Article 19 is a non-governmental organisation whose mission is to defend freedom of expression and information worldwide, and contribute to ensuring that people everywhere can express themselves freely, access information, and enjoy freedom of the press.
To achieve its mission, the organisation undertakes a wide range of activities: providing expertise on international human rights standards, as well as advice for national laws that protect the right to freedom of expression and information; advocating for the implementation of freedom of information legislation, to ensure transparency and strengthen citizens’ participation; organising campaigns aimed to safeguard media pluralism, independence, and diversity of views; carrying out research on issues related to freedom of expression and information.
Article 19 also works to defend the right to freedom of expression and information in the context of new information and communication technologies. In this respect, the organisation advocates for the ‘right to blog’ (the right of individuals to publish ideas, information, and opinions via the Internet) and the right to share (covering aspects related to intellectual property rights the and sharing digital information). It has elaborated a set of principles intended to create a framework which can be used to ensure that the right to freedom of expression and the ability to share knowledge and culture and protected in the digital age, and that copyright interests of not unduly restrict them. Other Internet governance issues covered by Article 19 in its activities include: online surveillance, the responsibilities of Internet intermediaries, and, to some extent, cybersecurity and cybercrime.