ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how, in the context of international peace and security, the question of human rights is largely overlooked in multilateral discussions of cybersecurity. The creation of the Internet and related digital networks and platforms has necessitated an examination of how those rights apply to individuals in how their use of, and ability to access, those mediums. The inclusion of human rights in two of several reports of UN Groups of Governmental Experts on information and communications technologies (ICTs) have been touched on, but it is useful to have a better understanding of their contents. Balancing the justifiable need to prevent ICTs from being misused to incite or promote violence, with human rights, often represents political, normative, and legislative challenges for states. Canada’s statement reinforced the role that ICTs can play in advancing human rights, and described its efforts to bringing a ‘human rights framing to cybersecurity issues’ as part of its work in the Freedom Online Coalition.
