@techreport{irtf-hrpc-association-09, number = {draft-irtf-hrpc-association-09}, type = {Internet-Draft}, institution = {Internet Engineering Task Force}, publisher = {Internet Engineering Task Force}, note = {Work in Progress}, url = {https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-irtf-hrpc-association-09}, author = {Niels ten Oever and Gisela Perez de Acha and Stéphane Couture and Mallory Knodel}, title = {{Freedom of Association on the Internet}}, pagetotal = 33, year = 2022, month = mar, day = 7, abstract = {This document explores whether is a relation between the Internet architecture and the ability of people to exercise their right to peaceful assembly and the right to association online. It does so by asking the question: what are the protocol development considerations for freedom of assembly and association? The Internet increasingly mediates our lives, our relationships, and our ability to exercise our human rights. As a global assemblage, the Internet provides a public space, yet it is predominantly built on private infrastructure. Since Internet protocols and architecture play a central role in the management, development, and use of the Internet, we analyze the relation between protocols, architecture, and the rights to assemble and associate to mitigate infringements on those rights. This document concludes that the way in which infrastructure is designed and implemented impacts people's ability to exercise their freedom of assembly and association. It is therefore recommended that the the potential impacts of Internet technologies should be assessed, reflecting recommendations of various UN bodies and norms. Finally, the document remarks that non-interoperable platforms that do not allow for interoperability or data-portability, render users unable to change platforms, therefore leading to a sort of "forced association" that inhibits people to fully exercise their freedom of assembly and association.}, }