pielemeier.bsky.social

GNI Statement on Ongoing Communications Restrictions in Gaza - Global Network Initiative GNI urgently calls for all parties to immediately end any efforts to disrupt telecommunications and internet services.

GNI strongly condemns the persistent disruption of Internet & telecommunications services in the #Gaza Strip and calls on all parties to prioritize the restoration and improvement of telecommunications services in the Gaza Strip.
Read our full statement: globalnetworkinitiative.org/gni-statemen...

GNI 2025 Annual Learning Forum: Navigating global paradigm shifts to protect digital rights - Global Network Initiative ALF 2025 will explore global paradigm shifts affecting digital rights & how practitioners can adapt.

🌍 How do global paradigm shifts impact digital rights?

Join us on Oct 22 in Buenos Aires for GNI's Annual Learning Forum 2025 with experts from Wikimedia, Google, Bolo Bhi, Data Privacy Brazil, CELE, and more at the University of Palermo.

globalnetworkinitiative.org/gni-2025-ann...

GNI Statement on Deadly Crackdown and Digital Rights Violations in Nepal - Global Network Initiative GNI calls on all actors in Nepal to refrain from violence and take meaningful steps toward de-escalation.

🇳🇵 GNI strongly condemns the recent violence in Nepal and urges the government to continue de-escalating the situation following its decision to lift the ban on social media services. globalnetworkinitiative.org/gni-statemen...

2024 was a busy year! I'm really proud of all the growth and evolution that happened at GNI. Be sure to check out the interview with my amazing colleague, Elonnai Hickok.

If you're wondering whether the EU's Digital Services Act censors speech in America, the answer is no. Here's a blog post explaining why.

You can skim the key points in a couple of minutes, or stay for the juicy details.

Expanding State Surveillance: GNI Raises Alarm on Mexico’s New Telecommunications and Security Laws - Global Network Initiative GNI urges Mexico to reconsider sweeping new surveillance laws that threaten privacy, free expression, and regulatory independence.

🇲🇽 (Spanish below) Mexico has passed sweeping surveillance laws: biometric IDs; centralized data systems; military surveillance without warrants.

GNI calls for urgent reconsideration to protect privacy & free expression. globalnetworkinitiative.org/expanding-st...

Community-involved content moderation is not new but is taking on various shapes and forms, including via Meta's new approach to Community Notes. Check out this blog to learn more about the latest GNI convened conversations exploring these approaches and their possible human rights impacts.

Exploring Human Rights Due Diligence in Community Moderation Models - Global Network Initiative GNI's new learning series explores the intersection of content moderation, HRDD, and government demands.

🔎 GNI’s new learning series explores how human rights due diligence applies to community moderation models amid rising regulation and AI challenges.

Read more: globalnetworkinitiative.org/exploring-hu...

New from me and @pielemeier.bsky.social:

"Online Safety Regulation: Righting Risks or Risking Rights?"

Up on SSRN here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Forthcoming in "Trust, Safety, and the Internet We Share: Multistakeholder Insights" from the Trust & Safety Foundation and Taylor & Francis

If you have concerns about the UK Online Safety Act, you may also want to understand the substantial concerns that we are raising about Sri Lanka's OSA. Check out @thegni.bsky.social's recommendations to learn more!

Screenshot of https://cdn.openai.com/trust-and-transparency/report-2024h1-government-requests-for-user-data.pdf showing Jan-June 2024 figures.

Screenshot of https://cdn.openai.com/trust-and-transparency/report-2024h2-government-requests-for-user-data.pdf showing July-December 2024 figures (table)

Growing # of intel & law enforcement requests for OpenAI user data, notably content data:
2023: 20 metadata reqs (8 successful); 0 content data reqs
2024: 86 metadata reqs (61 successful); 21 content data reqs (16 successful)
2025: first half report not posted yet
openai.com/trust-and-tr...

NEW REPORT: The Road to WSIS+20: Key Country Perspectives in the Twenty-Year Review of the World Summit on the Information Society - Global Network Initiative GNI and GPD are pleased to announce a new report supported by the inaugural ICANN Grant Program.

📣 New report by GNI and Global Partners Digital: The Road to WSIS+20

Featuring country insights from Africa, Asia, Europe & the Americas, it is designed to help governments and stakeholders prepare for the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society.

Read more: shorturl.at/1t8Ex

GNI’s intervention at WSIS+20 virtual stakeholder consultation sessions (9-10 June 2025) - Global Network Initiative Realizing the WSIS vision and action lines will require robust multistakeholder engagement.

🌍 GNI has submitted our input for #WSIS20 - reaffirming the need for a people-centered, rights-based digital future. We call for:
✅ Multistakeholder governance
✅ Rights-based approach to AI governance
✅ Rights-respecting DPI
✅ Stronger civic space
globalnetworkinitiative.org/gnis-interve...

Thanks to all who participated, especially panelists from @ofcom.bsky.social, @ec.europa.eu, @cnam-ie.bsky.social, @cdteu.bsky.social and the NLUD/CCG. It was particularly interesting to hear from Ofcom about its ongoing review of risk assessment under the UK OSA - see slides included in our post.

Shaping WSIS+20: GNI, GPD, and Partners Promote Multistakeholder Internet Governance with ICANN Support - Global Network Initiative The project ensures representation of the Global Majority & technical community in the WSIS+20 review.

GNI and @gpdigital.bsky.social have launched a new project to support civil society engagement in the WSIS+20 Review. Funded by the ICANN Grant Program, the initiative brings multistakeholder dialogue to the forefront of global digital governance.
globalnetworkinitiative.org/shaping-wsis...

GNI's team is growing stronger and expanding our expertise. We are thrilled to have Shreya joining us!

Opinion | Trump Is Destroying a Core American Value. The World Will Notice. His overhaul of the State Department’s human rights bureau will make the United States weaker.

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/18/o...

Customs and Border Protection Confirms Its Use of Hacked Signal Clone TeleMessage After a hacker reportedly stole data from TeleMessage Signal that included references to CBP, the agency has now confirmed that it used the app but has now “disabled” it as a “precautionary measure.”

tired: SignalGate

@wired.com: The Signal clone, TeleMessage—which Mike Waltz appeared to use in a Reuters photo—has been hacked. And Customs and Border Protection also confirmed it used TeleMessage.

Welp.

Data localization: A Global Threat to Human Rights Online - Global Network Initiative As more and more governments turn to data localization, these laws’ negative impact on digital rights are becoming increasingly clear. The multistakeholder community must come together to devise right...

🔴 Read our latest Confluence blog post "Data localization: A Global Threat to Human Rights Online" by Freedom House's Community Engagement Specialist Maddie Masinsin and GNI Senior Fellow Ramsha Jahangir.
globalnetworkinitiative.org/data-localiz...

GNI, alongside 101 civil society organizations and 46 experts, endorses the Five Point Plan to help operationalize the WSIS+20 review modalities to ensure transparency, inclusivity, and meaningful stakeholder engagement. Learn more: www.gp-digital.org/five-point-p...

Looking Back at RightsCon 2025 - Global Network Initiative GNI appreciated the space to be in community and collaborate at a key moment for the sector.

At this difficult, yet critical, time for the human rights and tech community globally, GNI appreciated the space to be in community and collaborate at hashtag #RightsCon2025 at a key moment for the sector. globalnetworkinitiative.org/looking-back...

UK Encryption Crackdown Imperils Privacy, Security & Free Speech | TechPolicy.Press A secret "technical capability notice" from the Home Office represents a massive overreach, write Berin Szóka and Santana Boulton at TechFreedom.

Apple has been forced to disable end to end encryption for iCloud in the UK. This violates human rights law. If UK courts don't block this, the European Court of Human Rights will, as our new coalition letter explains. But users will be left unprotected...
www.techpolicy.press/uk-encryptio...

It's beyond disappointing that the United Kingdom’s government is using its powers under the Investigatory Powers Act to attempt to force Apple to break end-to-end encryption for its cloud service. The consensus among cybersecurity experts is clear: there’s no way to break encryption without making everyone more vulnerable. It is stunning that just days after the UK’s National Audit Office released a report that the "cyber threat to the UK government is severe,” the UK government would launch an attempt to weaken the security and privacy of a service that its citizens, including government employees, rely on. There still is no safe way for Apple to break end-to-end encryption on its cloud services without weakening the privacy and security of all its users. Undermining protections for end-to-end encryption would make UK businesses and individuals less safe online. Opening a backdoor for the UK government also opens a backdoor for cyber criminals intent on accessing our private info"

We are exceedingly disappointed to hear the UK has secretly ordered Apple to let it spy on all users’ encrypted accounts. The following can be attributed to Robin Wilton @komadori.bsky.social , Senior Director of Internet Trust:

U.K. orders Apple to let it spy on users’ encrypted accounts Secret order requires blanket access to protected cloud backups around the world, which if implemented would undermine Apple’s privacy pledge to its users.

A year ago @thegni.bsky.social lamented the potential for abuse of proposed amendments to the Investigatory Powers Act. This is an unnecessary & disproportionate assertion of power by HMG & terrible global precedent. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

globalnetworkinitiative.org/gni-statemen...

Great piece on impacts of $ freeze on intl tech policy. That this is happening as world gears up for WSIS+20 review isn’t mentioned but underscores the challenge this poses for US interests and the opportunity it creates for those pushing for a state-centric, top-down approach to Internet governance

This is an important moment in Bangladesh - a country with so much potential. Getting digital regulation right is not easy, even in the best of circumstances. Engaging key stakeholders is critical to ensure the country charts an open, reliable, sustainable, & rights-protecting digital way forward.

Enhancing Participation and Improving the Mechanics of Assessment - Global Network Initiative Recent adaptations to GNI's assessment process help meet the dynamic needs of our membership, while being responsive to external developments.

🔔 New blog post:
This is the fifth in a series that explores the rationale behind adaptations to GNI's fifth assessment cycle, covering how they improve alignment between GNI’s assessment process and the aforementioned developments.
globalnetworkinitiative.org/enhancing-pa...

GNI issued a letter to the Government of Pakistan today, in light of the amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) & amidst continued monitoring and restriction of internet access and social media services in the country.
Full statement: globalnetworkinitiative.org/gni-statemen...

Like many transparency reports, this provides useful insight while also provoking more questions. Overall, hats off to BSKY and @aaron.bsky.team for this good work. We look forward to more safety updates and seeing how this work evolves over the next year.

(3) The section on "User Reports" is particularly interesting given how small BSKY's T&S team is and the broader trend toward reliance on community enforcement. The narrative explanation usefully explains some of the data here, but doesn't fully address the large spike in user reports in late Nov.