Description:
discussions, and how discussion will be facilitated during the session. Content and agenda: This session will explore two issues: (i) how can the UN Principles on Business and Human Rights apply in practice to the policies and procedures of tech companies, with particular reference to dominant social media companies who wield great power over users; and (ii) the role that States can play in encouraging tech companies to uphold the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). In relation to (i), discussion will include examination of the extent to which policies and procedures of tech companies such as Facebook, Google and Twitter currently meet the ‘golden standard’ set out in the UNGPs and how they can be improved in order to do so, by reference to examples from other sectors including the extractive and garment industries. This includes UN Guiding Principle 18, which underlines that the purpose of human rights due diligence is 'to understand the specific impacts on specific people, given a specific context of operations' and requires (tech) companies to pay special attention to vulnerable groups, and UN Guiding Principle 21, which requires (tech) companies to 'both know and show that they respect human rights in practice', in particular 'by providing a measure of transparency and accountability to individuals or groups who may be impacted and to other relevant stakeholders'. In relation to (ii), discussion will include the role that States can play in mandating or encouraging companies within the State’s jurisdiction to carry out ‘digital due diligence’, i.e. due process in assessing and mitigating human rights risks and providing transparency and access to remedy, including with reference to recent legislation on mandatory due diligence in France, the UK, and proposals in other European countries. This methodology supports the practical outcome of increasing knowledge of attendees about what human rights due diligence entails in practice in the tech sector, and how the processes of tech companies (including on use of algorithms and data) can be improved by benchmarking against the standards in the UNGPs. Discussion will be facilitated by the moderator who will agree the perspective sought from each speaker in advance of the panel. Discussion between panellists will be limited to 30 minutes to allow 60 minutes for questions from the audience.
