Institute for Digital Democracy

NPO in support of sustainable development

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Our Ethical Motivation

“A DEMOCRACY IS MORE THAN A FORM OF GOVERNMENT; IT IS PRIMARILY A MODE OF ASSOCIATED LIVING, OF CONJOINT COMMUNICATED EXPERIENCE. THE EXTENSION IN SPACE OF THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATE IN AN INTEREST SO THAT EACH HAS TO REFER HIS OWN ACTION TO THAT OF OTHERS, AND TO CONSIDER THE ACTION OF OTHERS TO GIVE POINT AND DIRECTION TO HIS OWN, IS EQUIVALENT TO THE BREAKING DOWN OF THOSE BARRIERS OF CLASS, RACE, AND NATIONAL TERRITORY WHICH KEPT MEN FROM PERCEIVING THE FULL IMPORT OF THEIR ACTIVITY. (DEWEY, 1916)”

Participative Democracy

THE INTERNET ENABLES THE POSSIBILITY OF DIRECT DEMOCRACY WHEREIN CITIZENS THEMSELVES MAKE DECISIONS ON POLICY MATTERS, WHETHER THROUGH REFERENDA, COMMUNITY MEETINGS, CITIZEN INITIATIVES, OR OTHER DIRECT MEANS. ALTHOUGH IDEAL, THE HIGH LEVEL OF RESOURCES AND EFFORT REQUIRED TO PRACTICE IT, IMPLY DIFFICULTY IN EFFICIENT FUNCTIONING IN LARGE POLITIES AND SITUATIONS OF UNEQUAL INTERNET ACCESS. THE CONSEQUENTIAL STREAMLINING OF DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES INEVITABLY RESULT IN REVERTING TO SYSTEMS OF REPRESENTATIVE RULE. PARTICIPATIVE DEMOCRACY IS A COMBINATION OF REPRESENTATIVE AND DIRECT DEMOCRACY. OUR MISSION PURSUES THE PROMOTION OF PARTICIPATIVE DEMOCRACY AS A STEPPING STONE TOWARDS DIRECT DEMOCRACY.

Our Legal Compliance:​

TO LEND ACTIVE AND PRACTICAL SUPPORT TO THE “REPORT OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF OPINION AND EXPRESSION, FRANK LA RUE TABLED AT THE SEVENTEENTH SESSION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL OF THE UNITED NATIONS ON 16TH MAY, 2011 AND ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS ON 29TH JUNE, 2012.​

This Report:

  • REAFFIRMS THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS ENSHRINED IN THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES, INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS AND THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS.
  • RECALLS ALL RELEVANT RESOLUTIONS OF THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ON THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF OPINION AND EXPRESSION, IN PARTICULAR COUNCIL RESOLUTION 12/16 OF 2 OCTOBER 2009, AND ALSO RECALLING GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 66/184 OF 22 DECEMBER 2011,
  • NOTES THAT THE EXERCISE OF HUMAN RIGHTS, IN PARTICULAR THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ON THE INTERNET IS AN ISSUE OF INCREASING INTEREST AND IMPORTANCE AS THE RAPID PACE OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT ENABLES INDIVIDUALS ALL OVER THE WORLD TO USE NEW INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES.​

Through Adoption Of The Report, The Human Rights Council And The General Assembly:

  • AFFIRMS THAT THE SAME RIGHTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE OFFLINE MUST ALSO BE PROTECTED ONLINE, IN PARTICULAR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, WHICH IS APPLICABLE REGARDLESS OF FRONTIERS AND THROUGH ANY MEDIA OF ONE’S CHOICE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLES 19 OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS;.
  • RECOGNIZES THE GLOBAL AND OPEN NATURE OF THE INTERNET AS A DRIVING FORCE IN ACCELERATING PROGRESS TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS.
  • CALLS UPON ALL STATES TO PROMOTE AND FACILITATE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AIMED AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDIA AND INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES IN ALL COUNTRIES;.
  • ENCOURAGES SPECIAL PROCEDURES TO TAKE THESE ISSUES INTO ACCOUNT WITHIN THEIR EXISTING MANDATES, AS APPLICABLE.
  • DECIDES TO CONTINUE ITS CONSIDERATION OF THE PROMOTION, PROTECTION AND ENJOYMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ON THE INTERNET AND IN OTHER TECHNOLOGIES, AS WELL AS OF HOW THE INTERNET CAN BE AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR DEVELOPMENT AND FOR EXERCISING HUMAN RIGHTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS PROGRAMME OF WORK.