Page 40 - web
P. 40
Articles & opinions
Human Rights Facing the Challenge Posed by the Digital Revolution:
Is there a Need for a Fourth Generation
of Human Rights?
Dr. Mohamed Chafik The digital revolution that the world has witnessed over the past half-century has
Naif Arab University for deepened the contradiction between two dimensions. While it has allowed for the
widespread use and accessibility of modern communication tools, through multimedia
Security Sciences and social media, it has opened up new horizons for human rights in terms of expression,
publication, and communication. It has highlighted new rights for individuals, including
40 the «right to access the Internet» and the right to information. However, the digital
revolution has also brought about changes that threaten fundamental human rights,
such as the right to privacy, personal data protection, and the right to self-determination.
Existing legal frameworks have proven inadequate in facing the diverse threats that
endanger individual rights and societal security (Gazagne-Jammes, 2020).
The contradictory nature of the digital revolution dimensions (Conseil d›Etat, 2014) has
led to a reassessment of some of the foundations upon which the human rights system
was built. While human rights were traditionally classified into three generations (Vasak,
1977), with the first generation encompassing civil and political rights that emerged
during the 18th century, and the second generation encompassing economic, social,
and cultural rights that crystallized in the first half of the 20th century, and the third
generation incorporating solidarity rights, there is now a discussion about the need for
a fourth generation of rights that includes the right to data protection, expressed as
«Habeas Data».
This leads us to pose the following question: Do the risks posed by the digital
revolution, which threaten certain fundamental rights and freedoms, necessitate a new
paradigm and the emergence of a fourth generation of human rights?
To address this issue, we will first identify the challenges posed by the digital revolution
on rights and freedoms (First Section), followed by an exploration of the potential
solutions offered by the concept of a fourth generation of human rights (Second Section).
First Section: Risks of the Digital Revolution on Rights and Freedoms
The risks associated with the impact of the digital revolution on rights and freedoms
are diverse. In this brief article, we will mention the most important risks, which include:
1. End of privacy: New technology allows for continuous and comprehensive monitoring
of individuals through various electronic devices they use. The ability of giant companies
to gather information has become a weapon that not only reveals some data about
individuals but also provides precise knowledge of their private lives, preferences, and
even predicts their behavior. This has led many scholars to declare the «end of privacy»
(Sofsky, 2021) and hence the phenomenon known as hypermnesia has emerged, whereas
companies that collect data do not overlook any action, behavior, or even fleeting glance of
the service user.
2. When the product is free, you are the product: Most internet users are deceived by
