Second OSCE Internet Media Freedom Conference opens in Amsterdam
AMSTERDAM, 27 August 2004 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, and Lodewijk Asscher from the City Council of Amsterdam today opened a conference entitled "Guaranteeing Media Freedom on the Internet" in the Amsterdam City Hall.
"The Internet, once heralded as the ultimate technology of freedom, may be changing to the perfect technology of control", said Lodewijk Asscher. "By its nature, freedom of speech is in constant flux, never safe, never fully guaranteed. That's why it's so important that both scholars and policymakers debate this fundamental right".
The two-day conference brings together international experts from the OSCE, Council of Europe, UNESCO, academia, media and a number of non-governmental organizations from Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and North America.
The topics include legislation and jurisdiction for digital networks; hate speech on the Internet; education and the development of Internet literacy; access to information and networks; as well as the problems of self-regulation, blocking and filtering.
The OSCE Media Representative Miklos Haraszti said in his opening statement: "It is no secret that the OSCE has started to worry about the Internet. Unlike some regulators, my Office is promoting the least damaging and the least restricting approach in order to further guarantee freedom of expression on the Internet".
The first speaker at the conference, Nico van Eijk of the Amsterdam Institute of Information Law, stressed: "The basis for reflection during this conference should be the underlying fundamental constitutional values like freedom of information".
The results of the 2004 Amsterdam Conference will be incorporated into a "Freedom of the Media Internet Cookbook" with recommendations and best practices, which will be published by the OSCE Media Representative later this year.
For more information, a detailed agenda, and biographies of the participants please go to the special conference website.