“Internet Freedom is essential to 21st century democracy promotion,” say leading policy-makers.
But while new social media may help depose dictators, can virtual networks play a role in consolidating democracy? Is the democratizing potential of liberation technology overstated or is it now a prerequisite for mobilizing activists in repressive societies?
The upsurge in the Arab world demonstrates the limitation and the potential for new communications technologies to empower Iran’s Green movement, but not without changes in current policy and practice, according to a new report.
Western democracies and assistance groups should include access to information as a priority for the Special Rapporteur on Iran, provide financial and technical assistance, including circumvention technologies, and “provide specialized and small media resources to closely knit populations with greater networks that provide an effective means for cross-border access to information, such as student activists and minority communities,” it suggests.
The report, a special issue of Iran Human Rights Review, is dedicated to the memory of Siamak Pourzand, the veteran Iranian journalist who recently committed suicide to protest the Islamic Republic’s denial of free expression and the pervasive culture of self-censorship.
After the initial euphoria of freedom, emerging Arab democracies will inevitably experience a phase of vulnerability to illiberal forces capable of derailing the transition process and exporting instability, writes civil society activist and analyst Shahriar Ahy.
“Continuing collapse of authority in the world’s energy jugular and the risk of a refugee tsunami toward Europe are serious threats to open societies in advanced democracies,” he argues in the report from the London-based Foreign Policy Centre.
“The key question is whether the new information society can build democratic authority as readily as it can destroy autocracy” and avoid the Russian scenario of instability, chaos and insecurity generating disillusion and the discrediting of democracy:
The good news is that many Western institutions devoted to building democracy have accumulated a vast body of experience and scored impressive successes ….. They have learned the importance of building democracy from the ground up. They understand it is not just the big vessels of democracy, like national elections, but the small capillaries of the political corpus, where the daily experience of ordinary citizens with government takes place, that count in nurturing trust in government.
But new public policy, private sector and programmatic commitments will be needed if such investments in democracy assistance are to bear fruit and new Internet freedom funds are to operate effectively in Iranian cyberspace, writes Mariam Memarsadeghi, the founder and director of Tavaana, an E-Learning Institute for Iranian Civil Society, including:
Disbursing immediately the $30 million authorized by the US Congress for Internet freedom globally and the $20 million for Internet freedom in Iran under the VOICE act.
The European Union should match the US commitment in funding Iranians’ free access to technology.
Using varied and diverse technological solutions to provide free and secure satellite, Internet and mobile phone access to overcome Tehran’s sophisticated use of technology against its people.
Increasing support to proven circumvention technologies that combat Internet censorship.
Publicising the limitations of technologies. Donors funding and encouraging the use of technology for civil society development should also educate users in repressive regimes about potential dangers.
Supporting new, innovative uses of the Internet such as virtual classrooms and elearning initiatives, socially networked advocacy initiatives, awareness campaigns, virtual press conferences, events and global political actions.
