U.N. Realizes Internet Surveillance Chills Free Speech 90
An anonymous reader writes "The Electronic Frontier Foundation reports that the United Nations has finally come to the realization that there is a direct relationship between government surveillance online and citizens' freedom of expression. The report (PDF) says, 'The right to privacy is often understood as an essential requirement for the realization of the right to freedom of expression. Undue interference with individuals' privacy can both directly and indirectly limit the free development and exchange of ideas. An infringement upon one right can be both the cause and consequence of an infringement upon the other.' The EFF adds, 'La Rue's landmark report could not come at a better time. The explosion of online expression we've seen in the past decade is now being followed by an explosion of communications surveillance. For many, the Internet and mobile telephony are no longer platforms where private communication is shielded from governments knowing when, where, and with whom a communication has occurred.'"
Re:Missing the point (Score:2, Informative)
And just as absolutely you will not be able to prevent the monitoring.
Not necessarily. The entire government doesn't have to be corrupt from top to bottom in order for abuses to happen, and mistakes (like the government overreacting to bomb jokes and infringing upon people's freedoms) will inevitably occur no matter how corrupt the government is.
It's difficult to prevent the government from secretly monitoring its citizens, but maybe not impossible.