Fins-IPG-33
International Press Institute (IPI) Resolution on Cyberspace (May 2000)


4 May 2000

Resolutions adopted by IPI's General Assembly

SOURCE: International Press Institute (IPI), Vienna

(IPI/IFEX) - The following are resolutions adopted on 1 May 2000 by 
the 49th IPI General Assembly in Boston, USA:

RESOLUTION ON CYBERSPACE

Increasing attempts by governments to control the content of the
Internet caused serious concern to world journalism leaders meeting 
in Boston for the 49th General Assembly of the International Press 
Institute (IPI).

In many parts of the world, it is clear that governments are seeking 
to enforce political censorship and/or surveillance, said editors and
publishers from around the world.

News media in cyberspace must be granted the same free speech rights 
as traditional print and broadcast media.

The countries that make up the UNESCO General Conference have formally
accepted this view by endorsing the Sofia Declaration of 1997 on
independent and pluralistic media, IPI noted. It said: "The access to
and the use of these new media should be afforded the same freedom of
expression protections as traditional media."

This was echoed by the UN Human Rights Commission's Special Rapporteur
on Freedom of Opinion and Expression in an official report this spring
saying:
"On-line expression should be ... guaranteed the same protection as is
awarded to other forms of expression."

IPI members warned there is a clear danger that stricter controls over
cyberspace could trigger new attempts to control traditional news 
media outlets.

Legitimate concerns about defamation, fraud, paedophilia, organised
crime and the like are normally the subject of existing laws that can 
be invoked in countries where alleged offences may originate, IPI said. 
But free speech and press freedom must be the rule.