OSCE Media Representative focuses on freedom of expression in the digital era

VIENNA, 14 April 2003 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Freimut Duve, today published a booklet titled From Quill to Cursor - Freedom of the Media in the Digital Era. Experts from UNESCO and the Council of Europe as well as journalists and internet service providers contributed their papers from a one-day workshop on freedom of the media and the Internet that was held in Vienna in November 2002.

"The Internet offers an unprecedented means for people all over the world to distribute, exchange and access information," said Freimut Duve. "However, while the Internet is rapidly becoming more widespread and accepted, so are attempts to curtail this new freedom of expression. The development of new technologies also brings new challenges for law and order and thus the risk of new means of censorship."

The topics of the papers include universal access to Cyberspace; Council of Europe activities regarding new information and communication technologies; the diminishing importance of constitutional rights in the Internet age; the importance of the public domain for creativity, innovation, and culture; and censorship and intellectual property rights in an international context.

"Even if criminal contents or hate speech are accessible on the Internet, the advantages for freedom of expression far outweigh the dangers of misuse. And although there might be a legitimate need for regulation, this process must be closely monitored to prevent any forms of censorship from being imposed on this new and unique infrastructure," said Duve.

The preparatory workshop will be followed by a two-day conference Freedom of the Media and the Internet to be held 13-14 June 2003 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Additional information and the booklet From Quill to Cursor are available at www.osce.org/fom