Iceland set for boost to online freedoms

Iceland wants to attract press organisations, human rights groups and datacentres

A document will be submitted to the Icelandic parliament tomorrow that has the potential to bring the country's inhabitants stronger online freedoms than anywhere else in Europe.

The Icelandic Modern Media Initiative (IMMI) is proposing a change to Iceland's laws that will strengthen web site owners' publishing rights.

"In the UK a letter from a lawyer can cause any content to be removed from a web site, but if this initiative is adopted in Iceland a legal letter would have to be sent to a judge before any web site content is taken down," said Jérémie Zimmermann, co-founder of citizens' rights group La Quadrature du Net.

Zimmermann pointed to the contrast between Iceland's move to online transparency and the UK's attempt to ban illegal downloaders from the internet.

The IMMI web site says that the aim is to make Iceland an attractive environment for press organisations, startups, human rights groups and datacentres.

"Where to publish is now decided by factors such as distance and communications capacity, server costs and legal environment," the IMMI said.

"Iceland has the first two covered: it has fast undersea cables to some of the world's largest consumers of information, and its clean green power and cool temperatures are attractive to those running internet services.

"We can create a comprehensive policy and legal framework to protect the free expression needed for investigative journalism and other politically important publishing.

"While some countries provide basic measures, Iceland now has an opportunity to build an internationally attractive legislative package built from the best laws of other nations."

Zimmerman believes there is a high probability that the proposed legislation will be passed.

"Iceland was ruined by the economic crisis and Wikileaks managed to access the names of those who shut down bank accounts just before the crash. Those people turned out to be the ones responsible for the downfall of the economy," he said.

"Wikileaks told the people of Iceland who ruined their country, so now the public's sentiment is very pro online transparency. They are likely to endorse legislation that supports web site publishers."