The right to freedom of opinion and expression

On July 2023 at the 53rd session of the Human Rights Council, in Geneva (Switzerland), there was a Panel discussion on the role of digital, media and information literacy in the promotion and enjoyment of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. There is a transcript of the introduction from Nada Al-Nashif United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, including the words "As noted by the UN Secretary-General, media and information literacy is critical for building societal resilience and countering disinformation - important in electoral contexts, the COVID 19 pandemic and in crisis situations, but also in the many walks of daily life." - the text is here https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2023/07/digital-media-and-information-literacy-are-key-freedoms
There is also a summary of points from each panellist here https://www.ohchr.org/en/news/2023/07/human-rights-council-hears-digital-media-and-information-literacy-programmes-should-be The focus is more on the "digital" and "media" parts, but it is clear that Media and Information Literacy is being acknowledged by all speakers as important.

Photo by Sheila Webber: saved some cherries from the birds, July 2023

New articles: Intellectual Freedom

Just published, a special issue of the open access IFLA Journal (vol. 48 no. 3) which focuses on Intellectual Freedom. It includes:
- A declaration for all seasons: The IFLA Statement on Libraries and Intellectual Freedom by Alex Byrne
- Intellectual freedom and alternative priorities in library and information science research: A longitudinal study by Gabriel J Gardner
- Navigating complex authorities: Intellectual freedom, information literacy and truth in pandemic STEM information by Kate Mercer, Kari D Weaver and Khrystine Waked ("This article presents an illustrative case study, using the example of scientific information around the safety and efficacy of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to demonstrate how modern scientific information sharing is shaped by the ways in which misinformation and fake news spread.")
- Transcribing public libraries as revitalized ethical spaces by Alison Frayne
- Automating intellectual freedom: Artificial intelligence, bias, and the information landscape by Catherine Smith
- Analysis of professional secrecy in Ibero-America: Ethical and legal perspectives by Alonso Estrada-Cuzcano and Karen Lizeth Alfaro-Mendives
- Intellectual freedom: Waving and wavering across three national contexts by Shannon M Oltmann, Toni Samek and Louise Cooke
- Long tail metaphysics: The epistemic crisis and intellectual freedom by Sarah Hartman-Caverly
Download the whole issue at: https://repository.ifla.org/bitstream/123456789/2143/1/ifla-journal-48-3_2022.pdf or https://repository.ifla.org/handle/123456789/2143

 

Freedom of expression, media and Information literacy and digital competencies to support peace and human rights

A recent 16-page publication from UNESCO is Freedom of expression, media and Information literacy and digital competencies to support peace and human rights: thematic paper (Available in English and French). It is one of several "thematic papers developed by UNESCO to inform the Revision of the 1974 Recommendation concerning education for international understanding, co-operation and peace". It summarises key changes in the communication landscape since 1974, identifies the role of Media and Information Literacy (and addresses some ther topics, such as developing digital competencies) and has recommendations on how the 1974 recommendations could be revised. It includes a reference list. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381532
Photo by Sheila Webber: September sky, 2022

ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom #wlic2013

Barbara Jones, Director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association gave a presentation in the FAIFE session at the IFLA World library and Information Conference in Singapore. She talked through the current case of Edward Snowden, and the impacts of that, including people in the USA who were not at all "left wing now raising their concerns about the extent to which their phone calls etc. were being monitored. Her talk had a lot of interesting background and detail that I'm afraid went by me too fast to capture fully. The ALA decided to go after the US law, rather than the particular Edward Snowden case. They are concerned about the gradual way in which citizens are losing their rights. They passed an ALA resolution in July and are aiming to reform or repeal part of the Patriot Act. The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom website is here http://www.ala.org/offices/oif and their blog is here http://www.oif.ala.org/oif/ and it is worth following what they are doing They also organise Choose Privacy Week http://www.chooseprivacyweek.org. Like previous speakers she called on IFLA and librarians internationally to take up this issue of privacy and surveillance more robustly.
Image copyright ALA

"Libraries as a safe haven" #wlic2013

In the FAIFE session at the IFLA World library and Information Conference in Singapore I will report next on the talk 10 trends of internet censoship revisited from PÄIVIKKI KARHULA (Researcher, Chief Information Specialist at Parliament of Finland). The original 10 Trends paper was produced last year and is here http://www.ifla.org/publications/sleepwalking-toward-a-control-society-ten-must-know-trends
The speaker ideantified that censorship no longer just means filtering: it also means tracking, monitoring, data storage and collection, data mining (in other words finding out what you do in great detail and giving that information who know who), sanctioning, blocking and slowing down connections. She identified international pressure and support, and (e.g.) although the European Union countries prohibit export of surveillance technology to totalitarian countries is forbidden, EU countries have not supported Edward Snowden.
The criminalisation of everyday life - with routine monitoring of people's activities and people becoming targets if their activity deviates from "normal" - has become more and more of a concern.
In terms of libraries (which should be a "safe haven"), mass data collection is an increasing issue, especially as the data collected (e.g. on e-books) may be out of the libraries' control. She mentioned the work of the Electronic Frontier Foundation https://www.eff.org/press/releases/huge-global-coalition-stands-against-unchecked-surveillance.
The speaker identified this power transfer to those who own and manage big data as a major concern. What are the consequences? There is non-transperency and apparently unlimited scope. She felt that there should be proper governance for these activities. However, for the moment, we know there will be new forms of surveillance.
Libraries need to redefine their ideas of freedom of information - to include safe access to communicate, search and use information on the internet. What can be done? Libraries need to be involved in development of technology, have impact on the marketplace and legislation, and pay attention to their own policies and practice. Karhula also urged librarians to support campaigns and to join with activities such as those of FAIFE. She also mentioned other organisations e.g. https://www.privacyrights.org/

Karhula reccommended: Davies, S. (2013) "Analysis: Eight global repercussions from the PRISM disclosures ". http://www.privacysurgeon.org/blog/incision/analysis-eight-global-repercussions-from-the-snowden-affair/

FAIFE "The rights of our users" #wlic2013

At the IFLA conference in Singapore I am attending part of the session organised by FAIFE, Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression. "The overall objective of IFLA/FAIFE is to raise awareness of the essential correlation between the library concept and the values of intellectual freedom. To reach this goal IFLA/FAIFE collects and disseminates documentation and aims to stimulate a dialog both within and outside the library world." (from the website) The session was introduced by Kai Ekholm (Chair of FAIFE). He identified some of the prominent current freedom of information issues, and the work of FAIFE. This includes publishing "Spotlights". The spotlights for this year are: Freedom of expression and access to information in Syria today (Inaam Charaf), Interview to Saad Eskander, Director of Iraq National Library and Archives (INLA) (Suvi Kingsley) and Are digital laws making or breaking digital libraries? (Benjamin White): the Spotlight page is here http://www.ifla.org/faife/spotlight. The quote in the subject line of this post is how Ekholm described the role of libraries - supporting the rights of our users. He also challenged librarians to demonstrate their convictions: he wondered what it would take for libraries to shut for a day to show support for freedom of information or opposition to measures that threaten freedom of speech.

How libraries can use living archives to support, engage and document social movements #wlic2013

I'm at the IFLA World library and Information Conference in Singapore, another post from the Librarians and social movements: a force for change session.
Tamara Rhodes talked about A living breathing revolution: how libraries can use living archives to support, engage and document social movements. In saying why she thought this was relevant to libraries she mentioned the American Library Lssociation's Social Responsibilities Round Table and the goal area the ALA currently had of "Transforming libraries". She explained what "Living archive" meant, tracing its meaning through time. The speaker gave examples of a theatre company performing neglected plays, and a person who was a living archive of history. She also mentioned oral history projects. Examples of "capturing the act of living" were the William Mcdonough archive at Stamford University and DOK Agora which has enabled people to film their stories and have them displayed on a video wall. As a new theme is announced, stories are archived on the library's website.
The speaker finished by talking in more detail about #searchunderoccupy (which is about the Occupy Wall Street movement), which has an archive, visuals, social media elements, performance art and teach-ins. Tamara's paper, which outlines this better than I have (she was winner of the best IFLA student paper award), is at http://library.ifla.org/52/1/084-rhodes-en.pdf

Banned Books Week

30 Sept - 6 Oct is Banned Books Week, which is obviously AGAINST banning books. There is a home page at http://bannedbooksweek.org/ and a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bannedbooksweek This is a US (particularly American Library Association) organised event, but e.g. you can post your favourite "Banned" title on the Facebook page.

I am part of a Banned Books Week panel Free to read, taking place in the virtual world Second Life on 1 October at 5pm Second Life Time = US Pacific Time (1am Tuesday in the UK! see http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20121001T17&p1=234 for times elsewhere) on Community Virtual Library Exhibition Area http://slurl.com/secondlife/Info%20Island/61/94/24/. Other panel speakers on intellectual freedom are Pat Franks, Valerie Hill, Jane Bering, and Monika Talaroc.

IFLA #wlic2012 Internet censorship in context: the shape of things to come

Another post from the IFLA World Library and Information Conference in Helsinki, Finland. Päivikki Karhula (University of Tampere, School of Information Sciences, Tampere, Finland) spoke about Internet censorship in context: the shape of things to come. Again this was livestreamed, so should be viewed afterwards on http://express.ifla.org/videos

Karhula traced the origins of the open internet and the growing practice of control, through legislation and filtering. From about 2005-2010 the control and surveillance became more nuanced and pervasive. She felt that the latest issue was the militerisation of cyberspace.
About 20 countries are reckoned to practice pervasive levels of censorship, including very large countries like China. There are different actors in censorship and control, public and private, and an increasing range at different points in the process. Karhula gave some specific examples involving journalists and artists. She identified some worrying trends, with increased ability to identify where people were, and when they were there, integrated with other information giving new mass surveillance. She felt that digital civil rights therefore needed to be redefined. We need protective technologies (against data sharing and tracking), legislation to protect rights, and activism and lobbying to highlight these issues.
Some questions afterwards were raised about the place of libraries. The panel chair pointed to the work of FAIFE itself: notably the IFLA Internet manifesto. Obviously there are implications for information literacy here (though I'm afraid I didn't raise them - too busy blogging!), making people aware of the issues and indeed helping people understand how they can know whether such controls are being practised in the first place.

Karhula finished by showing the video: (un)LAWFUL ACCESS: Canadian experts on the state of cyber surveillance. http://unlawfulaccess.net/

A recent article by Karhula on the FAIFE site is:
Karhula, P. (2012) Data driven futures - censorship takes new forms. FAIFE spotlight. http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/data-driven-futures-censorship-takes-new-forms

IFLA #wlic2012 Privatization of cyberspace - case Google

Siva Vaidhyanathan was the first speaker in a session from IFLA's Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE) group, which is taking place at the IFLA World Library and Information Conference in Helsinki, Finland. He spoke on Privatization of cyberspace - case Google. He is the author of:
Vaidhyanathan, S. (2011) The Googlization of Everything: (And Why We Should Worry). Updated Edition. University of California Press.
This whole FAIFE session is livestreamed and I think it will be available here from tomorrow: http://express.ifla.org/videos
Siva Vaidhyanathan (pictured speaking at the session) started by identifying the ways in which Google search has changed, to have more localisation and personalisation, to smooth out some more offensive sites and to screen out what they term "low quality" news: in other words making editorial decisions. I've blogged presentations from Karen Blakeman, that detail this kind of thing.
Most recently (last week) Google has yielded to pressure, and will give more prominence to "legitimate" sites for films, music and television (so bit torrent sites and fan sites will slide down the rankings). Thus it has moved towards consumerism and he saw further movement in that direction in the future.

AcademicFOI.com

If you are interested in freedom of information issues, particularly if you work in the higher education sector, you might be interested in AcademicFOI.com, "Investigating UK Universities through Freedom of Information". They are using the powers of the Freedom of Information Act and the Information Commissioner's Office to get information from UK universities on issues like bullying and freedom of academics to speak to the press. http://academicfoi.com/

IFLA Report: Researching the Information Commons

Kerry Smith was just talking at the IFLA conference about about Researching the Information Commons (RIC). There is a section on defining the IC on the website, including
"A commons, simply understood, is a resource, or a facility, "that is shared by a community of producers or consumers" (Oakerson, 1992 as quoted in Kranich 2004). The resources within a commons may be either "public goods" or "common pool resources." Some examples of public goods are streets, parks, beaches, common transit routes, stores of knowledge, and national defense." and
"An imaginary "place" where works in the public domain and works affirmatively made under conditions less restrictive than full copyright "reside" (Campbell, 2005)" (see http://infocommons.curtin.edu.au/). Kerry showed pictures of her local beach and bush, as examples of physical commons she was free to roam.
This is therefore something a bit different from the use of the phrase to apply to library/services (as in the "Information Commons" at my university, which you can't get into unless you have a university card). This is an important topic to think about and debate (and take action on) and its worth having a look at the website to see the issues being researched, and you can join in if you are a researcher passionate about this area.
Photo by Sheila Webber: another cute mobile library parked outside the conference centre.

Australia & mandatory internet filtering

Continuing the information access theme .. the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the Safer Internet Group are responding to a government proposal to have mandatory ISP URL filtering. The mandatory filtering would bring up big issues of censorship and (as with all mass filtering) could easily filter out important content, and it raises issues of individual choice and free speech. There is a web page presenting the ALIA view at http://www.alia.org.au/internetfiltering and more comments and links on the ALIA Blog http://www.alia.org.au/blog
Photo by Sheila Webber: my apple blossom in sunlight, May 2010