The 2019 Ranking Digital Rights Corporate Accountability Index evaluated 24 of the world’s most powerful internet, mobile, and telecommunications companies on their disclosed commitments and policies affecting freedom of expression and privacy of internet users across the world.
Most companies improved scores in at least one area, and many made significant improvements in the past year. Yet companies still fell short:
Privacy: Companies still do not adequately inform people about all the ways user information is collected and shared, with whom, and why.
Expression: As companies struggle to curb extremism, hate speech, and disinformation, most lacked transparency about how they police content or respond to government demands.
Governance: Most companies failed to anticipate and manage privacy and expression risks caused by their business models, and by the deployment of new technologies.
The 2019 RDR Index ranked 24 companies on 35 indicators across three categories evaluating their disclosure of commitments, policies, and practices affecting freedom of expression and privacy. The RDR Index evaluates policies of the parent company, operating company, and those of selected services (depending on company structure).
Read more about the methodology, research process, and how we score each company.
Which companies improved the most? To read how each company fared in comparison to the 2018 RDR Index go to the "Compare" page.
