How can Freedom of Internet be Promoted?

 

Initiatives to Promote Internet Freedom

The unrestricted nature and ability to freely express oneself facilitated by social networking platforms, together with blogs, video-sharing platforms, and other contemporary communication tools, have demonstrated an unprecedented and occasionally disruptive impact in certain nations.  Despite the growing consequences of misinformation in social media in relation to politics, internet freedom has become a significant part of political movements globally.  In authoritarian nations, internet freedom is increasingly becoming suppressed.  However, in democratic countries, some people express the need for initiatives to facilitate online freedom because it aligns with the strategic goal of strengthening civic society (Shirky, 2011).  Some people in democratic countries who encourage the restriction of internet freedom fear the consequences it produces when the wrong people use it to create chaos over the Internet through misinformation.  Shirky mentions that the U.S. State Department has committed itself to promoting Internet freedom.  This implies that despite the cases of arrests over Facebook comments that Americans have seen, there are other ways in which the government can promote internet freedom for everyone.  This article examines the strategies through which internet freedom is or can be promoted in the U.S. and worldwide.

Strategies that Promote Internet Freedom

1.      Regulation of Government Surveillance Tools

Freedom of the Internet stems from government actions regarding the public use of the Internet.  The government is crucial in facilitating or restricting social media platforms and the Internet.  As shown by the report from Freedom House, the declining freedom of the Internet is solely because governments have established surveillance systems that enable them to capture political activists through their activities on the Internet.  Using automated systems, Governments can enhance their information regulations and refine online censorship methods.  In order to improve the freedom of the Internet, policymakers need to ensure that the surveillance programs implemented by the government comply with the International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance.  These principles mandate that all types of surveillance in communication must follow the principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality.  Lawmakers in the United States should modify or invalidate the existing surveillance legislation and processes to align more closely with the criteria specified in Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and Executive Order 12333, which Forbids the deliberate targeting of specific American individuals. 

Additionally, Governments should endorse community-driven programs offering secure public access points for needy individuals.   Policy initiatives should also involve expanding access and developing internet infrastructure in places and populations that lack adequate service.  This should be accompanied by efforts to make connectivity inexpensive and implement robust legal safeguards for user privacy and net neutrality.  This way, citizens will have equal opportunity to air their views on important political matters.  They should also implement legislation that guarantees sufficient protection of Americans from unnecessary arrests.

Furthermore, it is crucial to enhance protections for journalists who face physical attacks, legal reprisals, and online harassment due to their professional pursuits.  This can be accomplished by supporting the implementation of emergency visas for those confronted with such dangers.  Legislation should ensure the uninterrupted spread of information, grant journalists the privilege to interview individuals in positions of power, empower the public to make freedom of information requests and prohibit the government from acquiring control over media outlets.

2.      Collaboration to Establish Comprehensive Legislation to Strengthen Internet Protections 

The government and social media companies need to collaborate substantially with civil society organizations to comprehend how the Internet can be a safe space for the right individuals.  Even though Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides platform providers with legal protection against any responsibility or legal consequences related to the content posted by users, they should incorporate government policies in establishing their guidelines.  Companies must prioritize openness and equity in their platform’s policies and actions.  Furthermore, these companies should only rely on automatic content removal and account deletion methods if they provide a chance for thorough human evaluation.  They should also create procedures for explaining, addressing concerns, and allowing appeals.  Ultimately, companies must collaborate with autonomous researchers who can thoroughly examine the impact of their services on the integrity of information and the freedom of expression.

3.      Combating Misinformation

According to a study by the Pew Research Centre, misinformation is one of the main reasons Americans support government censorship of internet usage.  Just like governments use AI to establish restrictions on online content, disseminators of false information also utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create counterfeit images, audio, and text, intensifying the ambiguity between reality and deceit.  Countering disinformation and propaganda over social media platforms is a key step in enhancing Internet freedom.  Eliminating disinformation ensures people access to accurate information and firsthand reporting from trustworthy sources.

Facebook and Twitter are currently undertaking actions to eliminate disinformation on social media.  In 2019, Facebook implemented a feature aimed at curbing the dissemination of websites that enjoy an excessive level of popularity on the platform relative to the wider Internet.   Twitter announced its daily removal of over a million accounts that are deemed suspicious or phony.  Similarly, Twitter introduced a labeling system for posts with contested or incorrect information regarding the pandemic.  In 2020, they took the unprecedented step of adding a fact-check label to one of President Trump's tweets.

Moreover, democracies should intensify their endeavors to offer monetary assistance and innovative funding frameworks, technological support, and professional development to facilitate free internet communication within and outside their own country.  In order to enhance their efforts, it would be beneficial for them to supplement those initiatives with comprehensive civic education initiatives and digital literacy training that aid individuals in navigating complex media environments.  Civic education helps the public adopt the fact-checking systems introduced by social media companies to detect false information.  It also enables people to be aware of the consequences of misinformation on the political communication environment.  As a result, people will begin to rely on these platforms and promote internet freedom.  

Ultimately, enhancing the reliability of information is a persistent challenge that needs long-term strategies.  Developing a comprehensive strategy to promote a varied and trustworthy information environment involves backing independent and genuine online media outlets and equipping individuals with the necessary resources to detect inaccurate or deceptive information.   Engaging in civic education programs and receiving digital literacy training can assist individuals in effectively navigating intricate media landscapes.  Governments must commit funding towards the development of detection tools for AI-generated content.  This is particularly crucial as these tools continue to advance in sophistication and become more prevalent.  Democracies should, therefore, increase their efforts to provide help, cooperate, and creative funding structures, technical support, and professional development support to independent online media and sustain internet freedom.