Protests and Online Organizing
The right to protest is essential for the future of human rights, justice, and democracy. Protests and online organizing are evolving in digital spaces, and autocratic governments are responding with attempts to undermine privacy, quell dissent, and punish those who speak out. We demand governments and companies respect and protect our freedom to assemble, associate, and speak freely, online and off. We also offer activists and human rights defenders digital safety tools and resources.
Will the Right to Protest survive its migration online?
The human right to protest is crucial because it is a gateway right — it onboards us to other rights. Even for those who have never participated in a protest, or ever plan to, many of the rights we enjoy today are the result of others in the past exercising their right to protest for those rights.
Resources
Content Governance
New world disorder: digital attacks on freedom of assembly
Access Now’s latest report examines the power — and fragility — of our rights to peaceful assembly and association in the digital era.
Freedom of Expression
Iran: alarm over mass arrests of human rights defenders amidst protests
Civil society call for an end to the deliberate violence and arrests against human rights defenders, journalists, and activists during the Iran protests
Freedom of Expression
At the U.N., a new push to end surveillance of protesters — and protect their lawyers
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.
Freedom of Expression
Arab Spring: ten years in, how can we reclaim the internet as an open space?
The internet played a pivotal role during the Arab Spring protests. But a decade on, the state of internet freedom in many Arab countries has deteriorated. Join us for a virtual conversation to explore the evolution of the digital space from a tool of mobilization to one of repression.
Covid-19
RightsCon spotlight: “The Privatised Panopticon: Workers’ Surveillance in the Digital Age”
In a session with European Digital Rights at RightsCon, we will explore how surveillance technology can make your workplace function like a prison: a privatised panopticon that threatens labour movements and undermines human rights.
Digital Security
Human rights groups ask U.N. to intervene in U.S. crackdown on racial justice protesters
Access Now and partners ask the United Nations to take a stand against the U.S. government’s violent response to peaceful protests.
Digital Security
To #SaveDotOrg, we still need safeguards
Today, NTEN, EFF, and Access Now delivered the following letter to the leaders of ISOC and PIR calling on them to reflect and to take immediate action to adopt the safeguards put forward by the #SaveDotOrg campaign.
Latest Updates
Cómo protegerse en línea en el contexto del conflicto en Gaza
La presente guía de consejos sobre resiliencia digital elaborada por Access Now y SMEX fue diseñada para brindarles apoyo contra las amenazas denunciadas.
DSA: the war on Gaza is not an excuse to silence people online
The EU’s fast-tracked “solution” to the spread of illegal content online could result in long-term consequences to freedom of speech.
Staying safe online in the context of conflict in Gaza
This digital resilience tipsheet compiled by Access Now and SMEX is designed to support you in defending against reported threats.
Adiós a la opacidad: la Corte Constitucional de Colombia resolvió la sentencia sobre interrupciones a los servicios de internet
دعوة مفتوحة من منظمات حقوق الإنسان لوقف فوري لإطلاق النار على الأرض ورقمياً في غزة، وبحق الفلسطينيين/ات حول العالم
نحن، مجموعة من مؤسسات المجتمع المدني ومنظمات حقوق الإنسان الرقمية، ننضم إلى الدعوة المفتوحة للوقف الفوري لإطلاق النار في غزة.
Organizaciones de derechos humanos se unen al llamado abierto al cese al fuego en Gaza y el respeto por los derechos digitales del pueblo palestino en todo el mundo
We call on international actors to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, along with a “digital ceasefire” to protect Palestinians in online spaces globally.
Human rights organizations join the open call for an immediate physical and digital ceasefire in Gaza, and for Palestinians globally
We call on international actors to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, along with a “digital ceasefire” to protect Palestinians in online spaces globally.
Physical and digital ceasefire in Gaza: UN, governments, Big Tech must act
Governments, international institutions, tech companies, and other stakeholders must ensure a physical and digital ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Joint Statement: Internet Governance Forum must reverse decision to make Saudi Arabia its next host
An IGF 2024 hosted by Saudi Arabia is incompatible with the event’s multistakeholder model, as human rights risks make robust civil society engagement impossible.
We’re headed to South Korea: the when, where, and why of our next convening
We’re excited to announce that the 13th edition of the RightsCon Summit Series will be held in South Korea and online in February 2025!
Where to find Access Now at FIFAfrica 2023
COP28: UAE authorities must stop greenwashing human rights abuses
The world must not forget Mahsa Amini
It has been a year since Mahsa Amini died while in the custody of Iran’s “morality police,” leading to waves of protests across the country – and a subsequent crackdown by the country’s rulers against dissent, both offline and online. We’ve mapped some of the troubling trends in Iran’s digital authoritarian playbook.
Open letter: Governments must address UAE human rights abuses ahead of COP28
Access Now and over 200 organizations call on governments to address the UAE’s human rights abuses ahead of COP28.
An open letter to the RightsCon community about RightsCon Costa Rica and what comes next
We explain the challenges and exclusion some participants faced, apologize and take accountability for our role, and share thoughts on the road ahead.
Online platforms must reject Cambodia prime minister’s incitement to violence
Access Now urges digital platforms to remain alert to incendiary behavior and take steps to prevent online violence in Cambodia.