Laura O'Brien

Access Now and the Government of Catalonia are calling for an end to the proliferation of surveillance tech through the Geneva Declaration.

Our new brief tracks progress on digital rights at the UN, providing recommendations for advancing international norms and standards to safeguard human rights online. 

OHCHR has joined civil society’s wave of pressure to elevate the devastating impacts of internet shutdowns through its new internet shutdowns report.

Access Now welcomes a U.N. expert statement released at the conclusion of RightsCon 2022 that draws attention to digital rights in conflict and crises.

Digital rights violations enable and escalate offline violence, deepening humanitarian crises. Our latest brief recaps key developments at the 49th United Nations Human Rights Council, guiding delegates in next steps for advancing global norms and standards to protect digital rights. 

Transparency and inclusivity are critical to a successful Tech Envoy appointment. The U.N. must make all key information publicly accessible.

Digital surveillance is threatening the right to protest worldwide. U.N. human rights expert Clément Voule is fighting for strong encryption and tight restrictions on the use of spyware. Here’s why that push is important for human rights lawyers and the activists they represent.

Access Now welcomes a joint statement from U.N. Special Procedures emphasizing that digital rights are “a top priority” to rebuild civic space amid COVID-19 recovery.

At a meeting Tuesday of the United Nations Open-ended Working Group (OEWG), we provided civil society input on a proposed report that addresses cybersecurity. We strongly support the OEWG report, but we believe governments can do better.