Access Now Blog
Blog
Obama announces support for U.S. spy reforms, offers inadequate assurances
Expressing concern about public confidence in the U.S. National Security Agency, President Obama announced today four proposals to reform U.S. surveillance practice. However, even if enacted, these proposals would still fail to actually protect the basic civil liberties of U.S. and non-U.S. persons.
…9 August 2013
Blog
215 reforms limit bulk collection, don’t prevent legitimate investigation
The Amash-Conyers amendment, the U.S. Congress’ first attempt to limit the NSA surveillance, may have been unsuccessful. But its narrow loss demonstrates the growing force behind the call to reform these programs. To know where we go from here, its important to look at the potential impact of this amendment.…
26 July 2013
Blog
Access supports proposed U.S. amendment limiting NSA metadata collection
In less than 24 hours the U.S. Congress will vote on an amendment that could help put an end to the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of telecommunications metadata, offering the first legislative opportunity to begin to rein in U.S. government’s massive spying program.…
23 July 2013
Blog
Public hearing reveals most of Congress was in the dark about NSA surveillance programs
Representatives from the NSA, FBI, and DOJ faced serious scrutiny before the US House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday in a hearing on the ‘Administration’s use of FISA Authorities.’ The defining narrative of the hearing came from the Members themselves, who indignantly contended that Congress had been largely kept in the dark about the nature and scope of the surveillance programs.…
19 July 2013
Blog
We need to know: companies, civil society call for transparency on surveillance
Access joined a broad coalition in sending a letter to US government officials calling on the government to a) ensure internet, telephone, and web-based service providers be allowed to regularly report specific data regarding intelligence information requests, and to b) establish its own transparency report with specific data on number of requests, statutes, authorities, and affected individuals.…
18 July 2013
Blog
Investors raise unique surveillance concerns
Some of the world’s leading sustainable investment firms have joined the growing chorus of voices speaking out against private sector compliance in the U.S. government’s sweeping violations of human rights through its widely publicized NSA surveillance programs.…
11 July 2013
Blog
Obama’s appointment for FBI director fails to support surveillance reform
James Comey, nominee for director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, failed to take a stand against the U.S. government’s widely publicized recent intrusions into personal privacy at his confirmation hearing. However, many of the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee signaled their support for important reform.
…11 July 2013
Blog
Privacy board awakens after NSA spying is revealed
The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) is the government oversight body principally charged with protecting privacy and civil liberties in the United States. However, in the eight years since it was established, the PCLOB has met only infrequently. But with the recent revelations of unconstitutional massive data collection by the NSA, it seems the PCLOB’s long run of applied irrelevance may have finally come to an end – and not a moment too soon.
…21 June 2013
Blog
Internet companies fight US government’s surveillance silence
As secrets about the NSA’s surveillance programs continue to command the world’s attention, some communications companies involved are advocating that the US government allow them to reveal more about their participation in the programs in order to maintain their reputations. …
20 June 2013
Blog
New information and more questions on US global surveillance after Congressional oversight hearings
Representatives of top U.S. intelligence agencies testified before the House Intelligence Committee in a public oversight hearing. While the hearing largely served to allow officials to legitimate the recently-revealed massive US surveillance programs, a few representatives pushed back, granting the public important new information on these programs.
…19 June 2013
Blog
International organizations pressure Congress to respect human rights
Today Access, in coordination with a broad-based group of civil society organizations and individuals, sent a letter to the US Congress representing the international response to the massive NSA surveillance program. Amidst the often US-centric response to this scandal, the letter presents an important reminder that these programs not only affect, but specifically target, non-US citizens in a gross breach of the United States’ responsibilities under international human rights law. …
18 June 2013
Blog
Newly revealed US surveillance practices possibly illegal, clearly unconstitutional
Details of the recently revealed large-scale, secret United States surveillance programs, the collection of Verizon users’ metadata and PRISM, are still emerging. However, from the information available, it is clear that while the programs rest on dubious legal ground under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), they are both unconstitutional.…
18 June 2013
Blog
Stop Watching Us campaign begins push against NSA surveillance
Access, along with a coalition of more than 80 organizations and internet companies, released a letter and online petition demanding that Congress halt and investigate the US National Security Agency’s mobile phone surveillance and PRISM programs. During the press call held that day by lead organizers, coalition representatives stated that they would continue outreach to internet users and youth, while increasing outreach to both government officials and corporations. …
12 June 2013
FOIA response
FOIA documents reveal intensity of US lobbying against the DPR
Access has received new information about the unprecedented level of US lobbying against the EU Data Protection Regulation in response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests filed on both sides of the Atlantic.
…12 June 2013
Blog
Coalition of More Than 80 Organizations and Companies Call on U.S. Congress to End NSA Spying
On Tuesday, Access and more than 80 organizations and internet companies sent a letter to Congress demanding an immediate halt to and investigation of the U.S. National Security Agency’s surveillance programs. Other signatories include the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Mozilla, and reddit.
…11 June 2013
Blog
Broad Civil Society Coalition Delivers Statement to UN HRC on Surveillance and Human Rights
A broad civil society coalition of more than 90 civil society organizations and individuals issued a joint statement at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) today calling for the protection of human rights in the digital age in the wake of the recently revealed PRISM and US National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance program. The statement, which was delivered at the 23rd session of the HRC, by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) and Reporters without Borders, in particular highlighted the need to protect the rights of whistleblowers and to prevent the establishment of a global internet surveillance system.
…10 June 2013
Blog
Massive US surveillance program exposed
Update: The initial disclosure by Greenwald and the Guardian has since been followed by reports from, first from the Washington Post and followed by the New York Times, Guardian, and Wall Street Journal confirming and dramatically enlarging the scope of…
6 June 2013
Blog
It’s time for companies to act: US eases sanctions on export of tech to Iran
Yesterday the US government announced a new round of sanctions relief for Iranian citizens, providing users with easier access to the internet and a wide range of personal communications technologies. With the road to export without the need for specific licenses explicitly cleared, now is the time for these companies to make their products and services available to Iranian users. …
31 May 2013
Blog
US House of Representatives Bill on IG unnecessary and potentially harmful to diplomacy
Yesterday, the US House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass a bill on internet governance that was superfluous, misguided, and potentially harmful to ongoing international negotiations on internet governance.…
16 May 2013
Blog
Cautious optimism as US privacy oversight board finally confirms chair
The US Senate finally voted to confirm David Medine as the first Chair of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB), a government oversight body charged with protecting privacy and civil liberties in the United States.…
13 May 2013
Blog
Google’s National Security Letter suit: what it confirms about due process
A month after the publication of its first Transparency Report mentioning National Security Letters (NSLs), Google filed a motion before the Northern District of California to “set aside”–or in plain language, defer–this controversial form of request. Google’s action follows in the courageous legal footsteps of a handful of service providers–including the ACLU’s defense of the Calyx Institute and EFF’s successful petition on behalf of an unnamed client–raising hopes that Google’s suit may finally expose the worldwide reach of NSLs.
…8 May 2013