Action Steps: A decade of civil society advocacy in the information society

The purpose of this review was to look back over the past decade of country reports published in Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) and attempt to identify trends in civil society perspectives on what needed to be done to create a people-centred information society. The period for analysis was, more accurately, just over a decade: 2007-2017, during which a GISWatch report was produced each year – a total of 11 reports.

Themes

Access to educational materials
Internet governance
Access to libraries
Civil society participation
Climate change
Communications surveillance
E-waste
Environment and ICT
Freedom of association
Freedom of expression
Information and democracy
Information and livelihoods
Infrastructure
Intellectual property rights
Internet and corruption
Internet rights
Knowledge rights
Open culture
Open standards
Privacy
Sexual rights
Transparency and accountability online
Women's rights, gender

GISWatch: An annual snapshot of the information society, 10 years running

Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) has reached its 10th edition, providing the international community with yearly reports on the state of the information society from the perspective of local civil society organisations and experts from all around the world.

Themes

Access to educational materials
Access to libraries
Civil society participation
Climate change
Communications surveillance
E-waste
Environment and ICT
Freedom of association
Freedom of expression
Information and democracy
Information and livelihoods
Infrastructure
Intellectual property rights
Internet and corruption
Internet rights
Knowledge rights
Open culture
Open standards
Privacy
Sexual rights
Transparency and accountability online
Women's rights, gender

Intellectual property rights

Year

2009 - Access to Online Information and Knowledge

Authored by

Jeremy de Beer

Organization

University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law

Introduction

The issues of access to information and intellectual property (IP) rights are fundamentally intertwined. A properly calibrated IP system is one of several factors that can facilitate access to information by protecting incentives to create and disseminate content while simultaneously safeguarding the human rights of freedom of expression, communication and cultural participation. Equilibrium in IP law, policy and practice is affected by a number of key issues and institutions.

Themes

Intellectual property rights
Internet rights
Knowledge rights