GNI Holds Open House for Tech Sector Companies; Initiates Guidance Workstream
Posted: Sep 29, 2009
GNI has identified significant interest from companies across the
technology sector in guidance regarding freedom of expression and privacy
issues, including challenges posed by sales of equipment, software, or services
to governments, and challenges related to government mandates for modification
of equipment, installation of software, or other mandates. (See also GNI’s
statement giving Guidance to ICT Manufacturing and Software Sector).
In response, on September 10, 2009, the Global Network Initiative
hosted an open house discussion for technology companies. Attendees included
companies from the telecommunications, equipment and software manufacturing,
and Internet sectors. The meeting covered key questions of interest about the
Global Network Initiative, including:
- The business value of joining GNI;
- How GNI will be organized and governed;
- How GNI’s multi-stakeholder learning and collaboration activities
function;
- How the accountability component of GNI operates; and
- How the GNI principles and implementation guidelines are relevant to
a wide variety of technology companies, and are capable of adaption by those
sectors.
Many companies expressed interest in continuing discussions. The GNI
is convening a workstream to explore how the current GNI guidelines can be
further developed to assist other companies in their efforts to protect freedom
of expression and privacy. This process, which will be held under the Chatham
House Rule on confidentiality, will be multi-stakeholder in nature, bringing
together perspectives from industry, investors, academics, and human rights
organizations in GNI to create credible and broadly accepted guidance.
Participation in this workstream is not limited to attendees at the Open House; GNI welcomes participation by any technology company interested in these issues. Interested companies should contact info@globalnetworkinitiative.org (subject line: GNI Guidance Workstream).