meet current needs while maintaining its flexibility to adapt and improve alongside, or
ahead of, the path ahead? Will the organization be caught responding to the
new terrain with the methods for traversing that of the past decade, whether in accountability, learning, or public remedy? Can the GNI adjust its vision and mode as
the participants—and their needs and perspectives—change?
Scalability Does the approach scale alongside increasing users and uses of ICT, as well
as the apparently concomitant increase in government affronts on expression and privacy? How will the GNI attract greater participation? How will the GNI’s internal systems represent the interests of the current 1.6 billion Internet users 41 and 4 billion
mobile subscribers, 42 and what will happen as those numbers grow?
Transparency With an accurate understanding of the issues essential for effective intervention on the part of the policymakers, advocacy organizations, business, and ultimately users (who decide what, if anything, they do online), will the GNI be capable of
widely and faithfully conveying what is actually happening? Will statements be supported by data and directly informed by company experience, rather than by anecdote,
to promote understanding of systemic issues and trends, contributing to a chain of accountability and building understanding of new/potential pressure points as they
emerge over time?
Legitimacy Will the organization earn and keep the public’s trust? Are the accountability processes perceived as both robust and reasonable, are there open channels for
communications with the public, is the information shared with the public adequate?
How does the GNI distinguish between the progress of the participants and its own
advances? How will these developments be evaluated?
Neutrality Can the GNI become a truly global standard, and not be viewed as being
unduly influenced or dominated by the interests of any nation, culture, or organization? Will its interventions or recommendations take into account cultural nuance
and local knowledge while continuing to uphold high international standards for human rights?
Sustainability Will the GNI and its participants be able to generate the collective and
internal resources necessary for implementation and ongoing effectiveness? Will the
organization be able to sustain the level of activity to which it has committed, or
come up with creative ways that involve others in this work?
Conclusion
The story has not yet ended for the GNI or for Yahoo!. In December 2008, the Vietnamese government passed a law limiting online political speech and requiring online
service providers to report violators, publicly stating its expectations that Google and
Yahoo! would contribute to a ‘‘healthy’’ Internet. 43 How the situation develops—
Protecting Privacy and Expression Online
103
ahead of, the path ahead? Will the organization be caught responding to the
new terrain with the methods for traversing that of the past decade, whether in accountability, learning, or public remedy? Can the GNI adjust its vision and mode as
the participants—and their needs and perspectives—change?
Scalability Does the approach scale alongside increasing users and uses of ICT, as well
as the apparently concomitant increase in government affronts on expression and privacy? How will the GNI attract greater participation? How will the GNI’s internal systems represent the interests of the current 1.6 billion Internet users 41 and 4 billion
mobile subscribers, 42 and what will happen as those numbers grow?
Transparency With an accurate understanding of the issues essential for effective intervention on the part of the policymakers, advocacy organizations, business, and ultimately users (who decide what, if anything, they do online), will the GNI be capable of
widely and faithfully conveying what is actually happening? Will statements be supported by data and directly informed by company experience, rather than by anecdote,
to promote understanding of systemic issues and trends, contributing to a chain of accountability and building understanding of new/potential pressure points as they
emerge over time?
Legitimacy Will the organization earn and keep the public’s trust? Are the accountability processes perceived as both robust and reasonable, are there open channels for
communications with the public, is the information shared with the public adequate?
How does the GNI distinguish between the progress of the participants and its own
advances? How will these developments be evaluated?
Neutrality Can the GNI become a truly global standard, and not be viewed as being
unduly influenced or dominated by the interests of any nation, culture, or organization? Will its interventions or recommendations take into account cultural nuance
and local knowledge while continuing to uphold high international standards for human rights?
Sustainability Will the GNI and its participants be able to generate the collective and
internal resources necessary for implementation and ongoing effectiveness? Will the
organization be able to sustain the level of activity to which it has committed, or
come up with creative ways that involve others in this work?
Conclusion
The story has not yet ended for the GNI or for Yahoo!. In December 2008, the Vietnamese government passed a law limiting online political speech and requiring online
service providers to report violators, publicly stating its expectations that Google and
Yahoo! would contribute to a ‘‘healthy’’ Internet. 43 How the situation develops—
Protecting Privacy and Expression Online
103