Law Commons^™

Law Of Nations In Cyberspace: Fashioning A Cause Of Action For The Supression Of Human Rights Reports On The Internet , Thomas Cochrane

Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review

For nearly two decades, two U.S. statutes have provided redress to victims of human rights abuses: the Alien Tort Statute and the Torture Victim Protection Act. A handful of plaintiffs have recovered under these laws against foreign perpetrators of a narrow range of human rights violations. The growth and proliferation of communications technology raises important questions about how these statutes will be used in the future. Human rights activists have discovered that they can instantly communicate over the Internet with supporters and news media anywhere in the world. Repressive regimes have responded by attempting to restrict such communications. Could cutting …