RightsCon Tunis 2019

This roundtable brings together policy-makers, business representatives, civil society members and academics to discuss strategic ways forward to work on business and human rights under conflicting legal frameworks in the tech sector. Many companies are operating in countries in which the local rules can stand in conflict with international laws and norms or legal standards in their home countries. In this dilemma situation, it is challenging to deal with business and human rights issues, in particular in the light of network shut down and data disclosure requests from governments. Lead questions: • How do companies publicly communicate network shut downs and data disclosure requests? • Does engagement with stakeholders and media coverage lead to a change in corporate behaviour on business and human rights? • What are differences and similarities of corporate behaviour when responding network shutdowns and data disclosure requests? The session aims at identifying reasons why the government ask for shutting down the internet or requests data from companies. The goal is to formulate how telecommunications and internet companies can use the scope of action under a business and human rights sense when they are operating in countries with challenging legal frameworks.