Other meanings of Communication rights
Human Rights
Communication rights are a human rights framework concerning access to and participation in communication, encompassing the right to seek, receive, and impart information, as well as the right to communicate freely and equitably. Rooted in international law, particularly Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, these rights extend beyond freedom of expression to include media pluralism, cultural diversity, and the right to participate in public communication processes. The concept gained prominence in the late 20th century through debates on the New World Information and Communication Order, and remains central to discussions on digital inclusion and internet governance.
Communication rights are anchored in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.1 This provision is echoed in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which adds that the exercise of these rights carries special duties and responsibilities and may be subject to certain restrictions for the protection of national security, public order, or public health.2 The concept of communication rights broadens this legal basis to include not only individual expression but also collective and participatory dimensions, such as the right to communicate, which was articulated by Jean d'Arcy in 1969 as a fundamental human right that encompasses the right to be both a receiver and a sender of messages.
The modern discourse on communication rights emerged during the 1970s and 1980s within the context of the New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO), a movement led by non-aligned countries and supported by UNESCO to address global imbalances in information flows and media representation.3 The MacBride Report, published in 1980, called for a more just and effective world information order, emphasizing the need for democratization of communication and the reduction of media concentration. Although NWICO was largely abandoned in the late 1980s due to political opposition from the United States and the United Kingdom, its legacy persists in contemporary debates on media pluralism, cultural diversity, and the digital divide. The concept of communication rights was further developed by scholars such as Cees Hamelink, who argued that communication rights are essential for human dignity and democratic participation.4
In the digital age, communication rights have gained renewed importance as the internet and social media platforms have transformed how people access and participate in communication. The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held in Geneva in 2003 and Tunis in 2005, recognized the importance of communication rights in building an inclusive information society, though it stopped short of explicitly endorsing the term.5 Issues such as net neutrality, digital literacy, and the right to privacy are increasingly framed within the communication rights paradigm. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression has emphasized that states have a positive obligation to ensure affordable access to the internet and to protect the free flow of information online.6 Furthermore, communication rights are invoked in debates on media ownership concentration, algorithmic transparency, and the protection of journalists and whistleblowers.
Beyond the mainstream discourse, communication rights encompass several lesser-known dimensions. For instance, the right to communicate has been linked to the rights of persons with disabilities, including the right to accessible information and communication technologies, as recognized in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.7 Another niche area is the concept of 'communication rights in the workplace,' which addresses the rights of employees to participate in organizational communication and to have access to information affecting their labor conditions. Additionally, the notion of 'right to be forgotten' is sometimes discussed as a communication right, balancing the right to information with privacy. The Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS) campaign, launched in 2001, has been a key civil society initiative advocating for communication rights in global policy forums, though it remains relatively unknown outside activist circles.8
This entry focuses on the human rights framework sense of communication rights.
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