RDR 2017 Findings: Internet and Telco companies’ respect for Privacy and Freedom of Expression (en)

Lisa Gutermuth, Ilana Ullman Ranking Digital Rights evaluates
internet, mobile, and telecommunications’ companies commitments,
policies, and practices affecting users’ freedom of expression and
privacy.  This work has served as a roadmap for corporations
to follow to improve disclosure and practices, and has proven
useful for researchers, responsible investors, and civil society
groups to take further in their own contexts.  The 2017
Corporate Accountability Index was released March 23, 2017. This
year, we looked at some of the world’s largest tech companies: 12
Internet companies and 10 telecommunications headquartered and with
operations around the world. Jointly these companies serve billions
of customers, and have great impact on the human rights of their
users.  We also added some new dimensions to the research: The
2017 Index includes a new area of evaluation, covering “mobile
ecosystems,” including Google’s Android, Apple iOS, and Samsung’s
implementation of Android.  We’ve also added new companies
 headquartered in countries such as Russia and China, to
further identify jurisdictional influence on company disclosure.
 Additionally, our updated methodology includes indicators
that further examine network shutdowns, encryption practices, and
the influence of good security practices on privacy. In this talk,
we will present key findings and highlights of the 2017 Index, as
well as the lessons learned in adding new dimensions to the
methodology.  It will also provide an opportunity for
re:publica attendees to have a conversation with the RDR team
people who produced the Index.