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The Integrity of the Human Mind - State-Sponsored Online Manipulation and the Freedom to Hold Opinions in Article 10 ECHR

Magnusson, Olivia LU (2021) JURM02 20211
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
The current digitalisation in society has brought new challenges to international human rights law. Actors aiming to covertly influence opinions are increasingly taking advantage of individuals’ dependence on the internet and social media. State-sponsored online manipulation constitutes a phenomenon of particular concern in light of its potential implications for the free forming of opinions and, by extension, democracy.

Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) gives the individual the right to hold their opinions without interference. To date, the protective scope of the freedom to hold opinions in Article 10 ECHR has not been adequately explored by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). This thesis combines a... (More)
The current digitalisation in society has brought new challenges to international human rights law. Actors aiming to covertly influence opinions are increasingly taking advantage of individuals’ dependence on the internet and social media. State-sponsored online manipulation constitutes a phenomenon of particular concern in light of its potential implications for the free forming of opinions and, by extension, democracy.

Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) gives the individual the right to hold their opinions without interference. To date, the protective scope of the freedom to hold opinions in Article 10 ECHR has not been adequately explored by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). This thesis combines a doctrinal research method, empirical data collection and draws from the research fields of sociology and psychology. The purpose is to examine whether the freedom to hold opinions in Article 10 ECHR pro- vides protection for the integrity of the human mind and whether state-sponsored online manipulation could be seen as violating this freedom.

By exploring the methods implemented in many state-sponsored manipulation operations online, the study concludes that the integrity of the human mind is under threat. Today, it is theoretically possible to alter the opinions of individuals without their knowledge by taking advantage of elements online such as filter bubbles, algorithms and data collection. States are systematically exploiting the structures of cyberspace to achieve political goals.

An interpretation of the freedom to hold opinions, in light of the context of Article 10 ECHR, reveals that this right could serve as protection for the inner realm of the mind, the forum internum. This conclusion is supported considering the protection provided for the forum internum through the freedom of thought, Article 9 ECHR. Expanding on this assumption, the thesis makes an analogy between state-sponsored online manipulation and the case Kokkinakis v. Greece, in which the ECtHR made a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate interference with the forum internum in Article 9 ECHR. Considering the nature of the methods implemented in many state-sponsored online manipulation operations, it is concluded that these could be seen as illegitimate interference with the forum internum, and that Article 10 ECHR should serve as protection against these practices. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Den teknologiska utvecklingen i samhället medför nya utmaningar i förhållande till mänskliga rättigheter. Individers beroende av internet och sociala medier utnyttjas i allt större utsträckning av aktörer som i hemlighet avser påverka den fria åsiktsbildningen. Statligt finansierad manipulation via digitala medier utgör ett särskilt oroande fenomen på grund av dess implikationer på åsiktsfrihet och i förlängningen demokrati.

Artikel 10 i den Europeiska konventionen om skydd för de mänskliga rättigheterna (EKMR) skyddar individer från offentliga myndigheters inblandning i rätten till åsiktsfrihet. Den europeiska domstolen för de mänskliga rättighet- erna (Europadomstolen) har ännu inte i tillräckligt hög utsträckning utforskat vad rätten... (More)
Den teknologiska utvecklingen i samhället medför nya utmaningar i förhållande till mänskliga rättigheter. Individers beroende av internet och sociala medier utnyttjas i allt större utsträckning av aktörer som i hemlighet avser påverka den fria åsiktsbildningen. Statligt finansierad manipulation via digitala medier utgör ett särskilt oroande fenomen på grund av dess implikationer på åsiktsfrihet och i förlängningen demokrati.

Artikel 10 i den Europeiska konventionen om skydd för de mänskliga rättigheterna (EKMR) skyddar individer från offentliga myndigheters inblandning i rätten till åsiktsfrihet. Den europeiska domstolen för de mänskliga rättighet- erna (Europadomstolen) har ännu inte i tillräckligt hög utsträckning utforskat vad rätten till åsiktsfrihet innebär. Detta arbete kombinerar en rättsdogmatisk metod, empiriska data och forskning inom sociologi och psykologi. Syftet är att utreda huruvida rätten till åsiktsfrihet i artikel 10 EKMR kan skydda integriteten hos det mänskliga sinnet och huruvida statligt finansierad manipulation online kan anses kränka denna rätt.

Arbetet beskriver de metoder som används vid statlig manipulering av informationsmiljön i digitala medier och fastställer att integriteten i det mänskliga medvetandet är hotad. Genom att utnyttja filterbubblor, algoritmer och datainsamling är det möjligt att ändra människors åsikter utan att de är medvetna om det och stater utnyttjar på ett systematiskt sätt strukturerna i internetmiljön för att uppnå sina egna politiska mål.

Vidare tolkas rätten till åsiktsfrihet i ljuset av artikel 10 EKMR. Arbetet kom- mer fram till att denna rättighet kan anses skydda den inre sfären av det mänskliga medvetandet, forum internum. Denna slutsats understöds av det skydd för forum internum som återfinns i artikel 9 EKMR, rätten till tankefri- het, samvetsfrihet och religionsfrihet. Genom att bygga vidare på denna slut- sats undersöker arbetet huruvida statligt finansierad manipulation via digitala medier bör anses kränka denna rättighet. En analogi görs med rättsfallet Kokkinakis mot Grekland i vilket Europadomstolen gjorde en distinktion mellan legitim och illegitim inblandning i rätten till forum internum i artikel 9 EKMR. Mot bakgrund av de metoder som tillämpas i många statliga manipulationer via digitala medier fastställs att dessa aktiviteter kan ses som illegitim påverkan på forum internum och att de därmed bör anses kränka rätten till åsiktsfrihet i artikel 10 EKMR. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Magnusson, Olivia LU
supervisor
organization
course
JURM02 20211
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
public international law, human rights, freedom to hold opinions, state-sponsored online manipulation
language
English
id
9046333
date added to LUP
2021-06-18 07:41:32
date last changed
2021-06-18 07:41:32
@misc{9046333,
  abstract     = {{The current digitalisation in society has brought new challenges to international human rights law. Actors aiming to covertly influence opinions are increasingly taking advantage of individuals’ dependence on the internet and social media. State-sponsored online manipulation constitutes a phenomenon of particular concern in light of its potential implications for the free forming of opinions and, by extension, democracy.

Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) gives the individual the right to hold their opinions without interference. To date, the protective scope of the freedom to hold opinions in Article 10 ECHR has not been adequately explored by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). This thesis combines a doctrinal research method, empirical data collection and draws from the research fields of sociology and psychology. The purpose is to examine whether the freedom to hold opinions in Article 10 ECHR pro- vides protection for the integrity of the human mind and whether state-sponsored online manipulation could be seen as violating this freedom.

By exploring the methods implemented in many state-sponsored manipulation operations online, the study concludes that the integrity of the human mind is under threat. Today, it is theoretically possible to alter the opinions of individuals without their knowledge by taking advantage of elements online such as filter bubbles, algorithms and data collection. States are systematically exploiting the structures of cyberspace to achieve political goals.

An interpretation of the freedom to hold opinions, in light of the context of Article 10 ECHR, reveals that this right could serve as protection for the inner realm of the mind, the forum internum. This conclusion is supported considering the protection provided for the forum internum through the freedom of thought, Article 9 ECHR. Expanding on this assumption, the thesis makes an analogy between state-sponsored online manipulation and the case Kokkinakis v. Greece, in which the ECtHR made a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate interference with the forum internum in Article 9 ECHR. Considering the nature of the methods implemented in many state-sponsored online manipulation operations, it is concluded that these could be seen as illegitimate interference with the forum internum, and that Article 10 ECHR should serve as protection against these practices.}},
  author       = {{Magnusson, Olivia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Integrity of the Human Mind - State-Sponsored Online Manipulation and the Freedom to Hold Opinions in Article 10 ECHR}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}