Join us in fighting for freedom of expression

Three years ago, a group of companies including Google, Microsoft and Yahoo joined with non-profit organisations such as Human Rights Watch, investor groups such as F&C Investments, and universities such as Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society to create the Global Network Initiative. Our goal is to protect and advance freedom of expression and privacy online by setting minimum ground-rules on dealing for government requests for information.

Notably, all the initial corporate participants were American. While many Europeans expressed interest in the project, none signed up.

Susan Morgan, a UK native who is the GNI’s executive director, came to Brussels this week, urging Europeans to join the organisation.

In her presentations to the European Parliament, the European Commission and the press, Ms. Morgan pointed to some recent success in attracting Europeans. This year, both the Swedish investment fund Folksam and the UK-based NGO Index on Censorship signed up. The challenge ahead, Ms. Morgan said, is to bring onboard European corporations.

Members of the GNI commit to a set of principles on how they will handle government requests to hand. The GNI has also reinforced company practices of conducting human rights assessments prior to launching new products or opening new markets. But the greatest potential for the GNI is as a forum for common action - the realisation that companies, NGOs, investors and academics acting together can have a far more powerful impact when we act in concert rather than alone. This Initiative is by no means a panacea, but it’s the kind of forum where we believe progress can be made real.

The issues of freedom of expression and privacy impact companies across the ICT sector; as recent events in the Middle East have shown, freedom of expression and privacy has become a business priority – even for organisations that are not “internet companies.”

European politicians such as Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal and MEP Marietje Schaake have expressed interest. Any effort that is limited to the United States is bound to fall short. Put simply, the GNI needs European organisations to help it reach its full potential.

Posted by William Echikson, Head of Free Expression, Europe, Middle East and Africa