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.

Thumbnail of the Investigation report: how Pegasus spyware crushes civic space in Jordan

Exiled, then spied on: Civil society in Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland targeted with Pegasus spyware

All governments must establish an immediate moratorium on the export, sale, transfer, servicing, and use of targeted digital surveillance technologies until rigorous human rights safeguards are put in place to stop human rights abuses.

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.

Border Surveillance Greece Header

Digital Identity Systems

Surveilling Europe’s edges: when digitalisation means dehumanisation

In the first of a three-part blog series, Caterina Rodelli explains how digital surveillance is dehumanising people at Europe’s borders.

Manual Del Pequeñx Vigilado Header

Data Protection

Manual del Pequeñx Vigiladx

El Manual del Pequeñx Vigiladx es una guía para ayudarte a navegar el sistema judicial en caso de sufrir una detención errónea por sistemas biométricos.

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.

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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.

Surveillance

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

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

Surveillance
Surveillance

Judge limits evidence about NSO Group customers, victims in damages trial

23 Apr 2025
News
Judge limits evidence about NSO Group customers, victims in damages trial
23 Apr 2025
Judge limits evidence about NSO Group customers, victims in damages trial
Bigger, bolder: U.S. slaps sanctions on spyware company and executives
Surveillance
Surveillance

Cyber experts offer lukewarm praise for voluntary code governing use of commercial hacking tools

11 Apr 2025
News
Cyber experts offer lukewarm praise for voluntary code governing use of commercial hacking tools
CyberScoop ↗
11 Apr 2025
Cyber experts offer lukewarm praise for voluntary code governing use of commercial hacking tools
Proceed with caution: Sandvine removed from U.S. Entity List
Surveillance
Surveillance

U.S. to sign Pall Mall pact aimed at countering spyware abuses

11 Apr 2025
News
U.S. to sign Pall Mall pact aimed at countering spyware abuses
The Record ↗
11 Apr 2025
U.S. to sign Pall Mall pact aimed at countering spyware abuses
Surveillance
Surveillance

Spyware maker NSO Group is paving a path back into Trump’s America

10 Apr 2025
News
Spyware maker NSO Group is paving a path back into Trump’s America
WIRED ↗
10 Apr 2025
Spyware maker NSO Group is paving a path back into Trump’s America
NSO
Surveillance
Surveillance

The talented Mr. Kurz: how Austria’s ex-leader made it big in Israel’s cyber industry

9 Apr 2025
News
The talented Mr. Kurz: how Austria’s ex-leader made it big in Israel’s cyber industry
Follow the Money ↗
9 Apr 2025
The talented Mr. Kurz: how Austria’s ex-leader made it big in Israel’s cyber industry
Myanmar's digital dictatorship
Digital Identity Systems
Digital Identity Systems

Fourth year under Myanmar military’s digital iron curtain

4 Mar 2025
News
Fourth year under Myanmar military’s digital iron curtain
Tech Policy Press ↗
4 Mar 2025
Fourth year under Myanmar military’s digital iron curtain
Surveillance
Surveillance

Why the new Europol regulation is a Trojan Horse for surveillance

21 Feb 2025
News
Why the new Europol regulation is a Trojan Horse for surveillance
EU Observer ↗
21 Feb 2025
Why the new Europol regulation is a Trojan Horse for surveillance
Protect Not Surveil
Surveillance
Surveillance

How a new Europol reform threatens digital war on migrants

20 Feb 2025

The #ProtectNotSurveil coalition analyses a proposed reform of the Europol agency which will increase unlawful surveillance against migrants.

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How a new Europol reform threatens digital war on migrants
20 Feb 2025
How a new Europol reform threatens digital war on migrants
Manual Del Pequeñx Vigilado Header
Surveillance
Surveillance

Manual del Pequeñx Vigiladx: una guía ilustrada para resistir la vigilancia

6 Feb 2025
Post
Manual del Pequeñx Vigiladx: una guía ilustrada para resistir la vigilancia
6 Feb 2025
Manual del Pequeñx Vigiladx: una guía ilustrada para resistir la vigilancia
Surveillance
Surveillance

WhatsApp says a spyware company targeted journalists and civilians

3 Feb 2025
News
WhatsApp says a spyware company targeted journalists and civilians
NBC ↗
3 Feb 2025
WhatsApp says a spyware company targeted journalists and civilians
NSO
Surveillance
Surveillance

WhatsApp accuses Paragon of targeting about 90 users with spyware

3 Feb 2025
News
WhatsApp accuses Paragon of targeting about 90 users with spyware
The Record ↗
3 Feb 2025
WhatsApp accuses Paragon of targeting about 90 users with spyware
Surveillance
Surveillance

Dozens of WhatsApp users targeted by Israeli spyware company

3 Feb 2025
News
Dozens of WhatsApp users targeted by Israeli spyware company
The Cradle ↗
3 Feb 2025
Dozens of WhatsApp users targeted by Israeli spyware company
Surveillance
Surveillance

Meta’s WhatsApp says spyware company Paragon targeted users in two dozen countries

3 Feb 2025
News
Meta’s WhatsApp says spyware company Paragon targeted users in two dozen countries
Reuters ↗
3 Feb 2025
Meta’s WhatsApp says spyware company Paragon targeted users in two dozen countries
AI
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence

Projekti ‘Smart City’ ngre kambana alarmi për survejim masiv në Shqipëri

3 Feb 2025
News
Projekti ‘Smart City’ ngre kambana alarmi për survejim masiv në Shqipëri
Report.al ↗
3 Feb 2025
Projekti ‘Smart City’ ngre kambana alarmi për survejim masiv në Shqipëri
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Expression

Tackling the “black snakes” undermining digital rights worldwide 

16 Jan 2025

As 2025 gets underway, Access Now’s new Executive Director, Alejandro Mayoral Baños, PhD, shares his reflections on the “black snakes” threatening the digital rights movement.

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Tackling the “black snakes” undermining digital rights worldwide 
16 Jan 2025
Tackling the “black snakes” undermining digital rights worldwide 
Armenia spyware victims: Pegasus hacking in war
Surveillance
Surveillance

How Barcelona became an unlikely hub for spyware startups

14 Jan 2025
News
How Barcelona became an unlikely hub for spyware startups
TechCrunch ↗
14 Jan 2025
How Barcelona became an unlikely hub for spyware startups