This is very cool. As someone who believes very strongly in the rights to privacy and freedom of expression, I am very impressed that Microsoft, Google and Yahoo have not only founded an organization like the Global Network Initiative, but have all been subject to an assessment of their compliance with these important principles to see if they practice what they preach.
Yesterday, the GNI released the Public Report on the Independent Assessment Process for Google, Microsoft and Yahoo, all of which were found to be generally in compliance with the GNI's principles. Of concern was the exclusion of Skype China from Microsoft's assessment, but hopefully that will be remedied in future reports.
For more info, check out: GNI Report Finds Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo Compliant with Free Expression and Privacy Principles | Global Network Initiative.
Glyn Moody wrote this about Mozilla, but it applies here too: "It is not possible...to ignore what we have learned from Snowden about the activities of the NSA and its friends in the UK and elsewhere. It is not possible blithely to continue as if nothing has changed. For a start, we now know that practically everything we do online is spied on, stored and analysed. That immediately undercuts earlier efforts to provide privacy. We know that encryption is compromised, if not actually broken. That means many of our assumptions about security go out of the window."
ReplyDeleteSee more at: http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2014/01/mozillas-big-move-in-2014-getting-political/index.htm#sthash.cEXaAZFy.dpuf
This also applies to assumptions about privacy.
I was feeling a little uncomfortable about Google's increasing control of the Internet when I bought my Android smart phone. Before I could root it, Google required registration. I gave an assumed name and a disposable email address, but it took about 3 seconds to realize Google knew exactly who I was. As far as I am concerned, that removed all doubt about whether the company is living up to its self proclaimed "not evil" tagline.