Group items tagged

Another article found in my search for information about the "global digital divide." According to the article, last week, the United Nations released a report that "argued that disconnecting individuals from the Internet is a violation of human rights and goes against international law" and that all States should seek to ensure there is "as little restriction to online content as possible." The Atlantic points out, following Wired's Threat Level blog, that the UN report came "the same day that a monitoring firm found two-thirds of Syria's Internet access has been shut down without notice." While access isn't the only factor in the digital divide on a global or a national scale (disparities in information or new media literacy is also a huge factor, for example), I agree that the availability of unfettered access as a matter of government policy is the bare minimum.

It confuses me that it can be considered a basic human right if, for a portion of the population, it's hard to access and at times, can be unreachable. Even though I know it's more what Tom said about it being a negative right, the phrasing just doesn't sit right. Either way, this is a great thing and I'm surprised it didn;t happen sooner.

I had come across this article as well in our group project research, Maggie, and I think that the UN is taking steps to bring the conversation on the right to freedom of opinion and expression into the digital age, as Tom mentions. Article 19 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, in place since 1948, states: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." So in the context of the recent shutdown of ISPs by Syria, more generally the use of the Internet as a means of civic and political dissidence, and even the debate around net neutrality in this country, I agree with Maggie that the UN's approach seems to clarify and reiterate unfettered access to information.

Continuing the "We are all cyborgs" discussion from Amber Case this past unit, I'd like to share a blog that focuses on our relationship to the Internet and technology. Browsing the page I found that the Twitter hash tag #cyberology lends to some really great resources too: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23cyborgology.

Perhaps a manifestation of lessons from JSB? In his keynote speech from Unit 3 he ends noting that organizations should use crowdsourcing, not as a PR opportunity, but one that enables legitimate democratic engagement.

A Princeton University researcher, with a team of scientists from the United States, Germany and Switzerland, has made a breakthrough in the development of quantum computers, which, while still in their infancy, have the potential to be smaller and faster than today's computers.

SEOUL | Thu Jul 14, 2011 5:48am EDT SEOUL (Reuters) - Apple Inc's Korean unit has paid compensation to a user of its popular iPhone after collecting location data without consent, lawyers and court officials said, the first payout by the company over these complaints.

The lawsuits have begun...

Yes, they have!