PROTECTING OUR DATA
Access Now fights for stronger, more effective laws and policies around the world to protect people’s personal information online. Here you will find resources to understand what data protection is, why it matters, and how to protect your information. Whether you are an internet user, lawmaker, or data protection authority, there is something for you.
RESOURCES FOR INDIVIDUALS
What is data protection? Why does it matter? What can you do to protect your information?
RESOURCES FOR LAWMAKERS
Our guide will help you develop or update the data protection norms in your country.
Download the Policy Makers’ Guide
MORE RESOURCES
Why does data protection matter?
Protecting personal data means securing your information online and preventing any unauthorized access. It also means limiting data collection and tracking, which helps protect your identity online and reduce risks of discrimination, online manupilation, and online fraud.
Abuse of data in digital spaces can have very real consequences in our daily lives. Read more here.
What is data protection?
Governments all around the world are creating rules on how our personal data is collected, stored, analyzed and otherwise used by companies or government bodies. These rules uphold data protection rights, which empower individuals to make informed choices about what happens to their information, both before and after they share it, and require data collectors to treat people’s personal information with great care.
What is Access Now’s work on data protection?
We advocate for the passage of comprehensive data protection measures all around the world. We raise awareness about the importance of this right and how people can exercise it,provide expert comments and opinions to lawmakers, and support the work of data protection authorities in enforcing this right.
What is the EU General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR?
The GDPR — or General Data Protection Regulation — is the European Union data protection law in place since May 2018. The GDPR is considered to be one of the strongest frameworks currently in place to protect personal data and serves as a model for regulation around the world.
Learn more about the GDPR here and how to exercise your rights here.
Press Releases
Trump executive orders targeting China-linked apps fail to protect privacy, harm human rights
Unilateral decrees by the Trump Administration banning transactions between U.S. persons and businesses and the firms running WeChat and TikTok would deprive millions of people of information and communication tools during a global pandemic, restrict human rights groups from reaching at-risk communities, and suppress free expression just before the U.S. election.…
7 August 2020
Press Releases
Tunisian ISPs violate customers’ privacy
Internet service providers in Tunisia fail to protect customers’ privacy, retaining and sharing personal data with third parties without their prior knowledge or explicit consent, finds ImpACT International for Human Rights Policies and Access Now.…
20 July 2020
Press Releases
In a victory for privacy, the EU Court of Justice bins EU-US Privacy Shield
Today, in a landmark decision, the Court of Justice of the European Union struck down the EU-US Privacy Shield as it fails to protect people’s rights to privacy, data protection and access to remedy. …
16 July 2020
Blog
What is Tunisia’s unique identifier, and why is it being pushed now?
Tunisia plans to set up a unique identifier system as part of its “Digital Tunisia 2020” plan. Through this initiative, the government hopes to create jobs, promote socio-economic development, and make the country an international digital “destination.” Now, in the…
14 July 2020
