The Internet is a network that empowers at the edges, rather that the centre, rendering it a profoundly democratic and rights-fostering platform. Human rights are principles that seek to empower those at the margins rather than at the centre of power, rendering them a fundamentally empowering framework for individuals. This paper explores human rights and Internet protocols by comparing the processes for their making and the principles by which they operate.
A new issue paper by South Africa-based ICT expert Steve Song for APC explains how wirless is crucial to bridging the digital divide. This article summarises some of the key points of his paper which is available for download.