Legal features of access to information and protection of rights on the Internet

Abstract

The article is devoted to the consideration of the right to access information on the Internet and the issue of using restrictions imposed on Internet access in specific countries worldwide. Deliberate blocking or limitation of access to the network constitutes a conscious violation of the user’s connection with the global network. Due to the increasing number of violations of the principles of openness and accessibility of the Internet, human civilization has faced new challenges. The experience of foreign countries in ensuring access to the global Internet network and regulating the Internet segment in Ukraine have been examined in this article. Also, the statistical data from studies regarding the level of restrictions, blocking, and access to the Internet in different countries worldwide has been elaborated. The number of Internet access restrictions is increasing every year worldwide, and such mass disconnections are most commonly sanctioned by governments. It is found that governments most often justify these restrictions by combating misinformation and hate speech and protecting national security, but there are also cases where restrictions are used for their own interests. At the same time, it is important to maintain a balance between restrictions on the Internet and ensuring freedom of speech, access to information and privacy. The legislation of Ukraine and international regulatory acts that uphold the right to information and regulate requirements for restrictions that can be imposed in the global Internet network are analyzed. Additionally, the reasons for the importance of establishing restrictions on the Internet, which are essential for ensuring the human right to freedom of expression, are investigated. Therefore, the purpose of the article is to analyze the current situation related to the implementation of the right to information on the global Internet. Particular attention will be paid to studying the specifics of the restrictions applied in some countries, in particular China and North Korea, regarding access to the Internet. The conducted analysis will help to understand the mechanisms of control, censorship and restrictions that exist in these regions of the information space.