More than 20 international and local rights organizations call on Paraguayan lawmakers to reject a proposed law regulating anonymous online posts during elections.
This blog post was originally published on cpj.org on 27 October 2017.
By Natalie Southwick/CPJ Americas Research Associate
The Committee to Protect Journalists, along with more than 20 international and local rights organizations sent a letter to Paraguayan lawmakers on October 25, 2017 calling on them to reject a proposed law regulating anonymous online posts during elections.
Under the proposed law, service providers would be required to delete content posted by anonymous users that is deemed “offensive or defamatory” toward political parties or candidates. Comments would be allowed only if the social media user was identified by their name and ID card number. The joint letter said that the proposed law poses a threat to journalists and their sources, and restricts citizens’ right to freedom of expression.
Several Latin American countries, including Brazil, have introduced legislation similar to the Paraguayan proposal in recent months.
The letter to Paraguay’s Congress can be viewed here.
