Center for Democracy and Technology | Global Network Initiative

Q: GNI Joins Broad Coalition Opposing US Department of Homeland Security Social Media Password Requirement Proposal

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 .

Q: GNI and CDT host closed roundtable session in London on regulating of extremist content online

The Global Network Initiative and the Center for Democracy and Technology hosted a closed roundtable session discussing the regulation of extremist content online in London on October 16. The half-day session discussed the effectiveness of restricting content for countering extremism and incitement to violence online and explored possible measures to mitigate the harm to privacy and free expression in cases where content monitoring and restriction by government legitimately protects the public. Participants included European law enforcement representatives, UN officials, human rights and press freedom groups, Internet and telecommunications companies, academics, and investors. GNI is planning future events and discussions on online extremism and the role of ICT companies.

Q: GNI Joins Diverse Coalition to Call for Significant Surveillance Reforms

The Global Network Initiative has joined with a wide range of privacy and human rights advocates, technology companies, and trade associations to agree on key elements of U.S surveillance reform. In a letter to Congress and the Obama Administration, the coalition has urged a clear, strong, and effective end to bulk collection practices under the USA PATRIOT Act, transparency and accountability mechanisms for government and company reporting, and a declassification regime for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court decisions. As Congress and the executive branch consider surveillance reforms, GNI urges them to consider the international implications of U.S. reforms. The United States has an opportunity to demonstrate real leadership by enacting reforms that would bring oversight and control over surveillance regimes commensurate with their capacity. Reforms should help to ensure an approach to national security surveillance worthy of adoption globally that protects the privacy rights of all persons. GNI participants, including companies who are members of the Reform Government Surveillance coalition, and civil society organizations including the Center for Democracy & Technology , the Committee to Protect Journalists , Human Rights Watch , PEN American Center , and World Press Freedom Committee signed the letter.

2018-03-08T17:47:48+00:00March 25, 2015|Categories: Issues, media releases, surveillance|Tags: Center for Democracy and Technology, Human Rights Watch, North America, PEN American Center, The Committee to Protect Journalists, United States, USA Patriot Act, World Press Freedom Committee|

Getting Specific About Transparency, Privacy, and Free Expression Online

Amid the contentious global debates about privacy and surveillance since the Snowden revelations, few proposed reforms have attracted more consensus than calls for greater transparency.

2019-01-29T15:56:51+00:00November 5, 2014|Categories: Issues, media releases, op-eds, surveillance|Tags: Center for Democracy and Technology, Emma Llansó, Free Expression, Freedom Online Coalition, transparency|