In the words of the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Frank La Rue, “freedom of expression is the right of all individuals to seek, receive and share information and ideas of all kinds and in all possible forms.” This project investigates the potential of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) to expand the exercise of freedom of expression, including in its new arrangements of content production and the promotion of diverse sources of information.

The project also explores the restrictions or threats to the right of freedom of expression and opinion. In that sense, the project investigates privacy issues, promoting the study and dissemination of anti-surveillance technologies. It also examines the debate on different approaches to privacy, both from the standpoint of public policies as well as from private practices.

Amongst the main goals of the project is the promotion of various specific rights: the right to access information and communications technologies, including connection to the Internet; the right to access contents, in the sense of guaranteeing its availability, the necessary conditions to its production and the promotion of diversity and plurality of distribution. As part of the project, the Institute also develops studies on the concept of neutrality in the web in all its dimensions and implications for the future of rights and communications.

This project is a partnership between ITS Rio and Ford Foundation.