Yahoo! has publicly committed to conducting human rights impact assessments (HRIA) in order to understand the human rights implications of our business decisions. The HRIA is the starting point for our ongoing review of the human rights landscape and of Yahoo!’s business plans. It also informs our evolving strategies to promote and protect our users’ rights to free expression and privacy. HRIAs are particularly useful when Yahoo! is entering a new market, or launching new products.When we conduct an HRIA, we review a number of factors, including:
The international legal and moral foundations for the rights to freedom of expression and privacy.
The general human rights landscape in the relevant country or region, with a particular focus on rule of law, free expression and privacy.
Local laws about free expression and privacy
Yahoo!'s business and product plans for entry into the market.
The existing and potential benefits of the Internet to the citizens of the relevant region or country.
Risk scenarios based on Yahoo!’s products and operations.
Proposed strategies for mitigating those risks.
Recommendations to protect and promote privacy and free expression in the relevant region or country.
As part of the HRIA process we consult with a variety of local and regional experts, including GNI participants, government agencies, human rights organizations, academics, journalists and social media experts.
Abebe Gellaw, Yahoo! International Journalism Fellow at the Knight Fellowships at Stanford.
GNI participants discuss 'Corporate Responsibility and Complicity' at the Soul of the New Machine Conference hosted by the Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley.
Michael Samway, VP & Deputy General Counsel, Yahoo! Inc. appears on C-Span's Communicators Program to discuss Yahoo!’s efforts to protect and promote freedom of expression and privacy and the Global Network Initiative
Photo | SJB5
The Global Network Initiative 
Academic Fellowships 
Yahoo! BHRP 
Impact Assessments 
BHRP Summit 
Human Rights Fund 
