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Namrata Maheshwari

Senior Policy Counsel and Encryption Policy Lead

Namrata Maheshwari serves as Senior Policy Counsel and Encryption Policy Lead at Access Now. She leads Access Now’s policy and advocacy work across South Asia. She also leads the organization’s work on encryption policy globally. Previously, she worked with the Center for Democracy & Technology as a Consultant, primarily on the Freedom, Security, and Technology Project. Namrata is an India-qualified lawyer, enrolled with the bar council. She completed her LL.M. from Columbia Law School as a Stone Scholar, with a focus on technology policy and digital governance. Prior to that, she received her law degree from Jindal Global Law School with a scholarship for outstanding women. In the past, she has worked at a premiere corporate law firm in India, and as a litigator before Indian courts

Australia’s Privacy Act

Submission on Bangladesh’s draft Data Protection Act, 2023

3 Nov 2023

Access Now and Tech Global Institute’s submission on Bangladesh’s latest draft of the Data Protection Act, 2023.

Publication
Submission on Bangladesh’s draft Data Protection Act, 2023
3 Nov 2023
Submission on Bangladesh’s draft Data Protection Act, 2023
Victory for digital equity: court upholds New York's broadband price cap for low-income families

Open letter: no discriminatory fees or licensing; TRAI must uphold net neutrality

23 Oct 2023

Civil society organizations and experts urge TRAI to uphold net neutrality in India

Press Release
Open letter: no discriminatory fees or licensing; TRAI must uphold net neutrality
23 Oct 2023
Open letter: no discriminatory fees or licensing; TRAI must uphold net neutrality
Sweden

Joint letter: the Australian government must incorporate safeguards for encryption in the online safety codes

21 Oct 2023

The Australian government must incorporate safeguards for end-to-end encryption in the online safety codes.

Press Release
Joint letter: the Australian government must incorporate safeguards for encryption in the online safety codes
21 Oct 2023
Joint letter: the Australian government must incorporate safeguards for encryption in the online safety codes
Australia’s Privacy Act

Australia inching towards needed privacy reforms, yet encryption at risk

28 Sep 2023

Access Now urges the Australian government to develop draft legislation on privacy-impacting obligations and ensuring safeguards for encryption. 

Press Release
Australia inching towards needed privacy reforms, yet encryption at risk
28 Sep 2023
Australia inching towards needed privacy reforms, yet encryption at risk
South Sudan #KeepItOn

India’s G20 opportunity: Internet shutdowns hamper Digital India promise – it’s time to commit to ending them

7 Sep 2023
News
India’s G20 opportunity: Internet shutdowns hamper Digital India promise – it’s time to commit to ending them
The Indian Express ↗
7 Sep 2023
India’s G20 opportunity: Internet shutdowns hamper Digital India promise – it’s time to commit to ending them
a web of connected eyes on a purple and blue background

Stop mass surveillance in India: the government must be held accountable

31 Aug 2023

Access Now demands that the Indian government’s surveillance impunity ends now.

Press Release
Stop mass surveillance in India: the government must be held accountable
31 Aug 2023
Stop mass surveillance in India: the government must be held accountable
Syrian government

Manipur, India, internet shutdowns: stop shielding abuse against women

22 Aug 2023

After over 100 days, authorities must immediately end internet shutdowns in Manipur, India, that are shielding atrocities.

Press Release
Manipur, India, internet shutdowns: stop shielding abuse against women
22 Aug 2023
Manipur, India, internet shutdowns: stop shielding abuse against women
Keep It On Gabon

The government of Manipur must put an end to the ongoing internet shutdown impacting millions

22 Aug 2023

All internet shutdowns violate a range of human rights.The #KeepItOn coalition demands that internet access be fully restored in Manipur.

Press Release
The government of Manipur must put an end to the ongoing internet shutdown impacting millions
22 Aug 2023
The government of Manipur must put an end to the ongoing internet shutdown impacting millions
Australia’s Privacy Act

India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Bill passed: “it’s a bad law”

9 Aug 2023

Today, August 9, is a historic day for India — one that will be remembered as the day the government signed away the rights of millions

Press Release
India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Bill passed: “it’s a bad law”
9 Aug 2023
India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Bill passed: “it’s a bad law”
Australia’s Privacy Act

Another blow for privacy: India’s rights-threatening data protection law must be amended

7 Aug 2023

In another blow for privacy in India, the notorious Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023 was passed by the Lok Sabha

Press Release
Another blow for privacy: India’s rights-threatening data protection law must be amended
7 Aug 2023
Another blow for privacy: India’s rights-threatening data protection law must be amended