Kate Holbrook, Ann S. Kim, Brian Palmer, Anna Portnoy (eds.): Global Values 101: A Short Course (2006)

Global Values 101 grew out of one of the most popular courses ever offered at Harvard University, in which some of the most original thinkers of our day sat down with students and explored how ideas have made them-and can make us-more engaged, involved, and compassionate citizens. In these engrossing, essay-length interviews, which address the topics of war, religion, the global economy, and social change, Amy Goodman, host of the popular radio program Democracy Now, speaks about the role of the independent media as gatekeeper and witness; Lani Guinier, author of Tyranny of the Majority, reveals that students’ SAT scores more accurately describe the kind of car their parents drive than the grades they will earn in college and shows the way to a more equitable college admissions system; Howard Zinn, author of A People’s History of the United States, explores the American Dream and exposes the myth of the “good war”; economist Juliet Schor, author of Born to Buy and The Overspent American, explains why Americans are willing to sacrifice quality of life to attain financial success; former “mall rat” Naomi Klein, author of No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies, urges readers to go global while fighting global conglomerates; and Katha Pollitt, author of Reasonable Creatures: Essays on Women and Feminism, employs her incisive wit to explore what it really means to be a feminist in the Twenty First century.

For anyone who has been moved by idealism and longed to become a more proactive citizen, this collection offers a range of stories on how progressive ethics can inform, inspire, and ultimately transform lives.

Publisher Beacon Press, 2006
ISBN 0807003050, 9780807003053
276 pages

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OSCE: Freedom of Expression on the Internet (2011)

In 2010, the Office of the Representative on Freedom of the Media of the OSCE commissioned a report to assess Internet regulation among its Member States. Considering the global nature of the Internet, as well as the lack of harmonisation at international level, many States have adopted regulation measures in order to implement national legislation also on Internet related matters.

The OSCE examined, in particular, existing laws and practices related to freedom of expression, the free flow of information and media pluralism on the Internet, which are fields potentially menaced by national Internet legislation. Indeed, member states have made commitments in regard of media freedom principles with which they should act in accordance.

OSCE’s study is based on a questionnaire given to participating members, which deals with four main subjects: a) internet access, b) internet content regulation, c) blocking, filtering and content removal and, d) licensing and liability & Internet hotlines. Because of the significant cultural diversity between Member States, national Internet legislation differs from one state to another. According to what is considered harmful in one state, for example, different content regulation has been adopted. In addition, participating states have various provisions as far as Internet access is concerned. For instance, lately many states have authorised blocking access to websites deemed illegal conforming to national legislation. Such practices are incompatible with OSCE commitments, as well as with other universal or European conventions signed by Member States and concerning media freedom, freedom of expression and free flow of information.

After having examined all the elements provided by participating states, the report made a series of recommendations which aim to ensure that the Internet remains an open and public forum for freedom of opinion and expression. Some of the aforementioned recommendations are the respect of net neutrality, refrain from mandatory blocking of content or websites, recognition of Internet access as a human right, all taking into consideration the borderless nature of Internet.

Freedom of Expression on the Internet: Study of legal provisions and practices related to freedom of expression, the free flow of information and media pluralism on the Internet in OSCE participating States
Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE): The Office of the Representative on Freedom of the Media, July 2011
233 pages

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Daniel J Solove: Nothing to Hide: The False Tradeoff between Privacy and Security (2011)

“If you’ve got nothing to hide,” many people say, “you shouldn’t worry about government surveillance.” Others argue that we must sacrifice privacy for security. But as Daniel J. Solove argues in this important book, these arguments and many others are flawed. They are based on mistaken views about what it means to protect privacy and the costs and benefits of doing so. The debate between privacy and security has been framed incorrectly as a zero-sum game in which we are forced to choose between one value and the other. Why can’t we have both?

In this concise and accessible book, Solove exposes the fallacies of many pro-security arguments that have skewed law and policy to favor security at the expense of privacy. Protecting privacy isn’t fatal to security measures; it merely involves adequate oversight and regulation. Solove traces the history of the privacy-security debate from the Revolution to the present day. He explains how the law protects privacy and examines concerns with new technologies. He then points out the failings of our current system and offers specific remedies. Nothing to Hide makes a powerful and compelling case for reaching a better balance between privacy and security and reveals why doing so is essential to protect our freedom and democracy.

Publisher Yale University Press, 2011
ISBN 0300172311, 9780300172317
256 pages

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