

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
Human rights groups to U.N. High Commissioner: U.S. police violence against anti-racism protesters rampant
Calling attention to the U.S. Government’s violent response to peaceful protests against racism, human rights organizations join forces to send a joint submission to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights urging immediate action. …
4 December 2020

Press Releases
A step closer to digital rights protections: EU calls for transparency in the fight against disinfo
After much anticipation, the European Commission today, December 3, published the Communication on the European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP) — a new plan to ensure EU citizens are able to participate in democracy through informed decision-making, free from unlawful interference and manipulation.…
3 December 2020


Blog
New EU laws could erase its legacy of world-leading data protection
As the European Union finalises new digital-era laws, its legacy of world-leading privacy and data protection is at stake. The European Commission will kick off the introduction of landmark legislative proposals that have implications for the future of the General Data Protection Regulation and the rights this flagship law protects. …
20 November 2020



Press Releases
Brazil: Joint letter on the nomination of members of the Armed Forces as directors of the Data Protection Authority
This nomination has serious implications, not only for how Brazil’s data protection law will be implemented, but also for any adequacy determination, the advancement of global data protection standards, and the guarantee of independence of the data protection authority. …
10 November 2020


Blog
Reporte del Consejo de Europa: ¿protegen la privacidad las tecnologías utilizadas en Argentina, México y Uruguay?
El 12 de octubre, el Consejo de Europa publicó el reporte “Soluciones digitales en la lucha contra el Covid” que analiza las medidas adoptadas por los países firmantes del Convenio 108 y 108+ sobre protección de datos personales entre los que se encuentra Argentina, México y Uruguay. Las conclusiones que se pueden extraer de dicho análisis evidencian la necesidad de retomar la agenda en materia de privacidad y protección de datos en América Latina.…
2 November 2020
