A joint effort between Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo! might seem like an awkward encounter waiting to happen, but the three Internet giants confirmed Tuesday that they will work together on an initiative aimed at preserving free speech on the Web.
The Global Network Initiative (GNI) is intended to provide guidance to technology companies with regard to advancing freedom of expression and privacy in countries with laws and policies that interfere with these goals.
In addition to the three tech companies, GNI will also include Human Rights First, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, and Human Rights in China.
The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), Business for Social Responsibility, facilitated the creation of GNI; the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University also offered its expertise.
"This initiative is the result of two years of discussions with other leading technology companies, human rights organizations, socially responsible investors and academic institutions," Andrew McLaughlin, Google's director of public policy and government Affairs, wrote in a blog post. "We know that common action by these diverse groups is more likely to bring about change in government policies than the efforts of any one company or group acting alone."
"Yahoo was founded on the belief that access to information can enrich people's lives, and the principles we unveil today reflect our determination that our actions match our values around the world," Jerry Yang, Yahoo's CEO and co-founder, said in a statement. "These principles provide a valuable roadmap for companies like Yahoo operating in markets where freedom of expression and privacy are unfairly restricted."
GNI has established Principles on Freedom of Expression and Privacy. That document has not yet been published. The group's ...
