Course Description

This advanced course delves into the numerous challenges that freedom of expression faces with the advancement of technology over the last twenty years. The course will examine both the enhancements technology has offered in terms of freedom of information globally, as well as the complexities it brings in terms of normative, regulatory, and political challenges. It aims to explore the tension between global information flows and national jurisdictions and how these relationships impact democracy, fundamental rights, and the borderless nature of freedom of expression.

The course will feature recorded lectures by Dr. Agnes Callamard, supported by additional materials from international experts, case law analyses, and extensive readings. While it follows a foundational course on the same subject, it offers deeper insights into freedom of expression in a digital context.

What Students Will Learn

  • The effects of the Information Technology revolution on freedom of expression and global standards.
  • Recent legal and policy developments tackling challenges to freedom of expression such as issues related to security, religion, and technology.

Prerequisites or Skills Necessary

It is recommended that participants first complete the "Freedom of Expression and Information in the Time of Globalization: Foundational Course." This foundational course is vital for understanding the international legal frameworks and issues surrounding freedom of expression before advancing to more complex topics in this course.

Course Content Overview

  1. Overview of the impact of technology on freedom of expression.
  2. Exploration of global and national legal frameworks.
  3. Case studies and real examples of challenges and solutions.
  4. Interactive assignments to apply the concepts learned.

Who This Course is For

  • Students and professionals interested in law, politics, and human rights.
  • Journalists and media professionals.
  • Activists and researchers focusing on freedom of expression and digital rights.
  • Policy makers and legal advisors.

Real World Application

Skills acquired from this course can significantly benefit various professional and academic fields, such as enhancing the quality and effectiveness of policy-making in governmental and non-governmental sectors, optimizing advocacy strategies of rights-focused organizations, enriching journalistic integrity in digital reportage, and contributing to academic scholarship on digital rights and freedom of expression.

Syllabus

Week 1: The Normative Framework for Freedom of Expression in the Digital Age

  • Introduction to the topics and overview.
  • Detailed discussion on freedom of expression online and intermediary liabilities.
  • Exploration of censorship by proxy and related challenges.

Week 2: Continued Examination of Normative Frameworks

  • Analyses of landmark cases: Are bloggers journalists? The role and liabilities of search engines.
  • The "Right to be Forgotten" and its implications.
  • Surveillance practices and their cross-border implications.

Week 3: Challenges to Online Freedom of Expression

  • Discussion on hate speech and incitement in the digital age based on Article 20 of the ICCPR.
  • Comparative international review of hate speech regulations.
  • Exploration of national security and freedom of expression issues.

Week 4: Protecting Freedom of Expression in the Digital Scope

  • Basics and digital nuances of defamation laws.
  • Privacy concerns and protections online.
  • Security and protections for journalists and human rights defenders.