Surveillance

STANDING UP TO SURVEILLANCE

We fight surveillance laws, policies, and practices that undermine human rights. From investigating spyware attacks that target human rights defenders to fighting biometric surveillance systems that put entire communities at risk, we work to hold manufacturers and investors accountable for the impact of dangerous surveillance tech and push for strict regulations to prevent widespread abuse.

Ban Biometric Surveillance

Some surveillance technologies are so dangerous that they inevitably cause far more problems than they solve. The use of facial recognition and remote biometric technologies in publicly accessible spaces enables mass surveillance and discriminatory targeted surveillance.

Resources

Spyware: a threat to human rights and democracy

Data Protection

Geneva Declaration: international community unites to end spyware abuse

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

Musk

Digital Security

New guide: surveillance technology investors face significant risks if human rights are ignored

A new guide on effective due diligence will help shareholders with investments in surveillance technology prevent and mitigate human rights risks.

Voice recognition tech header image|voice recognition technology social card image

Data Protection

Sonic surveillance: why you don’t want AI snooping on you

The threat voice recognition technology poses to our rights needs to be addressed now — before our voices become yet another piece of biometric data to be used against us.

Más allá de Pegasus: políticas públicas contra periodistas y sociedad civil en El Salvador

Digital Security

Unsafe anywhere: attacked by Pegasus, women activists speak out

Front Line Defenders and Access Now’s new report, “Unsafe anywhere: women human rights defenders speak out about Pegasus attacks,” unpacks the first-hand experiences of women navigating an increasingly hostile and dangerous environment.

Ecuador, latitud cero para el ciberpatrullaje

Digital Security

MENA Surveillance Coalition: stop all surveillance tech sales to the region’s autocratic governments

The MENA Surveillance Coalition is demanding the immediate end to the sale of surveillance technology to Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) autocratic governments.

Latest Updates

Press under Attack – Digital Strategies to Intimidate Journalists in Latin America
Surveillance
Surveillance

This newly-discovered malware could disrupt power generation — and do physical damage

26 May 2023
News
This newly-discovered malware could disrupt power generation — and do physical damage
Tim Starks ↗
26 May 2023
This newly-discovered malware could disrupt power generation — and do physical damage
Surveillance
Surveillance

Pegasus Spyware Is Detected in a War Zone for the First Time

25 May 2023
News
Pegasus Spyware Is Detected in a War Zone for the First Time
Vittoria Elliott ↗
25 May 2023
Pegasus Spyware Is Detected in a War Zone for the First Time
Armenia spyware victims: Pegasus hacking in war
Surveillance
Surveillance

NSO spyware used in Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, report finds

25 May 2023
News
NSO spyware used in Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, report finds
Kevin Collier ↗
25 May 2023
NSO spyware used in Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, report finds
Spyware Armenia
Surveillance
Surveillance

Spyware in warfare: Access Now documents first-time use of Pegasus tech in Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict

25 May 2023

Breaking: NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware is being used as a weapon in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict.

Press Release
Spyware in warfare: Access Now documents first-time use of Pegasus tech in Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict
25 May 2023
Spyware in warfare: Access Now documents first-time use of Pegasus tech in Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict
Armenia spyware victims: Pegasus hacking in war
Surveillance
Surveillance

Hacking in a war zone: Pegasus spyware in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict

25 May 2023

A joint investigation by civil society and independent researchers has uncovered hacking of Armenia spyware victims with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware.

Publication
Hacking in a war zone: Pegasus spyware in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict
25 May 2023
Hacking in a war zone: Pegasus spyware in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict
Surveillance
Surveillance

‘Despicable’ iPhone Hacks In Armenia Find NSO Spyware ‘In Active Warzone’

25 May 2023
News
‘Despicable’ iPhone Hacks In Armenia Find NSO Spyware ‘In Active Warzone’
Thomas Brewster ↗
25 May 2023
‘Despicable’ iPhone Hacks In Armenia Find NSO Spyware ‘In Active Warzone’
Armenia spyware victims: Pegasus hacking in war
Surveillance
Surveillance

Azerbaijan Suspected in Hacking of Armenian Officials With Israeli NSO Spyware

25 May 2023
News
Azerbaijan Suspected in Hacking of Armenian Officials With Israeli NSO Spyware
Oded Yaron ↗
25 May 2023
Azerbaijan Suspected in Hacking of Armenian Officials With Israeli NSO Spyware
Surveillance
Surveillance

Armenians hacked with Pegasus spyware during war: NGO

25 May 2023
News
Armenians hacked with Pegasus spyware during war: NGO
Joseph Boyle ↗
25 May 2023
Armenians hacked with Pegasus spyware during war: NGO
|Human rights problem with Google Cloud Platform in Saudi Arabia - Twitter thumbnail
Surveillance
Surveillance

السعودية: على “مايكروسوفت” تعليق خطط مركز البيانات

23 May 2023

ننضم إلى المجتمع المدني في دعوتنا لشركة مايكروسوفت بتعليق خططها لمراكز البيانات في المملكة العربية السعودية إلى أن تُبيّن الشركة كيف ستخفف الانتهاكات الحقوقية المحتملة.

Press Release
السعودية: على “مايكروسوفت” تعليق خطط مركز البيانات
23 May 2023
السعودية: على “مايكروسوفت” تعليق خطط مركز البيانات
|Human rights problem with Google Cloud Platform in Saudi Arabia - Twitter thumbnail
Surveillance
Surveillance

Saudi Arabia: Microsoft should suspend data center plans

23 May 2023

We join civil society in calling on Microsoft to suspend its data center plans in Saudia Arabia until it can demonstrate how it will mitigate potential rights abuses.

Press Release
Saudi Arabia: Microsoft should suspend data center plans
23 May 2023
Saudi Arabia: Microsoft should suspend data center plans
surveillance tech at the EU borders
Privacy
Privacy

Nowhere to turn: How surveillance tech at the EU borders is endangering lives

23 May 2023

Surveillance tech at the EU borders is endangering lives. Authorities must #ProtectNotSurveil people on the move.

Publication
Nowhere to turn: How surveillance tech at the EU borders is endangering lives
23 May 2023
Nowhere to turn: How surveillance tech at the EU borders is endangering lives
Ecuador, latitud cero para el ciberpatrullaje
Surveillance
Surveillance

A day of bad news for spyware makers

23 May 2023
News
A day of bad news for spyware makers
Tim Starks ↗
23 May 2023
A day of bad news for spyware makers
civil and human rights
Data Protection
Data Protection

Access Now joins the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

11 May 2023

Access Now has joined the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR), a long-standing coalition of more than 230 organizations committed to advancing and protecting all persons’ civil and human rights in the United States.

Press Release
Access Now joins the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
11 May 2023
Access Now joins the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
WEF spyware
Surveillance
Surveillance

The risks commercial spyware poses to journalists, activists and government officials

4 May 2023
News
The risks commercial spyware poses to journalists, activists and government officials
Nick Schifrin, Dan Sagalyn & Teresa Cebrian Aranda ↗
4 May 2023
The risks commercial spyware poses to journalists, activists and government officials
Secret surveillance: countering spyware’s threats to freedom of the press and expression
Surveillance
Surveillance

Declaración conjunta: Los Estados deben tomar medidas inmediatas para poner freno al software espía que amenaza la libertad de prensa

3 May 2023
Press Release
Declaración conjunta: Los Estados deben tomar medidas inmediatas para poner freno al software espía que amenaza la libertad de prensa
3 May 2023
Declaración conjunta: Los Estados deben tomar medidas inmediatas para poner freno al software espía que amenaza la libertad de prensa
Press under Attack – Digital Strategies to Intimidate Journalists in Latin America
Surveillance
Surveillance

Journalists, Rights Groups Urge Ban on ‘Sinister’ Spyware Like Pegasus

3 May 2023
News
Journalists, Rights Groups Urge Ban on ‘Sinister’ Spyware Like Pegasus
Jessica Corbett ↗
3 May 2023
Journalists, Rights Groups Urge Ban on ‘Sinister’ Spyware Like Pegasus