In response to the open call of the newly-established United Nations Working Group on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises (the “Working Group”) for input regarding the Working Group’s key thematic priorities and activities, the Citizen Lab submitted its views on the urgent need for greater assessment of and guidance surrounding the surveillance and Internet filtering technology sector.
In its submission, the Citizen Lab noted that serious human rights consequences are largely ignored by the private sector in supplying surveillance and filtering technologies to repressive regimes. It stressed the importance of implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in the surveillance and filtering technology sector, and urged the Working Group to include a particular focus on the sector as it carries out its mandate.
The Citizen Lab submission to the Working Group is posted here.
More information on the mandate of the Working Group can be found here.