France and The Netherlands initiate plans for code of conduct to prevent internet censorship

The Netherlands and France are working on a code of conduct to safeguard civil liberties on the internet and to counter censorship on the web. Dutch Secretary of foreign affairs Maxime Verhagen: “Freedom of expression applies everywhere, including the internet. (…)in many countries people are persecuted for expressing their opinion online. We want concrete measures against internet censorship.’ Verhagen and his French colleague Bernard Kouchner invite other countries, ICT firms, acadmics and ngo’s to participate in developing the code, come summer in Paris.

Digital rights organisation Bits of Freedom claims the plans are hypocritical, as The Netherlands are currently working on an internet filter that is being implemented and forced onto ISPs via back doors. It is unclear whether an independent body will supervise the blacklist. The filter is to be used to make fighting child pornography easier, but it is unclear if it will just be used for that. BoF fears that when an initial filtering system is in place, it will be too tempting for the government to resist filtering other types of unwanted behaviour.