The Global Network Initiative (GNI) welcomes LINE Corporation – the first GNI company headquartered in Asia – to start a one-year observer period on 15 April. In this capacity, LINE Corporation will engage in GNI policy and learning activities alongside our growing network of companies, academics, investors, human rights and press freedom groups working to protect and advance freedom of expression and privacy in the information and communications technology sector.
“It is our intent to contribute to GNI wherever possible, leveraging our Asia-focused experience. We have a strong intention to support GNI’s global efforts to preserve people’s privacy and protect human rights,” said LINE Corporation Chief Privacy Officer, Takesh Nakayama.
LINE Corporation is a mobile messaging platform provider based in Japan. It was conceived after the massive earthquake that devastated Japan on 11 March 2011 and founded on 1 April 2013. Driven by the fundamental need for a global communication tool that could strengthen human relationships, LINE Corporation integrated NHN Japan Corporation, NAVER Matome, and Livedoor web service businesses.
Since June 2011, LINE Corporation has pushed for the global expansion of its services, offering a growing mobile messenger app making free messages, voice calls, and video calls available on smartphones. Today, LINE has grown into a social platform, serving 164 million users in its core markets including Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, along with global offices in China, Colombia, Germany, Middle East and North Africa, South Korea, Spain, United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Vietnam.
“GNI staff and members have interacted with LINE Corporation executives since 2017. This has allowed us to learn about LINE’s corporate principles and user privacy rules and attest to their potential to commit to the GNI Principles of Freedom of Expression and Privacy. We believe LINE’s participation as an observer will strengthen GNI’s work and look forward to enhancing our engagement with them over the next year,” said GNI Executive Director Judith Lichtenberg.
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