ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book identifies the elements present in the ‘right to access the Internet’ debate that are in line with existing jurisprudence of international human rights monitoring bodies. It focuses on how existing international human rights frameworks, in particular the freedom of expression framework, could support a right to access the Internet. The book provides a baseline for rights-based criteria for the development, implementation, and evaluation of digital inclusion programs that synchronizes the latest developments in the interpretation of freedom of expression and other related rights. It examines the existing scope of negative and positive obligations on States related to access to the Internet. The book explores relevance of other freedom of expression principles absent from several decisions that are critical to addressing the digital divide.
