A Universal Declaration of Expression

The right to expression is one that mediates our interpersonal relationships, creating both spoken and implicit rules of interaction, as well as a mutual framework on which we dictate our social engagements. As the boundary between the digital and physical worlds becomes increasingly blurry, the right to expression on the internet must be perceived as a continuation of how this right ought to govern both our in-person and digital interactions. We cannot look at these two mediums as separate spheres; rather, we must understand expression in the digital world as a continuation of how it is manifested in our daily interactions in the physical world.

The internet is inherently a community space. While what is accepted online will change from platform to platform or user group to user group, respectful interaction on the internet is predicated on the assumption that we think of ourselves as an influential part of this digital community.

Closed communities, such as paid services or social media interest groups, should make every effort to create their own community guidelines.
Given the complicated relationship between freedom of expression and the spread of misinformaton, we believe that the Miller Test provides a useful community-oriented framework for determining what online content should be regulated by asking...
- Whether the average person applying contemporary community standards would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest.
- Whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct that would generate profound discomfort in minors and their guardiands.
- Whether digital interactions should be aimed at literary, artistic, political, scientifical, or social pursuits.
Based on these questions, digital interactions should follow three values:
- They should provide a positive benefit to the internet, as determined by its community's needs/values.
- They should only violate civil laws when legislations prohibit them from offering the aforementioned positive benefits to the internet; that is, we believe that digital interactions have the moral duty of regarding the authority of human rights higher than that of civil law.
- They should be aimed at literary, artistic, religious, political, scientifical, or social pursuits.

On the right to expression...

UDHR Article 19