Issue No. 1: Freedom of Expression and Censorship

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                             Under international human rights conventions, all people are guaranteed the rights for free expression. However, with the shift from communication through letter, newspapers, and public meetings to electronic communications and online networking, a need to look into how these new means modifies the understanding of freedom of expression and censorship.

                             The Un Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides that everyone has the right of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, likewise the right to freedom of opinion and expression. However there are practices that violate these provisions in the use of internet.


                             Some examples are the following:

              Individual rights are given up in order to have access to electronic networks. Microsoft Network’s (MSN’s contracts provide protection of individuals like “upload, or otherwise make available files that contain images, photographs or other materials protected by intellectual property laws, including but not limiting to copy or trademark laws, unless you own or control the rights thereto or have received all necessary consents to do the same. However, Microsoft reserves the rights, in its sole discretion, to terminate access to any or all MSN sites or services.

Censorship restricts the transmission of information by blocking it or filtering the information. Blocking is preventing access to whole areas of


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