Technology Transfer Technology Dumping Computer Freedom and Privacy

Technology Transfer, Technology Dumping Computer Freedom and Privacy Conference, Berkeley, April 20 -23, 2004 Jagdish Parikh Human Rights Watch, New York http: //www. hrw. org/

Technology Transfer, Technology Dumping Summary: • Technology transfers don’t take place in a social vacuum • Information and communications technology export • "We are just following laws of land“ • Corporate social responsibility for Internet industry CFP 2004, Berkeley Jagdish Parikh, Human Rights Watch

Technology transfers don’t take place in a social vacuum • Companies are expected to follow local laws • Factors shaping technology transfer (bi-lateral, multi-lateral agreements and voluntary code of conduct) • Selected examples - Access to essential Medicine, national health emergency and threats to public health (WTO shaping technology transfer) – Arms export and human rights violations – Systemic failure to protect workers' human rights as an "unreasonable" trade practice • Code of Conduct and UN Global compact CFP 2004, Berkeley Jagdish Parikh, Human Rights Watch

Information and Communication Technology export • Industrialized countries invariably set the rules for the rest of the world • Export to countries known for their human rights violations • Few barriers to the trade in surveillance technologies CFP 2004, Berkeley, Jagdish Parikh, Human Rights Watch

"We are just following laws of land" Such argument means that: • Losing an opportunity to play a proactive role in opening space for citizens to express themselves freely. • Possible risk making them partners / complicit in violations of human rights. • Undermining the power and reputation of their products. CFP 2004, Berkeley Jagdish Parikh, Human Rights Watch

Corporate social responsibility for Internet industry To Start with: • Need to recognize and practice standards that are increasingly commonplace in old industries such as apparel, footwear, and even oil and gas. • Coordinated efforts required to combat abusive laws and proposals. CFP 2004, Berkeley Jagdish Parikh, Human Rights Watch

Corporate social responsibility for Internet industry An attempts to: • Include meaningful, enforceable protections of human rights when trading arrangements exist; • Define their own voluntary codes of corporate conduct upholding human rights standards when there are no enforceable protections of human rights; • Engage in the international trade responsibly and not provide technology support to regimes that commit gross violations of international human rights or humanitarian law; CFP 2004, Berkeley Jagdish Parikh, Human Rights Watch