A/HRC/35/22 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Contents Page I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 II. State obligation to protect and promote freedom of expression online ......................................... 4 A. Internet and telecommunications shutdowns ........................................................................ 4 B. Government access to user data ............................................................................................ 7 C. Net neutrality ........................................................................................................................ 8 Digital access providers and freedom of expression ..................................................................... 10 A. Telecommunications and Internet service providers ............................................................. 10 B. Internet exchange points ....................................................................................................... 11 C. Content delivery networks .................................................................................................... 11 D. Network equipment vendors ................................................................................................. 12 E. Other private actors ............................................................................................................... 13 Human rights responsibilities of digital access providers ............................................................. 13 A. Context considerations .......................................................................................................... 14 B. Responsibility to respect users’ freedom of expression ........................................................ 15 Conclusions and recommendations ............................................................................................... 20 III. IV. V. 2