Tag: Censorship
Press Releases
#KeepItOn: Open letter to keep the internet open and secure during elections in the Republic of the Congo
Nations across Africa, and the world, are intentionally shutting down the internet when people need it the most — during elections and important national events. This election, we urge the Republic of the Congo to #KeepItOn.…
16 March 2021
Blog
Russia throttled Twitter to censor content — Here’s what happens next
On March 10, 2021, the Russian agency responsible for ensuring compliance with media and telecommunications laws, Roskomnadzor, announced that it would slow down Twitter on “100 percent of mobile services and 50 percent desktop services.” The reason Russia throttled Twitter:…
15 March 2021
Press Releases
#KeepItOn report: internet shutdowns shatter dreams, endanger lives
Authorities in 29 countries shut down or interfered with the internet at least 155 times in 2020. Access Now’s new report, Shattered dreams and lost opportunities: a year in the fight to #KeepItOn, explores where, how, and why, the internet was deliberately switched off in 2020, and the long-lasting repercussions for communities across the globe.…
3 March 2021
Blog
Why Facebook’s proposed hate speech policy on Zionism would only add fuel to the fire
We oppose Facebook adding “Zionist” as a protected category for content moderation in the fight against anti-Semitism. It is likely to backfire, given the company’s inability to adhere to human rights principles in its content moderation practices.…
2 March 2021
Press Releases
Human rights groups to U.N. Special Rapporteur on Belarus: it’s time to stop internet shutdowns, website blocking, anti-extremism laws
Access Now, and a coalition of human rights organizations are raising serious concerns about the escalating human rights situation in Belarus, submitting detailed information to Anaïs Marin, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus.…
19 February 2021
Press Releases
News media conviction must not set precedent for curbing online expression in Malaysia
Access Now is deeply concerned about a precarious precedent set today, 19 February, limiting the right to freedom of expression online in Malaysia, after independent media outlet Malaysiakini was convicted by Malaysia’s highest court for user comments published on its site. …
19 February 2021
Press Releases
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.…
16 February 2021
Access Now in the News
What Internet Censorship Looks Like
Shira Ovide, New York Times
22 January 2021