Tag: Business & Human Rights

Two years ago, amidst the protests in Tahrir Square, telcos in Egypt shut down their networks, cutting of citizens from the global internet. Since then, the telecom industry has made promises to develop rights-respecting guidelines and principles, but has failed to deliver.

New mechanisms to censor websites and filter mobile communications could come online in Pakistan, possibly within 60 days, according to government officials in the country and activists on the ground. News that the censorship system is being built directly conflicts with promises made by Pakistani government officials a little less than a year ago to not pursue massive online censorship.

Access has joined more than forty organizations and 61 individuals in sending an open letter to Skype, asking the company to clarify its policies for protecting users’ security and to release a comprehensive transparency report detailing government requests for user data.

We were deeply saddened to learn this weekend of the passing of Aaron Swartz: a friend, fighter, and spark of brilliance. Many of us at Access knew Aaron well–we were lucky enough to share an office with him for a chunk of time between 2011 and 2012. We’d find him there, in front of a spread of screens–in late, in early, and sometimes not at all. His unpredictable and irrepressible approach to life–and his life’s work–was one of his most defining characteristics.

Access is encouraged that Yahoo! now supports HTTPS globally for its mail and messaging services, an important and overdue step for the security and privacy of its users.

Shortly after the end of the World Conference on International Telecommunications members of civil society issued a statement regarding the new International Telecommunication Regulations and the future of multi-stakeholder engagement with the International Telecommunication Union.