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.
Access Now urges the Ninth Circuit to protect encryption from NSO’s spyware
Yesterday, Access Now and ten other civil society organizations filed an amicus brief in the U.S.’ Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals calling to protect encryption from NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware and to keep the lower court’s permanent injunction forbidding NSO from ever targeting WhatsApp or its customers’ devices ever again.
Rising repression meets global resistance: internet shutdowns in 2025
Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition documented 313 internet shutdowns in 2025 — the highest number since 2016.
Access Now marks 10 years of resourcing digital rights activism
Access Now grants marks 10 years of funding digital rights activism globally, celebrating 10 extraordinary grantees.
The U.S. has reactivated its Paragon contract — and it should alarm everyone
Request for proposals: production firm for RightsCon 2026
Access Now demands U.S. lift sanctions blocking Syria’s digital recovery
Access Now joins the American Coalition for Syria, and over 160 civil society organizations in urging the U.S. government to expand sanctions relief in Syria.
DHS must come clean on contract with spyware purveyor paragon solutions
Access Now and partner civil society organizations calls on the Department of Homeland Security to release details about its $2 million contract with Paragon Solutions (US) Inc.
Sandvine must make good on its commitments and stop harming human rights
Access Now, along with partner civil society organizations and experts, demand evidence of the adequacy and effectiveness of Sandvine’s announced reforms.
U.S. CBP releases records on controversial CBP One app after Access Now’s lawsuit
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency has finally released 2912 pages in documentation on CBP One app.
Agencia estadounidense CBP publica registros de la polémica aplicación CBP One tras demanda de Access Now
La agencia de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de EE. UU. (CBP) publicó casi 3000 páginas de documentación sobre la aplicación para migrantes CBP One, tras demanda de la organización Access Now.
Public interest groups to Biden: you met with CEOs on AI, now meet us
Demand Progress Education Fund, Access Now, and partner organizations demand a meeting with the U.S. government to discuss the impact of data centers.
Actions speak louder than words: U.S. slaps strong new sanctions on spyware company and executives
The U.S. government sanctioned individuals associated with the Intellexa consortium. Access Now urges additional action to further rein in the unchecked surveillance tech industry.
U.S. Homeland Security must stop using AI tech for immigration enforcement and adjudication
Access Now joins Just Futures Law and civil society partners in urging DHS to stop violating federal policies on AI use.
Open letter: no deepfakes for democracy
Access Now and civil society partners demand social media platforms take immediate action to implement policies to stop deepfakes from interfering in elections.
Open letter on 2024 FCC AI deepfakes disclosure in U.S.
Access Now strongly supports the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) proposal to ensure transparency in the use of AI-generated content in political ads.
Demand better privacy: hold Bumble accountable
U.S. Federal Trade Commission must put privacy protections in place
Access Now demanda a las agencias ICE y CBP de EE. UU. por datos de migrantes
Access Now demanda a CBP a ICE debido a sus demoras e inadecuadas respuestas a solicitudes de acceso a la información pública.
Access Now sues U.S. CBP and ICE agencies over migrant data
U.S. lawmakers should govern AI to help people, not Big Tech companies’ interests
Access Now in the news
Access Now’s team members provide expert commentary to media outlets around the world. Contact [email protected] to arrange an interview with one of our staff, and subscribe to our media alerts for regular updates.
A critical tool for fighting against an Orwellian future’ — Why users of this encrypted messaging app are helping keep the project alive
India’s crackdown on a new WhatsApp feature risks setting a global precedent
Can the United Nations Bring the World Together on AI?
Robot dogs, Teslas, and rescue helicopters: the UN AI Summit was a lot
RightsCon Continues: what’s next for 2026
Russia used Cellebrite technology in case against activist, report says
Cellebrite said it cut off Russia, but Russia used is tools anyway
Russia used Cellebrite phone-hacking tool to crack down on dissident after firm cut off country
Russia hacked a dissident’s iPhone with banned Israeli tech, records show
Computer says kill: how to say no w/ Matt Mahmoudi and Marwa Fatafta
How Google Switzerland works for Israel
Hidden spyware use in war may be more widespread than we realize
A statement to our community on why RightsCon 2026 is not taking place in Zambia
The Guardian view on the splinternet: where China led, Iran and others are eagerly following
Hackers are trying to steal Signal users’ backups in new wave of phishing attacks
Palestinians risked their lives to document Gaza, then came the algorithm
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.
Not AI for Good
July 15 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CEST
Stronger together: digital security and resilience for LGBTQ+ people
July 14 @ 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.
Resisting anti-rights attacks on the LGBTQ+ movement in the digital age
July 8 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm EAT
Advancing Rights-Centered reporting on Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act
April 21 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm WAT
