The advancement of information and communications technology has come with human rights challenges such as the abusive use of personal information, limited online freedom of expression, and the gap in information access etc.
Against this backdrop, the NHRCK published the world’s very first report on Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) and Human Rights in January 2013 to identify domestic and international trends and present a policy direction to the government following several local and international meetings with eminent experts in the filed.
In fact, civil complaints on violations of ICTs and human rights have grown 1.5 times over the past five years. Specifically, around 37,000 complaints have been accumulated until 2012 since the establishment of the NHRCK in 2001. Individually, around 31 complaints and 6,386 complaints were filed with the NHRCK in 2001 and 2012 respectively.
Complaints concerning abuses of the online freedom of expression amounted to 1,778 in 2012, a more than 50% growth compared to the year 2008. The number of human rights violations due to CCTVs stood at more than 6,000, accounting for approximately 20% of the total number of complaints on abuses of the right to information privacy, which has grown 1.7 times from 2008.
The definition of ICTs and human rights differs among scholars. The NHRCK’s report defines it as a basic right of free access to information without having one’s dignity undermined by the process of collecting, processing, distributing and utilizing digitized information.
The types of right to information vary as well. The report divides them into the right to information privacy/data privacy, online freedom of expression, the right of access to information and the right to enjoyment of information and culture, as commonly mentioned by many scholars.
Some of the policy alternatives included in the report is as follows:
? In order to minimize the risk of human rights abuses due to the installment and operation of the CCTV Control Center by local governments, the report suggests to set up a consultative group for better operation so that it can specify the purposes of CCTV installment, minimize the sharing of recorded videos on the CCTVs and enhance public participation in the operation.
? Given that the current resident registration number consists of sensitive information, the exposure of which can cause serious privacy infringement, the NHRCK proposes to revise the system to better protect personal information. Also, the NHRCK suggests an improvement of the current laws that currently make it easy for corporations to collect and use resident registration number.
? The Deep Pack Inspection (DPI) monitors nearly all activities of online users including web surfing, electronic commerce and P2P. Therefore, the NHRCK asks for new standards to reduce the scope of the subject of inspection, limit reckless use of DPI and prevent possible privacy infringement.
? Most biometric information except DNA is not classified as sensitive information under the current Personal Information Protection Act. Moreover, there is a lack of legislative standards on collection, management, storage and disposal of biometric information, posing a serious risk of privacy breach. Therefore, the NHRCK proposes that the government devise new standards to prevent possible abuse of sensitive biometric information.
? The recent proliferation of Social Networking Services (SNS) and Big Data and the ensuing personal information infringement prompted the NHRCK to recommend a development of new standards to protect personal information from the use of Big Data and SNS.
? The international community including the United Nations and the NHRCK have repeatedly pointed out that the review of the internet content by the Korea Communications Standards Commission limits the online freedom of expression, which could lead to self-censorship. In this sense, the NHRCK suggested that the online real-name system not be introduced as it limits freedom of expression online which is derived from anonymity.
<Report on the information and communication technologies and human rights> indicates that the remaining real-name system should be abolished and the freedom of political expression through information and communication technologies should be strengthened.
The NHRCK is going to distribute this report to relevant organizations and hold symposia to provide a forum for scholars, policymakers and other experts to share their views on the report.
