Confederation of European Computer User Associations

 

The new technology fundamentally changes the way in which information is acquired, distributed and used, as well as providing the opportunity of handling vast amounts of information. Traditional means of ensuring "level playing fields" in commerce are inadequate and citizens need new skills and talents to exploit the opportunities presented. Regulation needs to consider fundamental societal issues such as access, valid information, privacy, right of redress, internet literacy in order to protect Citizens and other national interests. (CEPIS)*

* The comments have been taken from the "CEPIS Information Society Citizen's Charter" which was recently approved by its Council. CEPIS was a partner of CECUA in the successful conference "The Citizen and the Global information Society". The full document may be viewed on http://www.cepis.org/mission/charter.htm

Internet literacy: Communities have the duty to give citizens the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills to act in the information society, especially to cope with the opportunities and challenges resulting from the widespread use of the Internet. (CEPIS)

The Articles should include the following rights:
- citizen should not be manipulated by selection of information or by the kind of its presentation
- citizen should be protected from being flooded by undesired information or by information in an undesired form
- information should be clear and controllable - openness of technology and service with competition and a fair market (BV, Germany)

The Formulation and control of the rules is very important, and the Bill of Rights should indicate a solution to this problem. (BV, Germany)