Rights-Based Approaches to Online Content
Governments and companies are under increasing pressure to address illegal or undesirable content and expression online, but hasty or poorly crafted solutions threaten human rights. We advocate for policies and practices to defend free expression and access to information and ensure people who are most at risk are protected.
Content governance in times of crisis: how platforms can protect human rights
In situations of armed conflicts and other crises, people use social media and messaging platforms to document human rights abuses or war crimes, access information, mobilize for action, and crowdsource humanitarian assistance.
Resources
Content Governance
Guide: how to protect human rights in content governance
We offer 26 recommendations on content governance to help lawmakers, regulators, and company leaders make decisions that will safeguard human rights.
Content Governance
What is disinformation, why it spreads, and how to stop it
Our new report explores what disinformation is, and how lawmakers can address the harms it poses to democracy.
Content Governance
The Digital Services Act: your guide to the EU’s new content moderation rules
The EU Digital Services Act has finally arrived. We unpack what this law contains and the changes people can expect to see from 2024 onwards.
Content Governance
Digital Security Helpline: our approach to content-related cases
Critical voices from civil society are being censored. Here’s how the Digital Security Helpline addresses cases related to content governance.
Content Governance
Meta’s actions “adversely impacted” Palestinians’ rights: Access Now welcomes BSR findings
Access Now welcomes the release of BSR’s human rights due diligence findings that expose Meta’s rights-violating actions against people in Palestine.
Content Governance
What does Musk’s “free speech” look like for the rest of us?
Elon Musk’s simplistic views of freedom of expression could catapult Twitter from a toxic space to a worse one — especially for those of us tweeting from the margins.
Content Governance
Access Now to Telegram: protect the rights of 500 million people
Access Now and a coalition of civil society organizations are sounding the alarm over safety and security issues plaguing Telegram.
Content Governance
Access Now releases “Fighting misinformation and defending free expression during COVID-19: recommendations for states”
We have identified practical examples and promising practices to support policy makers in respecting human rights while developing measures to address disinformation and misinformation during the COVID-19 crisis.
Latest Updates
2024 elections and internet shutdowns watch
Governments around the world continue to shut down the internet during elections. Join our 2024 elections watch to #KeepItOn.
Access Now condemns the suspension of X in Brazil
Access Now opposes the suspension of X in Brazil and is concerned by the growing trend of blocking of entire online platforms and applications as a response to systemic non-compliance.
Telegram CEO’s arrest fuels debate on platform regulation
Does the Telegram CEO arrest set a precedent?
Civil society criticises Commissioner Breton’s approach to EU digital rulebook
Debates para la rendición de cuentas de las plataformas digitales en el G20
A Latin American perspective on the G20 and digital platforms
Commissioner Breton: stop politicising the Digital Services Act
Access Now, ARTICLE 19, and Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) are calling on the EU Commissioner Thierry Breton to stop politicising the enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Civil society statement: Commissioner Breton needs to stop politicising the Digital Services Act
Access Now, Article 19, and EFF urge the EU Commission to let their enforcement work be guided by evidence rather than political sentiment.
Overarching definitions, advisory council’s power: what stakeholders said on draft Broadcasting bill
Broadcasting bill 2023 relies too much on delegated legislation: industry bodies to MIB
Fact-check: PML-N lawmaker’s firewall claim debunked. US, UK are not using national firewalls
Deepfake porn tools bypass safeguards to hide in Apple app store
Tomar las redes socialespara exigir un alto al fuego en Palestina
A pathway forward for digital rights
Brett Solomon shares insights from 15 years as Access Now Co-founder and Executive Director.
Cyber accountability in East Asia: human rights are key for cybersecurity
China’s digital and cyber policies hurt human rights and undermine cybersecurity globally. Access Now’s Brett Solomon explores how the international community can respond.