This project establishes a European observatory researching whether and how the right (not) to use the internet can and should be conceptualised and operationalised – especially for vulnerable groups.
When the internet first appeared, it was welcomed as a blessing that made everyone’s life easier and more social and provided endless digital connection opportunities. With time, this blessing has in some ways turned into a source of dependency that requires people to be connected to function in society. The world is divided – while some crave access to the internet and consider it a basic right, others fight for the right not to be forced to use it. One way to address these challenges is to invoke the narrative of human rights. While policymakers, legislators, academics, judges and the public increasingly refer to these (prospective) rights, the need for those rights, and how they can be shaped and operationalized, is underexplored, especially when it comes to vulnerable groups, such as children or the elderly.
The project will set up a European observatory on the right to use the internet (R2UI) and the right not to use the internet (RN2UI). It aims to conduct unique normative research on whether and how these two rights can and should be conceptualised and operationalised in today’s digital reality. The observatory will monitor and assess ongoing legal and policy developments on these rights across the Council of Europe Member States, with particular attention to vulnerable groups.
Ultimately, the observatory aims to develop recommendations for policymaking, inspired by the voices of vulnerable groups; and become the reference point for the research community.
