- Presentation at the Permanent Group on Services of General Interest (PG SGI) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
On 11 June 2026, Karolina Ferreira Fernandes represented the The Right to (Not) Use the Internet: Observatory during a meeting of the Permanent Group on Services of General Interest (PG SGI) operating within the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels.
The presentation was delivered as part of a discussion on “Connectivity and Digital Inclusion,” addressing issues related to internet access, digital services, e-government, and the prevention of digital exclusion. The debate focused on ensuring equal access to public services in an era of increasing digitalisation.
The presentation highlighted an often-overlooked dimension of digital inclusion: the situation of individuals who, for various reasons, are unable, unwilling, or only partially able to use the internet and digital technologies
The presentation emphasized that discussions on digital inclusion typically focus on expanding access to technology and developing digital skills. It also put forward the recommendation that maintaining alternative, non-digital channels of access to public services is equally important. In this context, the concept of the right not to use the internet was discussed as a means of supporting social inclusion, service accessibility, and the protection of citizens’ rights in an increasingly digital society.
