Debating Internet Freedom in Warsaw

It was a scintillating debate in a pivotal country for Internet Freedom. In the auditorium of Poland’s prestigious newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, renowned Oxford professor and writer Timothy Garton Ash hosted Digitisation Minister Michal Boni, Gazeta journalist Wojciech Orlinski, and another journalist Andrzej Grajewiski from Gosc Niedzielny, a newspaper linked to Roman Catholic Church.

Poland was the first in the former Soviet Bloc to bring down communist rule and install a free, democratic government. Thanks to this courageous history, Poles cherish Internet freedom. Huge demonstrations last year in the country’s main cities against the anti-piracy ACTA treaty helped lead to the treaty’s rejection in the European parliament – and meant that Poland was one of the most fervent advocates of the European Union rejecting last December a proposed United Nations treaty that could give governments too much control over the Net.

Timothy Garton Ash moderated the debate.

 Left to right: Michal Boni, Wojciech Orlinski andAndrzej Garjewski 

At the same time, much concern exists in the country about a worrying rise in hate speech and Polish judges have handed down surprisingly expansive rulings on intermediary liability.

Gazeta's main conference room was almost full.

Many of Poland’s most illustrious intellectuals filled Gazeta's main conference room. The newspaper’s founder, the former dissident, Adam Michnik, was supposed to show up only for a few minutes to say hello. Instead, he ended up staying for the full two and a half hours, and for the ensuing cocktail. Afterward, he said it was the first time an official associated with the Church (Gazeta is staunchly secular) had come to the newspaper headquarters.

Suffice it say that the debate was vigorous, discussing the frequent collision between privacy and freedom, the church’s concern about hate speech, and the need for Poland to become more aware of the issues around free expression on the Internet. We will be working hard in Poland to continue raising the importance of this issue.

Posted by William Echikson, Head of Free Expression, Europe, Middle East and Africa