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Declaration for freedom of information in the internet

>>Take a tour through the ODEM Anti-Censorship projects
>>Short introduction: internet censorship in germany (PDF, 212 kB)
>>Read our press release (April 2002)
>>See the German Version

On February 8th 2002, the "Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf" (the district government of Düsseldorf county, Northrhine-Westfalia in Germany) passed orders to more than 80 provider of internet-access ("access provider"): they should "block" the access from their users to some foreign websites. In this particular case, the "Bezirksregierung" refers to its competence as the disctrict government administration responsible for legal protection of children and the youth and "punishment of infringements of law" regarding to the so-called "Mediendienstestaatsvertrag" (interstate agreement on media services).

Although that particular authority is responsible for media-services like video-text and not for tele-communication services, the provider have been demanded to block their customers' access to two right-wing extremists' web-sites being hosted in the USA. That does not mean blocked access only, but blocked communication of any kind with the people behind it as well - e-mails etc. shall be made impossible.
At the moment, a pilot-project of a filter-system is being tested, which will be used to block the access to questionable web-sites. Those websites offer - according to German law - illegal content such as nazi-propaganda and are proved to endanger children and the youth. But: the blocking measurement also includes access to any web-site complying with these premises, no matter where it is hosted.
So far it is not known who shall be entitled to edit the "Black List", which is neccessary for this method. It is also not known if this "Black List" will be subject to any control according to the federal republican law.

Societal Backstep

We condemn the action of the "Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf" and their further plans in the strongest possible terms because of the following reasons:

Filter-systems implanted by a provider are inadequate and unreasonable
Article 5 of the German Constitution states: Any citizen has the right to freely inform himself of generally accessible sources without any limitations. This freedom of information is the undisputable backbone of an informed democracy being able and aware to defend itself. Filter-systems are used to make sources of information unaccessible for citizens. Measurements of that kind remind us strongly of those used by totalitarian states and the so called "Feindsenderverbot" (the receive of hostile broadcoast which was forbidden in World War II and the GDR). They are inadequate for the Federal Republic of Germany.

We are shocked that this limitation of the freedom of information shall also be aimed at science and research. It is planned that only universities are able to escape from this limitation by special authorizations – regulations that are similar to theses practised in the former GDR (the socialist east germany). People working for the media or journalists would also be affected – they are no longer able to receive unlimited information, as these are still existing but no longer available.

Any limitation of our fundamental right of freedom of information is - as far as we are concerned - a backstep of society. Freedom of information counts more than a possible danger, which is caused by the questionable sites in the internet.
Fighting the sources instead of fighting infrastructure!

The internet is a medium of communication. In legal terms it should rather be compared to telephone or mail than to broadcoast or television. Any intrusion in confidental conversation by the administration offends basic conditions and our understanding of the internet. Additionally, filter systems will only be a measurement of intrusion in the neutral technical infrastructure of communication itself; filtering content does not have any effect in fighting the sources.
Blocking sites does miss the target group
Although the measures used today can simply be bypassed with basic knowledge in data processing, they - and any further measures - do seriously intervene our fundamental rights. Therefore, blocking web-sites will miss the effect on the target group and - worst case scenario - will result in a mystification and glorification of forbidden content. Filter systems are contraproductive: Striving for unrequired content in the internet being only made unaccessible means actionism without looking any further - striving for this measure does mean to escape from the real challenge: The real challenge would be to do something against the causes on a societal base.

We demand excluding filter systems used by any provider as a measurement to fight illegal und unrequested content in the internet. We demand finding political ways to solve the problem instead and that you will take assertive action against the originator of this content.

Do let us have a very close look at the problem instead of making the problem invisible to us!

more information, sources, backgrounds (in German)

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Addressees

This petition will be handed over to the following addressees in Summer 2002 :

to the Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf (District government of Düsseldorf county)
to the Landesregierung in Nordrhein-Westfalen (Federal state government of Northrine-Westfalia)
to the nordrhein-westfälischen Landtag (Federal state parliament of Northrhine-Westfalia)
to the Bundesregierung (The federal government of Germany)
to the Deutschen Bundestag (The German parliament)
to the press

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First signers and initiatives of the declaration

in coincidental sequence

Reporter ohne Grenzen Auch im Namen von www.rsf.org

padeluun Künstler, FoeBuD e.V., Bielefeld	Das Recht auf Extremes

Dr.Horst-Walter Schwager Chemiker, Usingen	Zensur schadet - immer

Chaos Computer Club e.V. Chaos Computer Club e.V., Hamburg; mail AT ccc.de	Wachsamkeit ist der Preis der Freiheit --- Keine Zensur!

Dr. Reinhold Grether netzwissenschaft.de

Dr. Jeanette Hofmann Wissenschaftszentrum Berlinfür Sozialforschung

Dr. Michael Böttcher Diplomphysiker, Hamburg	Freiheit stirbt scheibchenweise

Ian Clarke Founder & Coordinator, The Freenet Project; ian AT freenetproject.org	Freedom to communicate

Benedikt Fischer TV-Journalist, Hessischer Rundfunk, Frankfurt/M

Angela Marquardt, MdB, PDS angela.marquardt AT bundestag.de

Burkhard Schröder Schriftsteller und Journalist, [Initiator], Berlin	Der Schoß ist fruchtbar noch ...

Grietje Bettin MdB Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen

Thomas Kerpe Bitschmied, Entropia e.V., Karlsruhe; freedom AT fnordic.de	Lasset die Welt der Information und des Wissens gedeien...

Andy Müller-Maguhn Europäischer Vertreter im ICANN-Direktorium und Sprecher des CCC e.V., Berlin / Hamburg	Gesellschaftliche Probleme lösst man nicht durch Ausblendung

Jörg-Olaf Schäfers Student & Medienschaffender, [Initiator], Paderborn	Von der Gefährlichkeit des Wegsehens.

Bettina Jodda Sekretärin, freie Autorin, Mitarbeiterin bei stop1984.org, [Initiatorin], Celle	Demokratie braucht keine Zensur

Florian Cramer Literaturwissenschaftler, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin

Christian Schwarm Geschäftsführer und Kreativchef, AGI Think Tank Task Force Agency GmbH, Stuttgart

Lutz Donnerhacke Sicherheitsfachmann, IKS GmbH, Jena; lutz AT iks-jena.de	Fitug

Boris Piwinger AKA pi Wien; 3.14 AT piology.org

Wolfgang Leven EDV-Training und -Beratung Leven [Initiator]; w.leven AT web.de	Far too many people use '1984' as how-to manual.

Marit Hansen

Richard Stallman Free Software Foundation; rms AT gnu.org	This campaign

Johannes Barthen Jugendmedienverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern e.V.	Statt Zugangsbeschränkung lieber kompetente Medienbenutzer

Wolfgang Bleh Journalist, intern.de Fachinformationsdienst, Allendorf/Ts.	Sperren ist Unsinn...

Prof. Wolfgang Kleinwaechter Professor fuer internationale Kommunikationspolitik, University of Aarhus / Daenemark, Aarhus	Die von Herrn Buessow vorgesehen "Ausnahmeregelungen" für Forschungszwecke erinnern mich an die "Giftschraenke" aus unseligen Zeiten in der Deutschen Buecherei zu Leipzig

Kristian Koehntopp

Michael Schöbel Geschäftsführer, Acoon GmbH, Marl

Kurt Jaeger Geschäftsführer, Oberon.net GmbH, LF.net GmbH, Duesseldorf/Stuttgart	Als Betroffener ISP und weil es diese Debatte seit Jahren immer wieder gibt...

Trixy Freude Ass. Bibliotheken, Studentin Informationsdesign, [Initiatorin], Stuttgart; odem AT liamara.de	"Verbotenes bekämpft man am besten, indem man es erlaubt"

Rena Tangens Künstlerin, FoeBuD e.V., Bielefeld	Nur EINS oder NULL?

Jörg Tauss Medienbeauftragter der SPD-Bundestagsfraktion, MdB, Karlsruhe/Berlin; joerg.tauss AT bundestag.de	Wichtiger Beitrag zur Wahrung der Informationsfreiheit

Florian Steglich Student, [Initiator], Mainz; flori AT nsteglich.de

Arne Brand Pressesprecher, Virtueller Ortsverein der SPD, Berlin	Steht auf, wenn ihr Netzuser seid!

Herbert Ferstl Kaufmann selbständig, 90530 Wendelstein; Herbert.Ferstl AT t-online.de

Dr. Volker Grassmuck Medienforscher, Helmholtz Zentrum für Medientechnologie, Humbold Universität, Berlin

Alvar C.H. Freude Dipl.-Des, Medienkünstler, Programmierer, ODEM.org; [Initiator], Stuttgart; alvar AT a-blast.org	Ausblenden und Wegschauen vertreibt keine Nazis

Andreas A. Milles [Initiator], Esslingen

TG (pseudonym, real name is known) Redakteur, Hannover	Staatliche Bevormundung kenne ich aus der DDR zur Genüge.

Oliver Passeck Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter, Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen

Günter Frhr.v.Gravenreuth gravenreuth AT gravenreuth.de

in coincidental sequence

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The last 32 persons who signed the petition

26886.	Xiahki Jaud		2012-01-26, 13:00:08

26885.	B. Wieczorrek bw-wellstar AT web.de		2012-01-22, 14:52:39

26884.	Thomas Lanwer		2012-01-19, 09:15:27

26883.	Friedrich Bartling		2012-01-02, 04:27:59

26882.	Josef Rutz Maurer, Neuhausen am Rheinfall	Die Odyssee eines politisch verfolgten Schaffhauser Vaters	2011-12-19, 21:05:24

26881.	Willy und Verena Richartz Rentner/in, Schweiz	Bananenstaaten	2011-12-18, 19:43:50

26880.	Thomas Wallner		2011-12-15, 11:10:40

26879.	Stefan Grossmann		2011-12-14, 17:37:09

26878.	Markus Janka		2011-12-14, 11:52:16

26877.	liebeskleider.de		2011-11-04, 14:11:37

26876.	liebesschuhe	Freies Internet zeugt von Demokratie	2011-11-04, 14:11:25

26875.	Michael Ketteniss		2011-10-29, 22:55:16

26874.	Dirk Dreyer		2011-10-16, 19:34:32

26873.	marc dorendorf		2011-10-15, 10:20:18

26872.	Möbel Landhausstil		2011-10-10, 17:40:10

26871.	Erwin Karl Jatzek erwin.jatzek AT t-online.de		2011-10-03, 21:07:33

26870.	andreas friedrich		2011-09-21, 16:22:13

26869.	andreas friedrich		2011-09-21, 16:21:52

26868.	andreas friedrich		2011-09-21, 16:21:12

26867.	Björn Hamann		2011-08-27, 23:05:05

26866.	Markus Arlt Rot am See		2011-08-17, 08:57:24

26865.	André Flömer		2011-08-16, 22:17:37

26864.	Roman Kofmann		2011-08-09, 18:13:15

26863.	Angela Kohl		2011-07-19, 09:11:24

26862.	Lukas Brückner		2011-07-15, 22:59:33

26861.	Hochgesand Harri		2011-07-14, 17:07:34

26860.	Sven Mudra		2011-07-13, 02:01:34

26859.	Saviour1981 Lohnsklave, Leiharbeit abschaffen, normale Arbeitsplätze schaffen!!!, Düsseldorf	Gegen Internetzensur	2011-07-11, 16:32:34

26858.	Peter Nowak		2011-07-09, 06:57:39

26857.	Ingo Neuhaus		2011-07-08, 13:40:40

26856.	Barbara Lehne		2011-07-04, 08:14:27

26855.	ms		2011-06-22, 12:00:32

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