The history of humanity demonstrates an ongoing evolution in the balancing of the rights of the individual with those of society. Only in modern times have many of the civil rights we hold to be most dear become recognized and protected by law. With many of these rights now being exercised virtually through the use of information and communications technology (ICT), attention must be paid to ensure that they are not diminished or endangered. In order to protect such “Civil ICT Rights,” we will need to take special care in developing “Civil ICT Standards.”