Access Now

For millions, internet shutdowns have lasted weeks, months, or even years. From Annobón to Myanmar, they isolate communities and hinder documentation of abuses. Learn more in our new blogpost:

Are you at MozFest? Visit the #KeepItOn coalition’s installation, showcasing testimonies from people impacted by shutdowns. Join us as we center the voices of those affected by the connectivity crisis for our 10th-anniversary celebration! Espai Vertical ROOM | Oct 28–30

Each year, governments across MENA restrict internet access during exams to “prevent cheating,” disconnecting millions. For the first time since we launched the #NoExamShutdown campaign, this trend has split into two very different directions.

Read more on our blogpost:

Drop in for digital security advice at the ASEAN Civil Society Conference! Open to human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and civil society organizations. - October 28, 2026 | 2:30–4:00 p.m. Breakout Room 7, M.I.C.E. Center, Quezon City

RT @web3privacy: Panel: The Future of Digital Rights: Building the Capacity to Shape Our Future Digital rights are entering a decisive period. Internet restrictions are growing, AI is concentrating power over information and decision-making, and digital infrastructure increasingly shapes access to civic participation, economic opportunity, and freedom of expression. What can we do collectively to strengthen digital rights from access to open technologies to ecosystem sustainability? Participants: ✔️ @AyaMiyagotchi (President, @ethereumfndn) ✔️Faiz Naeem (Policy Analyst, Asia Pacific and Global Cyber Policy, @accessnow) ✔️moderator: @sam_roam (Consultant, Luminate Asia) 4000 people celebrating digital rights:

Barcelona, fins de seguida! Our team will be at the Mozilla Festival 2026, October 28–30, and we can't wait to see you there. Join us to explore AI's challenges to digital security, rethink tech sovereignty, and imagine a digital future that puts people and their rights first.

Here’s where to find us: - Digital Security and AI | Oct. 28, 10 AM, B3 Room - Tech Sovereignty in the WANA Region: Reimagining Our Realities | Oct. 28, 12:30, B3 Room - Wilding AI: community-centered principles for community-owned digital futures | Oct. 28, 4:45 PM, E1 Stage ⬇️

-Convening Under Pressure: Rethinking How We Bring Communities Together, Oct. 29, 4:45 PM, E1 Stage + Explore our #KeepItOn installation to learn about our work against internet shutdowns, and say hi to our #RightsConontheRoad team! See you at MozFest!

Journalism is not a crime! Access Now joins 100+ civil society organizations and independent media outlets worldwide in standing with Mada Masr Editor-in-Chief Lina Attalah following her referral to trial in Egypt.

RT @meduzaproject: В центре Москвы на три дня ограничат мобильный интернет из-за саммитов, на которые приедут лидеры стран Африки

The World Food Programme cyberattack exposing sensitive data on nearly all of Gaza’s population has implications beyond a single breach. Listen to Marwa Fatafta, Access Now’s MENA Policy and Advocacy Director, on the Rethinking Humanitarianism podcast.

RT @web3privacy: Cypherpunk Congress speaker alert: Faiz Naeem, Policy Analyst, Asia Pacific and Global Cyber Policy at @accessnow Faiz Naeem is a public policy professional working at the intersection of digital rights, cybersecurity and technology governance in the Asia-Pacific region. As Asia Pacific Programme Associate at Access Now, he contributes to work on global cybersecurity mechanisms and regional policy challenges, including cybercrime legislation and commercial spyware regulation. He co-authored research on cyber diplomacy’s dual-track architecture, presented at The Hague Program on International Cyber Security in 2025. @accessnow is a global nonprofit defending digital rights and human rights in the digital age. Its work spans internet shutdowns, privacy, freedom of expression, cybersecurity and accountability for technology companies and governments. Through its 24/7 Digital Security Helpline, grassroots grants, global advocacy and @rightscon summit, it supports at-risk communities and digital rights defenders worldwide. Digital Rights Festival:

“Access Now documents internet shutdowns as civil society faces digital threats,” via Global Society World News.

Join our Co-Executive Director, @arzugeybulla, at #TrustConference2026 for an on-the-ground look at the evolving cyber threats facing journalists and civil society, and how we must fight back. Register:

As Big Tech and powerful countries dominate AI development, how can we ensure it serves the public and upholds human rights? Discover how policies and practices can put people back in control of AI 🔽

“Judge denies WhatsApp’s bid to hold spyware maker in contempt for allegedly targeting users,” via @TheRecord_Media

“Israeli ad company helped a spyware firm target Al Jazeera through online ads, researchers say,” via @NBCNews.

Digital security is about learning, not specific technologies or tools. In our Stronger Together webinar for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the Digital Security Helpline, @surfshark, and @bsky discussed prioritizing civil society's cybersecurity needs.

Pension funds must not turn a blind eye to spyware! Access Now is urging pension funds to avoid exposure to spyware and scrutinize their investments in AE Industrial Partners, the owners of a spyware vendor linked to human rights abuses. Read: