Content Governance

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

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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.

what is disinformation

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.

Crisis DSA Digital Services Act

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.

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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.

European Media Freedom Act

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.

Musk

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.

Musk

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.

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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

Release Salma al-Shehab
Content Governance
Content Governance

Open letter: Ghana’s new anti-LGBTQ+ bill threatens human rights

16 Mar 2023

Through an open letter, Access Now and partners call on Ghana’s Parliament to immediately reject the new anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

Press Release
Open letter: Ghana’s new anti-LGBTQ+ bill threatens human rights
16 Mar 2023
Open letter: Ghana’s new anti-LGBTQ+ bill threatens human rights
Release Salma al-Shehab
Content Governance
Content Governance

Put human rights first: Ghana’s parliament must reject repressive anti-LGBTQ+ bill

16 Mar 2023

Access Now and partners call on Ghana’s parliament to immediately reject the new repressive anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

Press Release
Put human rights first: Ghana’s parliament must reject repressive anti-LGBTQ+ bill
16 Mar 2023
Put human rights first: Ghana’s parliament must reject repressive anti-LGBTQ+ bill
#KeepItOn 2022 Report: Weapons of control, shields of impunity - internet shutdowns in 2022
Content Governance
Content Governance

Five years in a row: India is 2022’s biggest internet shutdowns offender

28 Feb 2023

In 2022, India shut down the internet at least 84 times — more than any country, for the fifth consecutive year. Read “Weapons of control, shields of impunity: Internet shutdowns in 2022.”

Press Release
Five years in a row: India is 2022’s biggest internet shutdowns offender
28 Feb 2023
Five years in a row: India is 2022’s biggest internet shutdowns offender
#KeepItOn 2022 Report: Weapons of control, shields of impunity - internet shutdowns in 2022
Content Governance
Content Governance

Internet shutdowns in Africa: fewer offenders in 2022, still causing harm

28 Feb 2023

Access Now’s new report, “Weapons of control, shields of impunity: Internet shutdowns in 2022,” unpacks internet shutdowns in Africa and globally.

Press Release
Internet shutdowns in Africa: fewer offenders in 2022, still causing harm
28 Feb 2023
Internet shutdowns in Africa: fewer offenders in 2022, still causing harm
#KeepItOn 2022 Report: Weapons of control, shields of impunity - internet shutdowns in 2022
Connectivity
Connectivity

Resurging internet shutdowns in 2022: weapons of control, shields of impunity

28 Feb 2023
Press Release
Resurging internet shutdowns in 2022: weapons of control, shields of impunity
28 Feb 2023
Resurging internet shutdowns in 2022: weapons of control, shields of impunity
Regulating digital platforms
Content Governance
Content Governance

Las directrices de la UNESCO para regular las plataformas digitales deben centrarse en los derechos humanos para todas las personas, en todas partes

21 Feb 2023
Post
Las directrices de la UNESCO para regular las plataformas digitales deben centrarse en los derechos humanos para todas las personas, en todas partes
21 Feb 2023
Las directrices de la UNESCO para regular las plataformas digitales deben centrarse en los derechos humanos para todas las personas, en todas partes
Regulating digital platforms
Content Governance
Content Governance

UNESCO’s guidelines for regulating digital platforms must center human rights for everyone, everywhere

21 Feb 2023
Post
UNESCO’s guidelines for regulating digital platforms must center human rights for everyone, everywhere
21 Feb 2023
UNESCO’s guidelines for regulating digital platforms must center human rights for everyone, everywhere
#KeepItOn 2023 election watch
Content Governance
Content Governance

2023 elections and internet shutdowns watch

9 Feb 2023

Governments around the world continue to shut down the internet during elections. Join our 2023 elections watch to #KeepItOn.

Post
2023 elections and internet shutdowns watch
9 Feb 2023
2023 elections and internet shutdowns watch
Content Governance
Content Governance

Tech Power and Cooperation

3 Feb 2023
News
Tech Power and Cooperation
3 Feb 2023
Tech Power and Cooperation
Access Now Oral-statement-to-UN-Global-Digital-Compact-post-header
Content Governance
Content Governance

Access Now oral statement to the UN Global Digital Compact Informal Consultations with Member States and Stakeholders

3 Feb 2023

Access Now’s Senior UN Advocacy Officer Laura O’Brien delivered an oral statement to the UN Global Digital Compact Informal Consultations with Member States and Stakeholders on Feb 3 2023.

Publication
Access Now oral statement to the UN Global Digital Compact Informal Consultations with Member States and Stakeholders
3 Feb 2023
Access Now oral statement to the UN Global Digital Compact Informal Consultations with Member States and Stakeholders
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
Content Governance
Content Governance

Thailand: 24-hour content takedown regulation will undermine rule of law and freedom of expression online

14 Dec 2022

New rules from Thailand allows the government  to force online service providers and social media platforms to take down certain content without a court order.

Press Release
Thailand: 24-hour content takedown regulation will undermine rule of law and freedom of expression online
14 Dec 2022
Thailand: 24-hour content takedown regulation will undermine rule of law and freedom of expression online
header image: pushing back against IMEI registration in Myanmar
Content Governance
Content Governance

Myanmar election will seal military’s digital domination

12 Dec 2022
News
Myanmar election will seal military’s digital domination
12 Dec 2022
Myanmar election will seal military’s digital domination
Content governance in crises declaration
Content Governance
Content Governance

Content governance in times of crisis: how platforms can protect human rights

29 Nov 2022

The “Declaration for content and platform governance principles in times of crisis” lays out principles for social media platforms to help ensure privacy, freedom of expression, and access to information during crises.

Publication
Content governance in times of crisis: how platforms can protect human rights
29 Nov 2022
Content governance in times of crisis: how platforms can protect human rights
Content governance in crises declaration
Content Governance
Content Governance

New content governance principles in times of crisis: Twitter, Meta, Google must uphold

29 Nov 2022

The “Declaration for content and platform governance principles in times of crisis” lays out principles for social media platforms to help ensure privacy, freedom of expression, and access to information during crises.

Press Release
New content governance principles in times of crisis: Twitter, Meta, Google must uphold
29 Nov 2022
New content governance principles in times of crisis: Twitter, Meta, Google must uphold
RightsCon session videos|IGF
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence

Where to find Access Now at IGF 2022

17 Nov 2022

Access Now is participating in IGF 2022 from 28 November to 2 December. Here’s where to find us.

Post
Where to find Access Now at IGF 2022
17 Nov 2022
Where to find Access Now at IGF 2022
Image: Taxonomy of internet shutdowns
Content Governance
Content Governance

#KeepItOn: 34 governments demand Iran ends internet restrictions

21 Oct 2022

Access Now welcomes the growing global pressure on Iranian authorities to immediately reinstate internet access across the nation.

Press Release
#KeepItOn: 34 governments demand Iran ends internet restrictions
21 Oct 2022
#KeepItOn: 34 governments demand Iran ends internet restrictions