Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-05-05-Speech-2-018"

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"Thank you, Madam President. What we are seeing today is the growth of a new society. We are seeing technological renewal within society where the old type of communication, which was single-direction of the type where ‘one person speaks and everyone else listens’, has been replaced by a more multi-dimensional communication, a form of participative communication, and many of us have embraced this new culture of freedom. It is about interaction, freedom of expression, creativity and creative zest. It is about an exchange of information that is often independent of commercial interests, but unfortunately old power structures feel threatened and therefore want to interfere and regulate and control what is happening on the Internet. On the pretext of tackling organised crime and terrorism, they are trying to limit our civil rights, but this must not be allowed to happen. Together with my fellow Members in the Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left I have therefore drawn up a number of amendments in favour of civil rights, to protect citizens’ rights on the Internet. I am re-tabling my Amendment 166, which was adopted at the previous reading. The objective of the amendment is to ensure that the end-users of electronic communication, that is to say we citizens, will have the opportunity to access services and applications without unjustified restrictions. We have to strike a balance between people’s rights to free expression and privacy, and protect personal data and the freedoms and rights of others, including the right to the protection of intellectual property and the protection of public safety and security. In certain countries, governments want to introduce new, tougher laws, which allow Internet providers to block people’s access to the Internet. We believe that it should not be possible for any citizens to have their access to the Internet blocked without it being preceded by a hearing in court. As a citizen, I must also have the freedom to be able to surf around various sites on the Internet and feel safe in the knowledge that private undertakings are not able to obtain this information. Those of us who actually love the Internet and the opportunities it brings say that the rights of users should be defined by what we use our subscription for. We do not want to be reduced to consumers, with our rights consisting only of what is written in the subscription contract. Unfortunately, both the Council’s common position and the compromise open up the way for this to happen, but we want to be citizens on the Internet, not merely customers and consumers. The Internet is a meeting place, a forum for free information, a sort of common land. Are we now to regulate this forum and tailor it to the interests of commercial representatives? No, I think not. The question is, what type of society do we want to live in? Do we want to live in a surveillance society do we want a society in which people can be sure that the rule of law is respected? A society where people can know that their privacy is respected and a society where freedom of expression is valued above control of people’s lives. That is the type of society that I want to live in and work to enable us to have. Therefore, I urge you to support the amendments for citizens’ rights tabled by myself and the GUE/NGL Group."@en1
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