Introduction: Meeting about The Global Network Initiative (1)

Dutch MEP Marietje Schaake (D667ALDE) hosted a meeting with Susan Morgan, executive director of the Global Network Initiative (GNI).

GNI is a multi-stakeholder initiative of companies, civil society and academics which works to advance freedom of expression and privacy in today's digital age.

All over the world companies in the Information & Communications Technology (ICT) sector face increasing government pressure to comply with domestic laws and policies in ways that may conflict with the internationally recognized human rights of freedom of expression and privacy. This is of the utmost concern, as ICT has the potential to enable the exchange of ideas and access to information in a way that supports economic opportunity, advances knowledge and improves quality of life.


The GNI, launched in late 2008, has developed a set of Principles stating the overarching commitment of the initiative's members to provide guidance to the ICT industry on how to respect, protect and advance user rights of freedom of expression and privacy. Stakeholders involved in the GNI today include Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists, F&C Asset Management, Folksam and the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School. For the GNI Principles to take root as a global standard for corporate responsibility with respect to freedom of expression and privacy, a much wider set of stakeholders adopting and implementing the Principles is needed.

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• Marietje
• Schaake
• D66
• GNI
• Susan
• Morgan
• Global
• Network
• Initiative