GNI Publishes Key Issues for Consideration in GNI Implementation Dialogue

The GNI’s Principles and Implementation Guidelines are particularly relevant for internet and telecommunications companies worldwide.

However, there is great interest in understanding how the Principles and Implementation Guidelines may be adapted to apply to other segments of the ICT industry, such as equipment manufacturers; consumer electronics brands; handset manufacturers; and the providers of security and filtering services, enterprise management software, and databases. The GNI has established an “Implementation Dialogue” to achieve this objective.

To inform this dialogue, the GNI today published a short document setting out some of the key issues that need to be addressed in order to understand how the GNI Principles and Implementation Guidelines can be made more relevant for a wider range of ICT companies.

The paper is available here and reaches two main conclusions:

• There are large sections of the GNI documents that are entirely relevant to the whole ICT industry:
  • top level commitments to protecting and advancing freedom of expression and privacy;
  • responsible company decision making;
  • human rights impact assessments; and
  • multi-stakeholder collaboration to advance human rights.

• There are four interrelated questions that need further exploration:
  • product functionality;
  • due diligence and the product use phase;
  • consulting advice;
  • responses to government demands; and
  • mandated standards.

The GNI welcomes participation by any technology company engaged with these issues. Interested companies should contact [email protected].