Access Now
Description
Access Now defends and extends the digital rights of people and communities at risk. It was formed in 2009, in the moment of the Iranian election, as an emergency response team helping activists get back online and communicate safely. Brett Solomon co-founded and led the organization for fifteen years.
Its work today spans a 24/7 Digital Security Helpline, offering real-time technical assistance in nine languages to civil society groups, activists, media organizations, journalists and human rights defenders. It also does grantmaking, providing flexible funding to grassroots and frontline organizations, including through its Access Now Grants Program. Its advocacy combines campaigning, digital engagement, legal expertise and policy work, educating and pressuring decision makers on issues at the intersection of human rights and technology, from freedom of expression to digital identification systems.
It leads the #KeepItOn campaign against internet shutdowns, a coalition of more than 345 organizations across 106 countries. It also organizes RightsCon, a global summit on human rights in the digital age, held in cities including Rio de Janeiro, Manila, Brussels, Toronto and Tunis.
Access Now is a grassroots-to-global organization with regional centers covering Africa, Asia Pacific, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and North America. It has registered offices in Belgium, Costa Rica and the United States, and staff presences in cities such as New York, Brussels, Berlin, Tunis, Delhi, Nairobi and Manila. It is funded by foundations, development agencies, companies, individuals and civil society organizations, and publishes audited financials and tax filings.
Latest news
Apple threat notifications and spyware: what everyone should know
Since 2001, Apple has been warning its users when they may have been targeted by spyware, using email, iMessage, and banners in their accounts. But in September of this year,
26 Aug 2026
Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline and Vita Activa offer holistic digital safety and mental health support for activists.
13 Aug 2026
#KeepItOn @10: celebrating a decade of fighting internet shutdowns
Internet shutdowns have to stop. As Access Now marks the 10th anniversary of the #KeepItOn campaign in 2026, we’re reflecting on the path travelled so far — and the journey still to come as we continue to fight to #KeepItOn around the world.
11 Aug 2026
The game is up: how MENA’s social media regulations silence and control
MENA’s social media regulations give the appearance of legitimacy but threaten to increase state censorship and control.
16 Jul 2026
Russia used Cellebrite tool to jail activist after company claimed to have ended contract
A Citizen Lab investigation confirms evidence Russian authorities used Cellebrite tool to hack prominent Russian activist Andrey Pivovarov after the Cellebrite claimed to have ceased sales to Russia.
25 Jun 2026
La receta para una inteligencia artificial con sabor latinoamericano
El lanzamiento de LatamGPT, un sistema de procesamiento de lenguaje natural hecho por y para América Latina nos lleva a analizar dónde estamos y qué pasos debemos priorizar en esta región en cuanto a innovación técnica.
18 Jun 2026
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