Human Rights and Policy Considerations

This research group aims to explore the relationship between Internet
architecture and human rights for a wide audience. It aims to inform the
technical community of how the design of protocols impacts, and can be
informed by, policies that serve the public interest and protect human
rights. It also aims to inform policy makers and civil society groups of
technical constraints that might impact policy choices. The role of the
research group is to promote understanding of the issues so those making
decisions can do so in an informed manner.

Background

The research group takes as its starting point the problem statement that
human-rights-enabling characteristics of the Internet might be degraded if
they are not properly defined, described and sufficiently taken into
account in protocol and standardization development. Not protecting these
characteristics could result in (partial) loss of functionality and
connectivity.

Moreover it is widely accepted that technical design decisions about the
Internet are not value neutral and can have lasting impacts on public
policy and individual human rights.

The Internet aims to be the global network of networks that provides
unfettered connectivity to all users at all times and for any content.
Open, secure and reliable connectivity is essential for rights such as
freedom of expression and freedom of association. Since the Internet’s
objective of connectivity intersects with human rights, its architectural
design considerations converge with the human rights framework.

Research question

Our main research question is: "How are human rights and public interest
policy considered in the development of the Internet?"

We also seek to ask (in no specific order):

• What are established models for evaluating these considerations and how
  do they potentially apply to Internet standards development?

• Which human rights are strengthened and which are weakened by a given
  protocol's design decision?

• Which protocol's design decisions benefit from a established model that
  evaluates human rights and public interest policy considerations?

The Human Rights and Policy Considerations Research Group is chartered to
research on protocol development that is responsible towards and mindful of
the human rights of others and whether standards and protocols can enable,
strengthen or threaten human rights, as defined in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) [1] and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) [2].

Furthermore HRPC researches how protocols can influence policy concerns
that intersect with human rights, and vice versa. This research group is a
discursive resource for the community to support the development process in
recognizing these potential public policy impacts as well assist to address
those impacts adequately. The Global Data Protection Regulation [3],
principles of necessity and proportionality of surveillance [4], are
examples of policy developments that have led to rich areas of work for the
IETF through the Privacy Enhancements and Assessments research group
(PEARG) and more such regulatory actions are expected as the digital age
progresses.

HRPC collaborates with other research groups: PEARG and privacy as a human
right, Global Access to the Internet for All (GAIA) on second-generation
equity rights, with Research and Analysis of Standard-Setting Processes
Research Group (RASPRG) on analysing how discussion of core architectural
principles make value judgements, and with the Measurement and Analysis for
Protocols Research Group (MAPRG) on data analysis and visualization.

Objectives

• To expose the relations between protocols and values, with a focus on
  the human rights framework, such as the policy implications of
  technology choices and the technical implications of policy choices.

• To suggest guidelines to protect the Internet as a human-rights-enabling
  environment and a global public good in future protocol development.

• To increase the awareness in both the human rights community and the
  technical community of the importance of the technical workings of the
  Internet and its impact on human rights and the public interest.

• To create a place for discussions and analysis of the relationship
  between protocol development, and their human rights and policy
  implications by, among other mechanisms, serving as a bridge between the
  human rights community and the protocols' development one.

Outputs

The research group plans on using a variety of research methods to create
different outputs including, but not limited to:

• Internet drafts, some of which may be put in IRTF RFC stream. These will
  concern progress of the project, methodology, and will define any
  possible protocol considerations.

• Research papers concerning both policy and academic topics which can
  include in-depth analysis, discussions and review of the values embedded
  in the Internet architecture, for publication elsewhere.

• Protocol analysis, which can include data analysis and visualization of
  (existing) protocols to research their concrete impact on human rights
  and the public interest.

HRPC research group does not set policy for the IETF.

Membership

Membership is open to any interested parties who intend to remain current
with the published documents and mailing list issues.

[1] http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr

[2] http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CCPR.aspx

[3] https://gdpr-info.eu

[4] https://necessaryandproportionate.org/principles