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.
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
حجب الإنترنت في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا في سنة 2022: تواصل للانتهاكات والإفلات من العقاب
قامت 11 دولة في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا بفرض عمليات حجب للإنترنت في 37 مناسبة، حيث تصدّرت إيران هذه القائمة من خلال قطعها للإنترنت 18 مرة.
Internet shutdowns in MENA in 2022: continued abuses and impunity
In 2022, authorities across the Middle East and North Africa shutdown the internet 37 times — with Iran hitting the kill switch a staggering 18 times.
Open letter: Ghana’s new anti-LGBTQ+ bill threatens human rights
Through an open letter, Access Now and partners call on Ghana’s Parliament to immediately reject the new anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
Put human rights first: Ghana’s parliament must reject repressive anti-LGBTQ+ bill
Access Now and partners call on Ghana’s parliament to immediately reject the new repressive anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
Five years in a row: India is 2022’s biggest internet shutdowns offender
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.”
Internet shutdowns in Africa: fewer offenders in 2022, still causing harm
Access Now’s new report, “Weapons of control, shields of impunity: Internet shutdowns in 2022,” unpacks internet shutdowns in Africa and globally.
Resurging internet shutdowns in 2022: weapons of control, shields of impunity
Las directrices de la UNESCO para regular las plataformas digitales deben centrarse en los derechos humanos para todas las personas, en todas partes
UNESCO’s guidelines for regulating digital platforms must center human rights for everyone, everywhere
2023 elections and internet shutdowns watch
Governments around the world continue to shut down the internet during elections. Join our 2023 elections watch to #KeepItOn.
Tech Power and Cooperation
Access Now oral statement to the UN Global Digital Compact Informal Consultations with Member States and Stakeholders
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.
Thailand: 24-hour content takedown regulation will undermine rule of law and freedom of expression online
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.
Myanmar election will seal military’s digital domination
Content governance in times of crisis: how platforms can protect human rights
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.
New content governance principles in times of crisis: Twitter, Meta, Google must uphold
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.