Act for Digital Self-Sovereignty and Unrestricted Information Flow

Act for Digital Self-Sovereignty and Unrestricted Information Flow

Preamble

The World Parliament, recognizing the inherent dignity and liberty of every individual, and understanding that the digital realm has become an indispensable extension of human interaction, commerce, and expression, hereby asserts that true digital sovereignty resides with the individual, not the state. This Act is designed to dismantle governmental barriers to information flow, secure the fundamental right to digital privacy, and protect individual ownership of digital property, thereby fostering innovation, free speech, and global prosperity.

Article I: Recognition of Individual Digital Rights

1. Right to Digital Self-Sovereignty: Every individual possesses an inalienable right to control their personal data, digital identity, and online communications. This includes the right to anonymity, pseudonymity, and the freedom to choose technologies that secure these rights.
2. Digital Information as Private Property: All personal data generated by an individual is hereby recognized as the private property of that individual. Any collection, processing, or transfer of such data by any entity, public or private, without explicit, informed, and revocable consent of the individual owner, constitutes an infringement of property rights.
3. Freedom of Digital Expression and Access: Individuals have the fundamental right to express themselves, access information, and communicate globally without arbitrary censorship, filtering, or blocking by any government or state-affiliated entity.

Article II: Unrestricted Global Information Flow

1. Prohibition on Data Localization Mandates: No state shall impose requirements for data to be stored, processed, or transmitted exclusively within its national borders. Such mandates constitute protectionist trade barriers and infringe upon the global free flow of information.
2. Prohibition on State Censorship and Filtering: Governments are expressly prohibited from engaging in, or compelling private entities to engage in, the blocking, filtering, throttling, or removal of lawful digital content.
3. Promotion of Open Standards and Technologies: States shall not mandate specific technologies or platforms and shall actively encourage the development and adoption of open-source software, open standards, and interoperable systems that facilitate unrestricted information exchange.
4. Net Neutrality: All data traffic shall be treated equally by internet service providers, without discrimination based on content, application, source, destination, or type of service.

Article III: Privacy and Data Protection

1. Strict Limits on Government Surveillance: Government access to private digital communications or personal data shall only be permissible under a specific, judicially authorized warrant based on probable cause, targeting a specific individual for a specific criminal investigation. Bulk collection, mass surveillance, or dragnet data retention by state actors is strictly prohibited.
2. Protection of Encryption: The use of strong encryption technologies is recognized as a fundamental tool for securing individual privacy and property rights. No state shall mandate backdoors, compel the weakening of encryption standards, or prohibit the use, development, or dissemination of encryption technologies.
3. Consent and Control over Personal Data:
* Individuals shall have the right to access, rectify, port, and erase their personal data held by any entity.
* Consent for data collection and processing must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous, and easily revocable at any time.
* Entities collecting data shall be transparent about their data practices and purpose of collection.
4. Accountability for Data Breaches: Any entity, public or private, responsible for a breach of personal data shall be held liable and subject to penalties commensurate with the harm caused, including mandatory notification to affected individuals.

Article IV: No State Digital Borders or Taxation on Data

1. Free Cross-Border Data Transfers: No state shall impose tariffs, taxes, or other financial or regulatory barriers on the cross-border flow of digital information or data.
2. Jurisdictional Clarity: The digital presence of data or an individual's data flowing through a country shall not, by itself, grant that country jurisdiction over the individual or the data for purposes of taxation, regulation, or seizure, absent a clear and direct nexus to a crime committed within that jurisdiction.

Article V: Enforcement and Redress

1. Independent Oversight: An independent, non-governmental Global Digital Rights Commission shall be established, composed of experts in technology, law, and economics, tasked with monitoring compliance with this Act and investigating alleged violations.
2. Individual Right to Redress: Individuals whose rights under this Act have been violated shall have access to effective legal remedies and mechanisms for seeking compensation for damages.

Conclusion

This Act reaffirms the timeless principles of liberty, property, and free association in the digital age. By empowering individuals with true digital self-sovereignty and removing artificial state-imposed barriers, we pave the way for a truly free, innovative, and prosperous global digital commons, minimizing government interference and maximizing human potential.