Study: Advancing Freedom of Expression

Digital technologies have created numerous new opportunities of how to exert the basic human rights of freedom of expression and access to information. At the same time, new possibilities of how to limit or violate these very rights have arisen. Digital technologies have also demolished the gates journalists used to keep. The public domain is no longer only dominated and shaped by traditional media institutions. Today, individuals, various actors of civil society, as well as experts can communicate opinions and information to a broad public.

The research defines four functions the media were supposed to accomplish in the pre-digital age and analyzes to what extent projects, other than traditional media outlets, can fulfill them using digital technologies. It explores 16 projects that use digital technologies to strengthen Article 19 across Africa, Asia and Latin America and provides insight into the methodologies and technologies being adopted.

This study has been divided into four sections for ease of reading. Section one consists of the Executive Summary, introduction, literature review and the proposed research questions, these all come under the title "The Debate". Section two is the research component named "Best Practices" and comprises the methodology and research of 16 media projects. In section three the "Conclusion" is set out and section four is the "Appendix" which includes recommendations and background documentation."


Coming Soon: DW Akademie is in the process of developing a Digital Innovation Library that will showcase the projects highlighted in the study and will be a platform for learning more about their specific activities, and hearing from them directly. Users will also be able to explore the topics of the study in an interactive way and see what projects in different parts of the world tackling various issues have in common. The library will be online shortly so keep an eye out for it.