Publications

Concerns About Draft Content Regulation in Bangladesh: Submission to BTRC

March 9, 2022|feature, intermediary liability, issues highlight, Publication, surveillance|

GNI recently submitted comment on the draft digital platform regulation from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). GNI is concerned about the rushed process, including overlap with a similar proposal from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, as well as the risks to digital rights from the significant obligations in the draft regulation. GNI stands ready to engage with the BTRC in support of rights-respecting content regulation.

Nuevo Reporte: Uso de tecnologías para el combate de la pandemia: Datos personales en Latinoamérica 

November 8, 2021|feature, media releases, Publication, surveillance|

Este reporte revisa el desarrollo de tecnologías para el combate a la pandemia bajo diferentes marcos legales en Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador y El Salvador. Analiza los impactos de las respuestas de los gobiernos en el derecho a la privacidad de los usuarios y ofrece recomendaciones.

New Report! Technologies Used in the Fight Against the Pandemic: Personal Data in Latin America

November 7, 2021|feature, media releases, Publication, surveillance|

This report looks at the development of technologies to fight the pandemic under different legal frameworks in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and El Salvador. It analyzes the impacts of governments' responses on users’ privacy rights and makes recommendations.

Human Rights Due Diligence and the Digital Services Act — GNI and CDT Roundtable and Public Event

September 15, 2021|feature, intermediary liability, Issues, issues highlight, media releases, Multimedia, Publication|

CDT Europe and GNI are pleased to share two reports from a recent closed-door expert roundtable and a public event looking at human rights due diligence in the tech policy sector and the DSA. Watch the public discussion or read the reports from both events.

New Report! Life Interrupted: Centering the Social Impacts of Network Disruptions in Advocacy in Africa

March 31, 2021|feature, Issues, issues highlight, media releases, network disruptions, Publication, reports|

Authored by Tomiwa Ilori of the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, the report surveys experts and practitioners from eleven countries in Africa where the Internet was disrupted for 1144 days total between 2011 and 2020.

The Right Way to Regulate Digital Harms

January 8, 2021|feature, op-eds, Publication|

In the Op-Ed “The Right Way to Regulate Digital Harms” published by Project Syndicate on December 21, 2020, GNI Independent Board Chair David Kaye and GNI Policy Director Jason Pielemeier discuss the importance of clear and comprehensive regulatory approaches, based on human-rights principles, when addressing toxic content online from terrorist [...]
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Addressing Digital Harms AND Protecting Human Rights — GNI Shares Recommendations for Policymakers

October 13, 2020|feature, intermediary liability, Issues, issues highlight, Jurisdictional Assertions & Limits, Publication, reports|

"Content Regulation and Human Rights: Analysis and Recommendations" uses human rights to analyze more than 20 recent, governmental initiatives that claim to address various forms of digital harm. The brief is the result of months of multistakeholder analysis by GNI’s diverse, expert membership, as well as six virtual consultations with government actors and other key stakeholders in Africa, the EU, India, Pakistan, and the UK.

GNI’s Submission to the Open Consultation on the EU Digital Services Act

September 29, 2020|feature, intermediary liability, Issues, issues highlight, media releases, Publication|

The DSA is expected to transform the regulatory environment for tech companies and have wide-reaching impacts beyond the EU. In our response to a European Commission consultation, GNI shares important considerations for protecting digital rights in three areas: 1) Safety and Responsibility; 2) Liability Regime; and 3) Governance and Enforcement.
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Event Report: Multistakeholder Roundtable on Content Regulation in the U.K.

September 23, 2020|feature, intermediary liability, Issues, issues highlight, Publication, reports|

GNI convened representatives from civil society, academia, the ICT industry, and the U.K. government to consider the Online Harms White Paper in the context of the human rights framework, with four discussion topics: codes of conduct, duty of care, remedy, and privacy. GNI previewed the content regulation policy brief to be launched in the coming weeks.
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Event Report: Multistakeholder Roundtable on India’s Draft Intermediaries Guidelines Amendments

August 13, 2020|feature, intermediary liability, Issues, issues highlight, Publication, reports|

Representatives from civil society, academia, the legal community, ICT companies, and policymakers in India joined a roundtable discussion to examine the Draft Intermediaries Guidelines through the lens of international human rights law, framed by a forthcoming GNI policy brief on content regulation and human rights.

“The Rights Foundation,” Launching the GNI Blog Series on Content Regulation and Human Rights

July 13, 2020|feature, intermediary liability, Issues, issues highlight, op-eds, Publication|

An introduction to the GNI blog series examining government efforts to address online harms around the world. Written by members and close collaborators, the series will provide practical guidance to those seeking to regulate content while upholding human rights.

Content Regulation and Human Rights: Report on a GNI Multistakeholder Roundtable on the Digital Services Act

June 25, 2020|feature, intermediary liability, Issues, issues highlight, media releases, Publication|

On June 4, 2020, GNI hosted a multistakeholder roundtable discussion to examine key provisions of the anticipated European Union Digital Services Act through the lens of international human rights law. Held under Chatham House Rule, the online event was attended by nearly 70 guests, including EU policymakers and experts from academia, civil society, and ICT companies. Read more in the event report.   

Companies Must Defend Digital Rights in the COVID-19 Era

June 5, 2020|feature, op-eds, Publication|

In the Op-Ed "Companies Must Defend Digital Rights in the COVID-19 Era," published by Project Syndicate on June 4, 2020, GNI Independent Board Chair, Mark Stephens CBE outlines some valuable lessons from the most recent GNI assessments on how to navigate evolving government pressures on technology companies. He reflects on [...]

GNI Submission on Draft Amendments to Intermediary Guidelines in India

January 31, 2019|feature, intermediary liability, Issues, issues highlight, Publication|

GNI is concerned the amendments, as drafted, would place significant pressure on a wide range of ICT companies to monitor Indian users’ activities, remove content, and hand over data in ways that could unnecessarily and inappropriately impact users’ freedom of expression and privacy.

GNI Statement on Europe’s Proposed Regulation on Preventing the Dissemination of Terrorist Content Online

January 15, 2019|feature, intermediary liability, Issues, issues highlight, media releases, Publication|

As drafted, the proposed European regulation on preventing the dissemination of terrorist content could unintentionally harm users’ rights and undermine legitimate efforts to document and counter extremists’ online activity.
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GNI Welcomes Facebook’s Publication of its Human Rights Impact Assessment in Myanmar

November 7, 2018|media releases, Publication|

GNI welcomes Facebook’s full publication of an independent report assessing the human rights impacts of the company in Myanmar, formerly Burma, where some estimated 20 million of the 50 million population are Facebook users. Facebook commissioned Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), a business network and consultancy dedicated to sustainability, to [...]

GNI Provides Feedback on European Commission’s Proposal on Requests to Access Electronic Evidence Across Borders

July 24, 2018|feature, Issues, issues highlight, Jurisdictional Assertions & Limits, Publication, Resources, Uncategorized|

GNI recognizes that the Commission's proposal on requests to access electronic evidence across borders may expedite legitimate law enforcement investigations, but implementation also raises potential risks for users' rights. Read our recommendations

GNI Submission to UK Government Consultation: “The Internet: to regulate or not to regulate?”

July 13, 2018|Publication, Resources|

GNI-Evidence-UK-Select-Committee-Communications-May-2018 In April 2018, the U.K. Select Committee launched a public inquiry titled "The Internet: to regulate or not to regulate?" in order to explore "how Internet regulation could be improved, including through better self-regulation and governance, and whether a new regulatory framework for the Internet is necessary or whether the [...]