US Ambassador Carol A Rodley
The Phnom Penh Post
Opinion
Arresting bloggers, prying into the peaceful activities of citizens and limiting or closing off access to information does not make a society more secure for the long term. Silencing ideas does not make them go away. Second, we must protect both transparency and confidentiality. Transparency is critical. We can and should give citizens information about their governments.
Just over a year ago, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for a global commitment to internet freedom. She has now addressed the issue again in a major speech on the subject.
Based on the universal human rights framework, internet freedom – or as Secretary Clinton deemed, the freedom to connect – applies the freedoms of assembly, expression and association to cyberspace.
Today, as we look around at world events, this commitment is more important than ever. By preserving these rights in the digital era, we preserve the promise and the possibility of the internet as a platform for ideas, innovation, connection and economic growth.
Against the backdrop of Egypt and the largest internet shutdown of our time, we have heard numerous calls to honour the freedom to connect, in particular to seek and share information over the internet, from President Obama and Secretary Clinton as well as leaders around the world.
The internet has become the public sphere of the 21st century – it is the global town square. Here in Cambodia, the government has repeatedly stated its commitment to internet freedom. Internet use in Cambodia has risen over 1,700 percent in 10 years, with over 170,000 users now online. Internet cafes have sprouted up in all the major cities.
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