News & Updates

News & updates

Stay up to date with Access Now’s latest news, analysis, reports, events, community resources, and more. For a weekly digest in your inbox, subscribe to the Access Now Express, or scroll down to see the latest.

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Digital Rights
Digital RightsPublication

Submission on amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (“IT Rules, 2021”)

7 May 2026
Publication
Submission on amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (“IT Rules, 2021”)
7 May 2026
Submission on amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (“IT Rules, 2021”)
PostGlobalEnglish

Stay informed: Get Access Now updates

1 May 2026

Here’s where you can subscribe to the Access Now Express newsletter and action alerts.

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Stay informed: Get Access Now updates
1 May 2026
Stay informed: Get Access Now updates
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Privacy
PrivacyPublicationBrazilSpanish

Mi Privacidad es mi Voto: Fortaleciendo la integridad informativa en América Latina

28 Apr 2026
Publication
Mi Privacidad es mi Voto: Fortaleciendo la integridad informativa en América Latina
28 Apr 2026
Mi Privacidad es mi Voto: Fortaleciendo la integridad informativa en América Latina
RightsCon 26 Zambia. May 5 - 8, 2026.
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Join us for RightsCon 2026 in Lusaka, Zambia!

22 Apr 2026
Post
Join us for RightsCon 2026 in Lusaka, Zambia!
22 Apr 2026
Join us for RightsCon 2026 in Lusaka, Zambia!
Cybersecurity
CybersecurityPostEgyptArabic

التجسس لقمع المعارضة: هجمة تصيّد إلكتروني مأجورة تستهدف المجتمع المدني في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا

22 Apr 2026

كشف تحقيق جديد أجراه فريق خط المساعدة للأمن الرقمي التابع لمنظمة أكسس ناو عن هجمة تصيّد إلكتروني مأجورة، استهدفت اثنين من الصحفيين المصريين البارزين والمعارضين .للحكومة

Post
التجسس لقمع المعارضة: هجمة تصيّد إلكتروني مأجورة تستهدف المجتمع المدني في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا
22 Apr 2026
التجسس لقمع المعارضة: هجمة تصيّد إلكتروني مأجورة تستهدف المجتمع المدني في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا
NSO
Surveillance
SurveillancePublicationAzerbaijanEnglish

Amicus Brief to the European Court of Human Rights on spyware and surveillance in Azerbaijan

21 Apr 2026
Publication
Amicus Brief to the European Court of Human Rights on spyware and surveillance in Azerbaijan
21 Apr 2026
Amicus Brief to the European Court of Human Rights on spyware and surveillance in Azerbaijan
Africa Digital Safety Tips
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of ExpressionPress ReleaseAfricaEnglish

Stop political scapegoating: Ghanaian MPs must reject dangerous anti-LGBTQ+ bill

13 Apr 2026

Access Now and Rightify Ghana have urged the government of Ghana to put human rights first and reject the repressive Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025.

Press Release
Stop political scapegoating: Ghanaian MPs must reject dangerous anti-LGBTQ+ bill
13 Apr 2026
Stop political scapegoating: Ghanaian MPs must reject dangerous anti-LGBTQ+ bill
Espionage for repression: forensic analysis of a cross-border hack-for-hire campaign targeting civil society in MENA
Cybersecurity
CybersecurityPublicationEgyptEnglish

Espionage for repression: hack-for-hire phishing campaign targets civil society in MENA

8 Apr 2026

A new investigation by Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline has exposed a hack-for-hire campaign targeting two prominent Egyptian journalists and government critics, Mostafa Al-A’sar and Ahmed Eltantawy, through a series of spear-phishing attacks.

Publication
Espionage for repression: hack-for-hire phishing campaign targets civil society in MENA
8 Apr 2026
Espionage for repression: hack-for-hire phishing campaign targets civil society in MENA
Espionage for repression: forensic analysis of a cross-border hack-for-hire campaign targeting civil society in MENA
Digital Security
Digital SecurityPostEgyptEnglish

Espionage for repression: hack-for-hire phishing campaign targets civil society in MENA

8 Apr 2026

A new investigation by Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline has exposed a hack-for-hire campaign targeting two prominent Egyptian journalists and government critics.

Post
Espionage for repression: hack-for-hire phishing campaign targets civil society in MENA
8 Apr 2026
Espionage for repression: hack-for-hire phishing campaign targets civil society in MENA
Espionage for repression: forensic analysis of a cross-border hack-for-hire campaign targeting civil society in MENA
Surveillance
SurveillancePress ReleaseEgyptEnglish

Hack-for-hire: new report investigates hacking campaign against Egyptian journalists

8 Apr 2026

A new report  by Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline, Espionage for repression: forensic analysis of a cross-border hack-for-hire campaign targeting civil society in MENA, exposes a hack-for-hire campaign targeting two prominent Egyptian journalists and government critics, Mostafa Al-A’sar and Ahmed Eltantawy, through a series of spear-phishing attacks. 

Press Release
Hack-for-hire: new report investigates hacking campaign against Egyptian journalists
8 Apr 2026
Hack-for-hire: new report investigates hacking campaign against Egyptian journalists
KeepItOn 2025 Internet Shutdowns Report
Internet Shutdowns
Internet ShutdownsPress ReleaseEastern Europe & Central AsiaEnglish

Breaking records, breaking connections: internet shutdowns in EECA in 2025

31 Mar 2026

Launching today, March 31, 2026, Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition’s new report, Rising repression meets global resistance: Internet shutdowns in 2025, reveals that at least 313 shutdowns were implemented in 52 countries. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia the internet was shut down 29 times in seven countries.

Press Release
Breaking records, breaking connections: internet shutdowns in EECA in 2025
31 Mar 2026
Breaking records, breaking connections: internet shutdowns in EECA in 2025
KeepItOn Internet Shutdowns 2025
Internet Shutdowns
Internet ShutdownsPress ReleaseLatin America & the CaribbeanSpanish

Resistiendo en la oscuridad: apagones de internet en 2025

31 Mar 2026

Hoy, 31 de marzo de 2026, publicamos el nuevo reporte de Access Now y la coalición #KeepItOn, (Rising repression meets global resistance: Internet shutdowns in 2025). El mismo revela al menos 313 apagones en 52 países. En América Latina y el Caribe, el servicio de internet fue interrumpido en cinco ocasiones en dos países: Venezuela y Panamá.

Press Release
Resistiendo en la oscuridad: apagones de internet en 2025
31 Mar 2026
Resistiendo en la oscuridad: apagones de internet en 2025
KeepItOn 2025 Internet Shutdowns Report
Internet Shutdowns
Internet ShutdownsPress ReleaseMiddle East & North AfricaEnglish

Blocking millions in MENA: internet shutdowns in 2025

31 Mar 2026

Launching today, March 31, 2026, Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition’s new report, Rising repression meets global resistance: Internet shutdowns in 2025, reveals that at least 313 shutdowns were implemented in 52 countries. Across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), authorities and other actors imposed at least 52 internet shutdowns across 15 countries in 2025, highlighting the continued rise of digital repression across the region.

Press Release
Blocking millions in MENA: internet shutdowns in 2025
31 Mar 2026
Blocking millions in MENA: internet shutdowns in 2025
KeepItOn Internet Shutdowns 2025
Internet Shutdowns
Internet ShutdownsPress ReleaseAsia PacificEnglish

One region, half the world’s shutdowns: internet shutdowns in the Asia Pacific in 2025

31 Mar 2026
Press Release
One region, half the world’s shutdowns: internet shutdowns in the Asia Pacific in 2025
31 Mar 2026
One region, half the world’s shutdowns: internet shutdowns in the Asia Pacific in 2025
KeepItOn 2025 Internet Shutdowns Report
Internet Shutdowns
Internet ShutdownsPress ReleaseAfricaEnglish

Resilience and resistance: internet shutdowns in Africa in 2025

31 Mar 2026

Launching today, March 31, 2026, Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition’s new report, Rising repression meets global resistance: Internet shutdowns in 2025, reveals that at least 313 shutdowns were implemented in 52 countries. In Africa, the internet was shut down 30 times in 15 countries.

Press Release
Resilience and resistance: internet shutdowns in Africa in 2025
31 Mar 2026
Resilience and resistance: internet shutdowns in Africa in 2025
KeepItOn Internet Shutdowns 2025
Internet Shutdowns
Internet ShutdownsPostAfricaEnglish

When repression meets resistance: internet shutdowns in 2025

31 Mar 2026

The 2025 #KeepItOn report on internet shutdowns is out. Read on for key insights from this year’s data on internet shutdowns in 2025.

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When repression meets resistance: internet shutdowns in 2025
31 Mar 2026
When repression meets resistance: internet shutdowns in 2025
KeepItOn Internet Shutdowns 2025
Internet Shutdowns
Internet ShutdownsPublicationAfrica

Rising repression meets global resistance: internet shutdowns in 2025

31 Mar 2026

Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition documented 313 internet shutdowns in 2025 — the highest number since 2016.

Publication
Rising repression meets global resistance: internet shutdowns in 2025
31 Mar 2026
Rising repression meets global resistance: internet shutdowns in 2025
KeepItOn Internet Shutdowns 2025
Internet Shutdowns
Internet ShutdownsPress ReleaseGlobalEnglish

Rising and resisting in the darkness: internet shutdowns in 2025

31 Mar 2026

Launching today, March 31, 2026, Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition’s new report, Rising repression meets global resistance: Internet shutdowns in 2025, reveals that at least 313 shutdowns were implemented in 52 countries.

Press Release
Rising and resisting in the darkness: internet shutdowns in 2025
31 Mar 2026
Rising and resisting in the darkness: internet shutdowns in 2025
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial IntelligencePostGlobalEnglish

Buyer beware: how AI is infiltrating humanitarian aid operations

26 Mar 2026

Access Now’s latest research unpacks how AI tools are dodging procurement vetting to infiltrate humanitarian organisations, creating new risks for them and the communities they serve.

Post
Buyer beware: how AI is infiltrating humanitarian aid operations
26 Mar 2026
Buyer beware: how AI is infiltrating humanitarian aid operations
Access Now theme-1340x360
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Fighting for fragile freedoms, online and off

19 Mar 2026

Arzu Geybulla, Access Now’s new Co-Executive Director, reflects on a life lived under repression and in exile, and how it has shaped her advocacy for human rights in the digital age.

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Fighting for fragile freedoms, online and off
19 Mar 2026
Fighting for fragile freedoms, online and off

Access Now in the news

KeepItOn Internet Shutdowns 2025
Internet Shutdowns

‘Blatant disregard for rights’: concern grows over Gabon’s social media clampdown

13 May 2026
News
‘Blatant disregard for rights’: concern grows over Gabon’s social media clampdown
The Guardian ↗
13 May 2026
‘Blatant disregard for rights’: concern grows over Gabon’s social media clampdown
Green background with bitmap graphic depicting artificial intelligence icons and words.
Artificial Intelligence

Google le da la mano a Bukele para experimentar con el sistema de salud salvadoreño

7 May 2026
News
Google le da la mano a Bukele para experimentar con el sistema de salud salvadoreño
WIRED ↗
7 May 2026
Google le da la mano a Bukele para experimentar con el sistema de salud salvadoreño
Internet shutdowns typology of harm socials
Internet Shutdowns

The clandestine network smuggling Starlink tech into Iran to beat internet blackout

2 May 2026
News
The clandestine network smuggling Starlink tech into Iran to beat internet blackout
BBC ↗
2 May 2026
The clandestine network smuggling Starlink tech into Iran to beat internet blackout
Surveillance

Paragon non ha ancora dato risposte sull’uso dei suoi spyware alla giustizia italiana, a un anno dallo scandalo sullo spionaggio di giornalisti e attivisti

28 Apr 2026
News
Paragon non ha ancora dato risposte sull’uso dei suoi spyware alla giustizia italiana, a un anno dallo scandalo sullo spionaggio di giornalisti e attivisti
WIRED ↗
28 Apr 2026
Paragon non ha ancora dato risposte sull’uso dei suoi spyware alla giustizia italiana, a un anno dallo scandalo sullo spionaggio di giornalisti e attivisti
Image: AI's human rights impact
Artificial Intelligence

L’UE, pionnière pour encadrer l’IA, a-t-elle jeté l’éponge ?

28 Apr 2026
News
L’UE, pionnière pour encadrer l’IA, a-t-elle jeté l’éponge ?
AFP ↗
28 Apr 2026
L’UE, pionnière pour encadrer l’IA, a-t-elle jeté l’éponge ?
KeepItOn 2025 Internet Shutdowns Report
Internet Shutdowns

Reporting when the internet goes dark

23 Apr 2026
News
Reporting when the internet goes dark
EU Observer ↗
23 Apr 2026
Reporting when the internet goes dark
KeepItOn Internet Shutdowns 2025
Internet Shutdowns

2025 was the worst year on record for internet shutdowns as censors move to more targeted blocks

23 Apr 2026
News
2025 was the worst year on record for internet shutdowns as censors move to more targeted blocks
Tech Radar ↗
23 Apr 2026
2025 was the worst year on record for internet shutdowns as censors move to more targeted blocks
Digital Security Helpline BG
Cybersecurity

AI beyond business: digital rights, NGOs, and the fight against food waste

9 Apr 2026
News
AI beyond business: digital rights, NGOs, and the fight against food waste
Somewhere on Earth Podcast ↗
9 Apr 2026
AI beyond business: digital rights, NGOs, and the fight against food waste
KeepItOn 2025 Internet Shutdowns Report
Internet Shutdowns

The dark side of the kill switch: inside 2025’s record-breaking internet shutdowns

9 Apr 2026
News
The dark side of the kill switch: inside 2025’s record-breaking internet shutdowns
Somewhere on Earth Podcast ↗
9 Apr 2026
The dark side of the kill switch: inside 2025’s record-breaking internet shutdowns
Espionage for repression: forensic analysis of a cross-border hack-for-hire campaign targeting civil society in MENA
Surveillance

Hack-for-hire spyware campaign targets journalists in Middle East, North Africa

9 Apr 2026
News
Hack-for-hire spyware campaign targets journalists in Middle East, North Africa
Cyberscoop ↗
9 Apr 2026
Hack-for-hire spyware campaign targets journalists in Middle East, North Africa
Espionage for repression: forensic analysis of a cross-border hack-for-hire campaign targeting civil society in MENA
Surveillance

Two prominent Egyptian journalists targeted with elaborate spearphishing campaign

9 Apr 2026
News
Two prominent Egyptian journalists targeted with elaborate spearphishing campaign
The Record ↗
9 Apr 2026
Two prominent Egyptian journalists targeted with elaborate spearphishing campaign
Espionage for repression: forensic analysis of a cross-border hack-for-hire campaign targeting civil society in MENA
Surveillance

Hack-for-hire group caught targeting Android devices and iCloud backups

9 Apr 2026
News
Hack-for-hire group caught targeting Android devices and iCloud backups
Tech Crunch ↗
9 Apr 2026
Hack-for-hire group caught targeting Android devices and iCloud backups
Bodily harms: how AI and biometrics curtail human rights
Artificial Intelligence

Israel’s Lebanon occupation, death penalty for Palestinians, and humanitarian AI: the cheat sheet

7 Apr 2026
News
Israel’s Lebanon occupation, death penalty for Palestinians, and humanitarian AI: the cheat sheet
The New Humanitarian ↗
7 Apr 2026
Israel’s Lebanon occupation, death penalty for Palestinians, and humanitarian AI: the cheat sheet
Internet shutdowns typology of harm header
Connectivity

Iran’s internet shutdown proves we need to go beyond Starlink and VPNs — this tech could be the solution

1 Apr 2026
News
Iran’s internet shutdown proves we need to go beyond Starlink and VPNs — this tech could be the solution
Tech Radar ↗
1 Apr 2026
Iran’s internet shutdown proves we need to go beyond Starlink and VPNs — this tech could be the solution
Syrian government
Internet Shutdowns

Guerre en Ukraine : Coupures réfléchies, trafic ralenti, Telegram banni.. Comment Poutine verrouille Internet en Russie

26 Mar 2026
News
Guerre en Ukraine : Coupures réfléchies, trafic ralenti, Telegram banni.. Comment Poutine verrouille Internet en Russie
20 Minutes ↗
26 Mar 2026
Guerre en Ukraine : Coupures réfléchies, trafic ralenti, Telegram banni.. Comment Poutine verrouille Internet en Russie
Cameroon
Connectivity

‘My phone is a brick’: Russians scramble for information as data blocked

26 Mar 2026
News
‘My phone is a brick’: Russians scramble for information as data blocked
Al Jazeera ↗
26 Mar 2026
‘My phone is a brick’: Russians scramble for information as data blocked

Events

Join us at an upcoming event hosted by Access Now or our partners, and reach out to connect with us in person or online.

An illustration of colored keyboard letters that spell Safe & Strong, Digital Security. With tech icons and elements.
Digital Security

Digital security in war and conflict: challenges for civil society and tools for resilience

May 19 @ 9:00 am 10:00 am EDT

Join the next webinar organized by the Digital Security Helpline, to discuss key trends and strategies to keep at-risk actors safe online.

Event
Digital security in war and conflict: challenges for civil society and tools for resilience

May 19 @ 9:00 am 10:00 am EDT

Digital security in war and conflict: challenges for civil society and tools for resilience
Advancing Rights-Centered reporting on Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act
Freedom of Expression

Advancing Rights-Centered reporting on Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act

April 21 @ 1:00 pm 2:30 pm WAT

Event
Advancing Rights-Centered reporting on Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act

April 21 @ 1:00 pm 2:30 pm WAT

Advancing Rights-Centered reporting on Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act
Indian AI Impact Summit 2026
Artificial Intelligence

Access Now at India AI Impact Summit 2026

February 16 February 20 UTC+5.5

Event
Access Now at India AI Impact Summit 2026

February 16 February 20 UTC+5.5

Access Now at India AI Impact Summit 2026
FIFAfrica

Access Now at the 12th edition of CIPESA’s FIFAfrica

24 September 2025 @ 9:00 am 26 September 2025 @ 5:30 pm CAT

Event
Access Now at the 12th edition of CIPESA’s FIFAfrica

24 September 2025 @ 9:00 am 26 September 2025 @ 5:30 pm CAT

Access Now at the 12th edition of CIPESA’s FIFAfrica