Mass internet surveillance: what libraries can do

As the Snowden revelations made clear, mass internet and telecommunications surveillance are a reality in today's world.... The right to privacy, the need for transparency, and how libraries can address the issue of mass surveillance, were the main topics of an open debate led by:

• Martyn Wade, chair of the IFLA Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE),

and assisted by a panel composed of:

• Louise Cook, Loughborough University,
• David Greene, lawyer and member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation,
• Lionel Maurel, library curator at the Bibliothèque de documentation internationale contemporaine, and internet activist at La Quadrature du Net,
• Marco Pancini, from Google.

Advocacy

There will always be tension between transparency and privacy, and it was worth being reminded that freedom of expression is at the core of librarianship. Therefore libraries must be at the forefront of the fight against mass surveillance, and the panelists all agreed that effective political action is the key to successfully have our voices heard. Libraries need to influence policy makers and be more involved in debates shaping the evolution and use of the internet. At an international level IFLA has actively participed in internet governance discussions amongst the 416 organizations who signed the International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance. Libraries can act at an individual level by endorsing the Principles to give them more momentum.

Raising awareness

At the core of discussions was also the key role of libraries in raising awareness on these topics. In particular, librarians have an essential part to play in terms of information literacy. But first, they have to start questioning their own practices:

• What information is retained about patrons?
• What information is stored on browsers?
• Are they making sure that users know what they are getting into when they agree to terms of services?

With regard to these issues, Lionel Maurel shared an interesting perspective by talking about the situation in France. Unlike in other countries, French libraries are under no obligation to keep track of and filter internet access. However, many libraries have been implementing restrictions which result in effective monitoring, and Maurel urged them to reconsider their policy.

Finally, the panelists shared a few helpful tips to protect our privacy on the Internet:

• Adopting free software
• Adopting a decentralized model
• Using encryption
• Using VPNs
• Using HTTPS