The Senior State Department Officials on Internet freedom programs underscored that governments that are respecting the rights of their peoples have nothing to fear in free speech or free Internet.
“This is about the simple reality that Governments that are respecting universal human rights have no reason to fear a free internet.”
– U.S. State Department Senior official
The Senior Official said modern communications technologies means that nothing can be swept under the rug anymore and that sunshine is the best disinfectant.
“Well, these technologies seem to be the best amplifier of sunshine in many ways. And that’s something that governments have to reckon with.”
– U.S. State Department Senior official
The Senior Official noted that the need is not one particular piece of technology or one silver bullet. The need is to be responsive to the ongoing challenges of people who are trying to call out the problems in their societies and give voice to their own future.
“And it hasn’t worked for Mubarak, and it hasn’t worked for Qadhafi, and it’s unlikely to work for Asad, and there are others who eventually will have to deal with either the stark choice of giving people the space to have a role in crafting their own futures or the lack of sustainability of their present model.”
– U.S. State Department Senior official
The Senior Official made it clear that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is about a right to say, a right to express yourself and it is content-neutral.
“We are guided by the principle, the universal principles of human rights, and that people should have the right to come together to associate around a cause, that people should be able to peacefully demonstrate, that people should be able to speak their mind and it’s not about dictating what’s on their mind, but about a universal right to speak one’s mind.”
– U.S. State Department Senior official