on how to protect human rights, in particular privacy, in the digital age.

While European Commissioner for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes was expected to publish the official proposal for a Regulation of the Telecom Single Market today, the announcement has been pushed back to allow for changes following significant concerns raised by other Commissioners on this hotly-debated legislation.

More disappointing news from the Commissioner for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes is spreading around Brussels. Contrary to previous statements made by the Commissioner, there are no clear network neutrality provisions contained in forthcoming Regulation for the Telecom Single Market, according to a leaked draft recently published by European Digital Rights (EDRi).

The Amash-Conyers amendment, the U.S. Congress’ first attempt to limit the NSA surveillance, may have been unsuccessful. But its narrow loss demonstrates the growing force behind the call to reform these programs. To know where we go from here, its important to look at the potential impact of this amendment.

Access joined a broad coalition in sending a letter to US government officials calling on the government to a) ensure internet, telephone, and web-based service providers be allowed to regularly report specific data regarding intelligence information requests, and to b) establish its own transparency report with specific data on number of requests, statutes, authorities, and affected individuals.

Some of the world’s leading sustainable investment firms have joined the growing chorus of voices speaking out against private sector compliance in the U.S. government’s sweeping violations of human rights through its widely publicized NSA surveillance programs.

Myanmar has chosen the two winners of its new telecoms licenses, Telenor Mobile Communications of Norway and Ooredoo of Qatar. After winning the highly competitive process, they will have their work cut out for them, both operationally and in with regards to human rights.

After almost four years of discussion, Ecuador’s National Assembly passed a new Communications Law, providing a legal framework for the fundamental right to communications considered in the Constitution of 2008. While this new legislation represents a great advance for internet access, along with a more equitable distribution of public spectrum, it also contains some provisions that represent a threat to freedom of expression.

To help telcos address these concerns, Access has developed guidance for telcos and other information and communication technology (ICT) firms in our new paper, Forgotten Pillar: The Telco Remedy Plan. The paper will be officially released at a special event open to the public in Washington, DC, on Monday June 24th.

As secrets about the NSA’s surveillance programs continue to command the world’s attention, some communications companies involved are advocating that the US government allow them to reveal more about their participation in the programs in order to maintain their reputations.