for Communication (University of Southern California); Deirdre Mulligan, Berkeley
School of Information (University of California); Berkman Center for Internet and Society (Harvard University); Rebecca MacKinnon, Journalism and Media Studies Centre
(University of Hong Kong); and Research Center for Information Law (University of
St. Gallen). Investors participating in the GNI are Boston Common Asset Management,
Calvert Group, Domini Social Investments LLC, F&C Asset Management, KLD Research & Analytics, Inc., and Trillium Asset Management. Nongovernmental organizations participating in the GNI are Center for Democracy and Technology, Committee
to Protect Journalists, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Human Rights First, Human
Rights in China, Human Rights Watch, International Business Leaders Forum, Internews, and World Press Freedom Committee. The United Nations Special Representative to the Secretary General on business and human rights enjoys observer status. The
drafting group also included Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders, France
Telecom, Teliasonera, and Vodafone, none of whom continued to participate in the
GNI after launch.
Foundational Elements
The structure and overall approach that emerged from the multiyear process are largely
defined by three documents: the Principles, 29 the Implementation Guidelines, 30 and
the Governance, Accountability, and Learning Framework, 31 which were released in
October 2008 and will be supplemented by the Governance Charter, slated for final approval in September 2009. At the most fundamental, aspirational, and stable level lie
the Principles, which express overarching support for international standards centered
on expression and privacy, and a commitment to act upon them. The associated
Implementation Guidelines provide concrete guidance to companies regarding the realization of the Principles in practice and are intended to reflect developing institutional knowledge and respond to the challenges companies and users face. The
Framework describes the initial expectations regarding a supporting organization and
the general design of the accountability and learning regime, which both ensures that
companies are complying with the Principles and fosters learning within and across
GNI participants.
Principles
While implementation will surely prove to be the greatest challenge, the audacious
first task of the 20-odd participating organizations—and the essential first step toward
orienting the Initiative’s values and goals—was to articulate a common understanding
of global principles for freedom of expression and privacy online. In doing so, the GNI
drew heavily upon the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant
on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which together constitute the
94
Colin M. Maclay
School of Information (University of California); Berkman Center for Internet and Society (Harvard University); Rebecca MacKinnon, Journalism and Media Studies Centre
(University of Hong Kong); and Research Center for Information Law (University of
St. Gallen). Investors participating in the GNI are Boston Common Asset Management,
Calvert Group, Domini Social Investments LLC, F&C Asset Management, KLD Research & Analytics, Inc., and Trillium Asset Management. Nongovernmental organizations participating in the GNI are Center for Democracy and Technology, Committee
to Protect Journalists, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Human Rights First, Human
Rights in China, Human Rights Watch, International Business Leaders Forum, Internews, and World Press Freedom Committee. The United Nations Special Representative to the Secretary General on business and human rights enjoys observer status. The
drafting group also included Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders, France
Telecom, Teliasonera, and Vodafone, none of whom continued to participate in the
GNI after launch.
Foundational Elements
The structure and overall approach that emerged from the multiyear process are largely
defined by three documents: the Principles, 29 the Implementation Guidelines, 30 and
the Governance, Accountability, and Learning Framework, 31 which were released in
October 2008 and will be supplemented by the Governance Charter, slated for final approval in September 2009. At the most fundamental, aspirational, and stable level lie
the Principles, which express overarching support for international standards centered
on expression and privacy, and a commitment to act upon them. The associated
Implementation Guidelines provide concrete guidance to companies regarding the realization of the Principles in practice and are intended to reflect developing institutional knowledge and respond to the challenges companies and users face. The
Framework describes the initial expectations regarding a supporting organization and
the general design of the accountability and learning regime, which both ensures that
companies are complying with the Principles and fosters learning within and across
GNI participants.
Principles
While implementation will surely prove to be the greatest challenge, the audacious
first task of the 20-odd participating organizations—and the essential first step toward
orienting the Initiative’s values and goals—was to articulate a common understanding
of global principles for freedom of expression and privacy online. In doing so, the GNI
drew heavily upon the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant
on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which together constitute the
94
Colin M. Maclay