UN forum backs Web freedom after Arab Spring

The United Nations’ main human rights body has for the first time backed people’s right to freedom of expression on the Internet in the wake of the massive role that social media networks played in the Arab Spring.

China and Cuba have tried to limit access to the Internet and voiced some reservations but joined the consensus recognizing “the global and open nature of the Internet as a driving force in accelerating progress towards development”.

China has had “difficulty” in joining consensus on civil and political rights linked to freedom of association, Cuba said the text failed to address the fact that most people in the world lack access to information technology.