Today, the multi-stakeholder membership of the Global Network Initiative joined with human rights organizations, businesses, trade associations, security professionals and law experts to express shared concerns about the possibility of the US Department of Homeland Security requiring non-US citizens to provide passwords to their social media accounts as a condition of entering the country.
As expressed in this joint statement, measures that force individuals to disclose their online activity chill free expression, forcing self-censorship, and threaten the right to privacy. The US Government risks setting a dangerous global precedent as foreign governments implement similar password requirements at their borders.
GNI encourages other stakeholders to sign on to the letter, which was led by GNI member the Center for Democracy and Technology. The link to sign on can be found here.