June 2026

VOlUME 05 ISSUE 06 June 2026
An Assessment of the Protection of Human Rights in International Law in the Age of Digitalisation
Onur Cem KELEŞ
St. Clements University/International Law Master’s Student/Turkey
ORCID ID: 0009-0009-1738-1544
DOI : https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2026.v5i6n37

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ABSTRACT

The rapid development of digital technologies has fundamentally transformed the ways in which individuals exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms and has expanded the scope of international human rights law. The internet, social media platforms, big data analytics and digital surveillance applications present both new opportunities and serious risks in terms of the protection of human rights. This study aims to assess the extent to which international human rights law can protect individuals’ fundamental rights in the digital age. The article addresses key areas such as the right to privacy, the protection of personal data, freedom of expression and digital surveillance; the responsibilities of states and private actors have been analysed from an international law perspective. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the United Nations system and regional human rights mechanisms in addressing digital rights violations has been assessed. The study concludes that, whilst the current international legal framework offers a certain level of protection in the digital age, it has not been able to keep pace with the speed of technological developments.

KEYWORDS:

Digitalisation, International Human Rights Law, Privacy, Digital Surveillance, Personal Data.

REFERENCES
1) United Nations. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. New York: United Nations, 1948.

2) United Nations. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. New York: United Nations, 1966.

3) United Nations Human Rights Council. The Right to Privacy in the Digital Age. Geneva: United Nations, 2014.

4) United Nations General Assembly. The Promotion, Protection and Enjoyment of Human Rights on the Internet. New York: United Nations, 2012.

5) Council of Europe. European Convention on Human Rights. Rome: Council of Europe, 1950.

6) Council of Europe. Guide on Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights: Right to Respect for Private and Family Life. Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2020.

7) European Court of Human Rights. Case-Law on Freedom of Expression (Article 10). Strasbourg: ECHR, various judgments.

8) European Court of Human Rights. Case-Law on the Right to Respect for Private Life (Article 8). Strasbourg: ECHR, various judgments.

9) Milanovic, Marko. The Impact of Digital Technologies on Human Rights. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018.

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13) De Hert, Paul, and Serge Gutwirth. “Privacy, Data Protection and Law Enforcement.” Philosophy & Technology 31, no. 2 (2018): 159–176.

Cite this Article:KELES, O. C. (2026). An Assessment of the Protection of Human Rights in International Law in the Age of Digitalisation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE HUMANITY & MANAGEMENT RESEARCHS, 5(6), 1701-1704. https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2026.v5i6n37

VOlUME 05 ISSUE 06 June 2026

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