Access Now defends and extends the digital rights of people and communities at risk. As a grassroots-to-global organization, we partner with local actors to bring a human rights agenda to the use, development, and governance of digital technologies, and to intervene where technologies adversely impact our human rights. By combining direct technical support from our 24/7 Digital Security Helpline, strategic advocacy, grassroots grantmaking, and convenings such as RightsCon, we fight for human rights in the digital age.
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The RightsCon Summit Platform is now live! 🎉 Explore 550+ sessions across online, in-person, and hybrid formats. Create your public profile, connect with participants from around the world, and build your personal schedule all in one place. The platform is available to registered participants, so don’t miss out. Register today and start exploring ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ewKBQUfr
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Today at the Ottawa Civic Space Summit, during the plenary "Defending Democracy’s Frontlines: Understanding Drivers of Civic Space Backsliding," one thing was clear: civic space is not just shrinking, it is being actively redefined under pressure. Grateful for the conversation convened by Roselie Vasquez-Yetter (PartnersGlobal), bringing together Achille Mbembe (Innovation Foundation for Democracy), Tamara Cofman Wittes (National Democratic Institute (NDI)), Mandeep Tiwana (CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation), Lisbeth Pilegaard(European Endowment for Democracy (EED)), and myself from Access Now. Across perspectives, one shared reality stood out: more than 70% of the world’s population now lives under "closed" or "repressed" civic space conditions. This is not accidental; it is structural. Authoritarianism is not only rising, but it is also evolving, with the expansion of digital threats at its core, from surveillance and platform control to internet disruptions that reshape how civic actors organize and respond. States are narrowing who gets to participate, while digital spaces are increasingly used as tools of control. Civil society is adapting and trying to be more collaborative, but it is not enough. We remain fragmented, and in many ways still shaped by elitism that limits who is truly included in our spaces. This exposes a deeper tension: we are being asked to defend democratic systems that, for many communities, have never fully delivered protection or inclusion. If we do not confront that honestly, we risk reinforcing the very exclusions we claim to resist. The question is not only how we defend civic space, but whether we are willing to redefine it in a way that is actually worth defending. Delay is no longer neutral, and the next two years will matter. Thank you to all the panellists for an important and honest conversation, and to Cooperation Canada and Resilient Societies for holding the space to have it. And a final note from Lisbeth Pilegaard, shared through the Viking laws she brought into the conversation (attached): be brave, be prepared, and keep things organized. A simple framework, but a relevant one for civil society navigating what comes next.
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📢 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏 𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐢𝐧 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐞. Monday marked the beginning of a week of discussions, exchanges, and perspectives shaping the future of privacy and data governance. The Symposium opened with a focus on sessions exploring #AI and #Compliance, setting the tone for the days ahead. From the outset, discussions reflected the reality of the challenges at hand: how evolving regulatory frameworks are interpreted, applied, and used in practice. What stood out was the value of bringing different perspectives into the same rooms: regulators, practitioners, and researchers engaging together in open dialogue and constructive engages. The evening #WelcomeReception marked the official opening of the conference to inaugurate the 5th edition of the Privacy Symposium. On this occasion, attendees had the opportunity to engage with professionals from a wide variety of fields and to admire the extraordinary and masterful works of Tintoretto, one of Venice's most celebrated and influential artists. A moment to exchange. To connect. And to look ahead. From the setting to the music, the evening captured what the Symposium is about: bringing people together - not only to discuss, but to engage, exchange, and move ideas forward. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. 👉 Follow us on LinkedIn (English): https://lnkd.in/e_2b-hAt 👉 Follow us on LinkedIn (Italian): https://lnkd.in/dUGefumQ #PSC2026 #PrivacySymposium #DataGovernance #DataProtection #DataCompliance #AI #DigitalPolicy #Conference #VeniceEvents
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Webinar: Understand and resist internet shutdowns ⛓️💥 Maintaining control over information and the channels people use to communicate has long been a key method for maintaining political power. In the digital age, this increasingly means controlling internet through censorship, blocking of services, and full internet shutdowns, one of the bluntest tools of digital repression. Join the webinar today Tuesday 21 April, 14 - 15 (UTC) / 16 - 17 (CEST), where we explore how internet infrastructure works and how governments intentionally cut off connectivity for entire populations, particularly during times of political unrest, protests, and elections. Learn how shutdowns and the blocking of websites and apps are detected, and how civil society can continue to operate under an internet shutdown and work against them both proactively and when they happen. We are hosting this Community Call in collaboration with Safe and Strong, a webinar series by Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline. You will hear from speakers Amanda Meng (she/her), Felicia Anthonio, Maria Xynou and Pavlos Sermpezis. The conversation will be hosted by Henrik Chulu from Global Focus. Read more about the Community Call and register here: https://lnkd.in/exp4Xjgz
Spyware violates rights! Together with the Committee to Protect Journalists, Data Rights, and Association Human Constanta International, we’ve filed an amicus brief before the European Court of Human Rights in cases concerning alleged spyware use against journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan. Our submission focuses on three key issues: - Spyware such as Pegasus enables highly intrusive, covert surveillance, including through zero-click attacks, allowing full access to a person’s device without their knowledge. - These tools have been widely used to target journalists, activists, and human rights defenders globally, often followed by intimidation, harassment, or worse. This is enabled by gaps in legal frameworks and a lack of transparency and oversight. - The failure of existing remedies. In this context, our submission outlines States’ obligations under Articles 8, 10, and 13 of the Convention, including the need for strict safeguards, independent oversight, and accessible remedies in cases of secret surveillance. Without these protections, spyware will continue to be used to silence journalists and shrink civic space. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e-ThuwNa
What happens when a law turns freedom of expression into a crime? In Nigeria, the Cybercrimes Act, particularly Section 24, continues to be used to target journalists, civil society, and opposition voices, creating a chilling effect on freedom of expression online and offline. Together with Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria, E-Rights Nigeria Project, SERAP Nigeria, we’ll explore how to understand and report on Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act through a human rights and digital rights lens. Learn more and register to join us tomorrow at 1 pm GMT+1: https://lnkd.in/dMfQ46Nu
What happens when connectivity disappears during crises? In the 2026 World Disasters Report by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - IFRC, our contributions across three chapters trace a clear pattern: when people lose access to reliable, timely information, they become isolated and vulnerable, with real consequences that can cost lives. - In Myanmar, internet shutdowns have repeatedly coincided with conflict and disaster, cutting people off from warnings and from each other during moments of real danger. - In Libya, internet shutdowns, broken connectivity, and unchecked misinformation collided during the 2023 floods. People didn’t know what was happening, where to go, or who to trust, delaying rescue and making an already devastating situation worse. - From Gaza to other contexts, civil society is pushing to recognize access to communication as a fundamental right. When connectivity fails or is deliberately cut off during crises, the consequences are measured in preventable deaths, delayed rescue, and communities left isolated at their most vulnerable. #WDR2026 Read our contributions in Chapters 1, 5, and 8 of the report: https://wdr26.org/en IFRC Solferino Academy
Harmful information is undermining life-saving humanitarian action at a time when disasters are affecting more people, more often, according to the World Disasters Report 2026, released today by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - IFRC. The report warns that harmful information and dehumanising narratives are increasingly undermining trust, putting the lives of humanitarian workers and communities at risk. Delve into the #WDR2026 report: https://lnkd.in/gMr-hTik
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The winner of the Privacy and Human Rights Award has been chosen! #RightsCon2026 marks the second edition of the Privacy and Human Rights Award, presented in partnership with the Global Privacy Assembly and the Data Protection and Other Rights and Freedoms Working Group. It recognizes individuals and organizations that excel in safeguarding privacy and other fundamental rights. Join us at the closing ceremony to discover this year’s winner! Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada/Commissariat à la protection de la vie privée du Canada Pansy Tlakula
Not a single day of 2025 passed without authorities shutting down the internet somewhere in the world. Our #KeepItOn 2025 report is out. The data is alarming, but communities are fighting back. Find out more ▶️ https://lnkd.in/e5kTuEHf On camera: Felicia Anthonio
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Lusaka is calling: #RightsCon2026 is just around the corner. We've got you covered! Swipe through our arrival guide and feel at home before you even land. For more information, read: https://lnkd.in/eyDQtTvg
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