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| '''Access Now''' is |
'''Access Now''' is a ] founded in 2009 that defends and extends the digital rights of people around the world. | ||
| As of 2020, Access Now has legal entities in Belgium, Costa Rica, Tunisia, and the United States, with its staff, operations, and activities distributed across all regions of the world. | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| The organization was given special consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2016. | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| == Policy Objectives == | |||
| Access Now has five primary policy areas: | |||
| * '''Business and Human Rights''' - Access Now works with companies to make their practices more transparent, accountable, and human rights-respecting. | |||
| * '''Digital Security''' - Access Now works to ensure that individual online activities are private, safe, and secure. | |||
| * '''Freedom of Expression''' - Access Now advocates for the right of individuals to speak freely, which is critical for disseminating dissent, guaranteeing a free press, and defending human rights. | |||
| * '''Net Discrimination''' - Access Now advocates for a free and open internet, advocating for the net neutrality principle that Internet access should be offered to everyone on a non-discriminatory basis, without favoring certain websites, applications, or services. | |||
| * '''Privacy''' - Access Now defends the right of individuals to privacy. | |||
| ⚫ | In addition, Access Now has campaigned against internet shutdowns,<ref>{{Cite web|title = Human rights groups condemn Nauru's criminalisation of political protest|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/28/human-rights-groups-condemn-naurus-criminalisation-of-political-protest|website = the Guardian|accessdate = 2015-09-21|first = Paul|last = Farrell}}</ref> online censorship,<ref>{{Cite web|title = Blog {{!}} Access|url = https://www.accessnow.org/blog/2015/08/28/rights-groups-to-malaysia-stop-blocking-websites-and-allow-bersih-4.0-rally|website = www.accessnow.org|accessdate = 2015-09-21}}</ref> international trade agreements,<ref>{{Cite web|title = Blog {{!}} Access|url = https://www.accessnow.org/blog/2015/06/28/why-you-should-care-about-the-transatlantic-trade-and-investment-partnershi|website = www.accessnow.org|accessdate = 2015-09-21}}</ref> and government surveillance.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2016/05/11/the_rule_41_change_would_give_u_s_law_enforcement_power_to_hack_people_worldwide.html|title=This Arcane Rule Change Would Give U.S. Law Enforcement New Power to Hack People Worldwide|last=Solomon|first=Brett|date=2016-05-11|newspaper=Slate|language=en-US|issn=1091-2339|access-date=2016-06-24}}</ref> Access Now has also supported the use of encryption<ref>{{Cite web|title = Encrypt All The Things|url = https://encryptallthethings.net/|website = encryptallthethings.net|accessdate = 2015-09-21|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150927033433/http://encryptallthethings.net/|archive-date = 2015-09-27|url-status = dead}}</ref> and thoughtful cybersecurity laws and regulations.<ref>{{Cite web|title = What Congress Can Do About Cybersecurity If CISA Fails|url = http://www.nationaljournal.com/s/58109/what-congress-can-do-about-cybersecurity-if-cisa-fails|accessdate = 2015-09-21}}</ref> | ||
| == Theory of Change == | |||
| To achieve its goals, Access Now has organized itself into three main programmatic arms: | |||
| * '''Policy:''' Access Now provides principled, pragmatic, and tech-driven policy guidance to governments, corporations, and civil society organizations. | |||
| * '''Advocacy:''' Access Now draws on technological, policy, and campaign expertise to engage the global community in the fight to defend and extend the digital rights of users at risk around the world. | |||
| * '''Technology:''' Access Now provides technology solutions and real-time advice for activists and civil society in circumstances where communications are not open, free, and secure. | |||
| Access Now maintains a '''Digital Security Helpline''' to offer real-time, direct assistance and advice to activists, independent media and civil society organizations.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tech {{!}} Access |url=https://www.accessnow.org/pages/tech |website=www.accessnow.org |accessdate=2015-09-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001213834/https://www.accessnow.org/pages/tech |archivedate=2015-10-01 }}</ref> | |||
| == Funding == | |||
| ⚫ | == The organization also runs the annual conference '''RightsCon''', a multistakeholder event that features participants from civil society, tech companies, and users at risk.<ref>{{Cite web|title=RightsCon Summit Series |url=https://rightscon.org/about |website=rightscon.org |accessdate=2015-09-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912154310/https://rightscon.org/about |archivedate=2015-09-12 }}</ref> The conference was first held in Silicon Valley in 2011, followed by events in ] (2012), ] (2014), ] (2015), and Silicon Valley (2016),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rightscon.org/about |title=RightsCon Summit Series |website=rightscon.org |accessdate=2015-09-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912154310/https://rightscon.org/about |archivedate=2015-09-12 }}</ref> thus alternating between Silicon Valley and a key city in the ].<ref>{{Cite web|title=RightsCon Summit Series |url=https://rightscon.org/about |website=rightscon.org |accessdate=2015-09-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912154310/https://rightscon.org/about |archivedate=2015-09-12 }}</ref> After being held in Brussels and Toronto, RightsCon 2019 took place in Tunis, Tunisia (11-14 June). In 2020, RightsCon was to be held in San José, Costa Rica, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will instead take place in a modified online format.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rightscon.org/attend/|title=Home - RightsCon Summit Series|website=RightsCon Summit Series|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-16}}</ref> == | ||
| Access Now is a member of the ] network, an organization of nonprofits which specializes in the general establishment of ] exit nodes via workshops and donations.<ref name="TorServers.net Members">{{Cite web |url=https://blog.torproject.org/blog/tor-heart-torserversnet |date=2016-12-03|title=Tor at the Heart: Torservers.net|last=Steele |first=Sharon |authorlink=}}</ref> | Access Now is a member of the ] network, an organization of nonprofits which specializes in the general establishment of ] exit nodes via workshops and donations.<ref name="TorServers.net Members">{{Cite web |url=https://blog.torproject.org/blog/tor-heart-torserversnet |date=2016-12-03|title=Tor at the Heart: Torservers.net|last=Steele |first=Sharon |authorlink=}}</ref> | ||
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| Formation | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.accessnow.org/ |
Access Now is a non-profit founded in 2009 that defends and extends the digital rights of people around the world.
As of 2020, Access Now has legal entities in Belgium, Costa Rica, Tunisia, and the United States, with its staff, operations, and activities distributed across all regions of the world.
The organization was given special consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2016.
Policy Objectives
Access Now has five primary policy areas:
- Business and Human Rights - Access Now works with companies to make their practices more transparent, accountable, and human rights-respecting.
- Digital Security - Access Now works to ensure that individual online activities are private, safe, and secure.
- Freedom of Expression - Access Now advocates for the right of individuals to speak freely, which is critical for disseminating dissent, guaranteeing a free press, and defending human rights.
- Net Discrimination - Access Now advocates for a free and open internet, advocating for the net neutrality principle that Internet access should be offered to everyone on a non-discriminatory basis, without favoring certain websites, applications, or services.
- Privacy - Access Now defends the right of individuals to privacy.
In addition, Access Now has campaigned against internet shutdowns, online censorship, international trade agreements, and government surveillance. Access Now has also supported the use of encryption and thoughtful cybersecurity laws and regulations.
Theory of Change
To achieve its goals, Access Now has organized itself into three main programmatic arms:
- Policy: Access Now provides principled, pragmatic, and tech-driven policy guidance to governments, corporations, and civil society organizations.
- Advocacy: Access Now draws on technological, policy, and campaign expertise to engage the global community in the fight to defend and extend the digital rights of users at risk around the world.
- Technology: Access Now provides technology solutions and real-time advice for activists and civil society in circumstances where communications are not open, free, and secure.
Access Now maintains a Digital Security Helpline to offer real-time, direct assistance and advice to activists, independent media and civil society organizations.
Funding
The organization also runs the annual conference RightsCon, a multistakeholder event that features participants from civil society, tech companies, and users at risk. The conference was first held in Silicon Valley in 2011, followed by events in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2012), Silicon Valley (2014), Manila, Philippines (2015), and Silicon Valley (2016), thus alternating between Silicon Valley and a key city in the Global South. After being held in Brussels and Toronto, RightsCon 2019 took place in Tunis, Tunisia (11-14 June). In 2020, RightsCon was to be held in San José, Costa Rica, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will instead take place in a modified online format.
Access Now is a member of the torservers.net network, an organization of nonprofits which specializes in the general establishment of Tor anonymity network exit nodes via workshops and donations.
Access Now's former Advocacy Director, Katherine Maher, was named the Executive Director of Wikimedia in June 2016. The organization was a finalist for the European Union's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2010.
Mission
Access Now's mission is to defend and extend the digital rights of users at risk around the world. By combining innovative policy, user engagement, and direct technical support, Access Now fights for open and secure communications for all.
Structure
Access Now is a team of 40, with local staff in more than 10 locations around the world -- Berlin, Brussels, Cordoba, Delhi, London, Manila, Nairobi, New York, San Jose, Tunis, and Washington D.C. The organization maintains four legally incorporated entities -- Belgium, Costa Rica, Tunisia, and the United States -- with its tech, advocacy, policy, granting, and operations teams distributed across all regions.
The Access Now Board is composed of president Andrew McLaughlin, treasurer Yvette Albderdingk Thijm, Esra'a Al Shafei, Ronaldo Lemos, Andrew Cohen, and secretary Brett Solomon, a co-founder and the executive director of Access Now.
As of 2018, Access Now received approximately $5.1 million in funding.
History
Access Now was founded by Brett Solomon and Cameran Ashraf in 2009, after the contested Iranian presidential election of that year. During the protests that followed this election, Access Now played a noted role in disseminating the video footage which came out of Iran.
References
- Farrell, Paul. "Human rights groups condemn Nauru's criminalisation of political protest". the Guardian. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
- "Blog | Access". www.accessnow.org. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
- "Blog | Access". www.accessnow.org. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
- Solomon, Brett (2016-05-11). "This Arcane Rule Change Would Give U.S. Law Enforcement New Power to Hack People Worldwide". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
- "Encrypt All The Things". encryptallthethings.net. Archived from the original on 2015-09-27. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
- "What Congress Can Do About Cybersecurity If CISA Fails". Retrieved 2015-09-21.
- "Tech | Access". www.accessnow.org. Archived from the original on 2015-10-01. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
- "RightsCon Summit Series". rightscon.org. Archived from the original on 2015-09-12. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
- "RightsCon Summit Series". rightscon.org. Archived from the original on 2015-09-12. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
- "RightsCon Summit Series". rightscon.org. Archived from the original on 2015-09-12. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
- "Home - RightsCon Summit Series". RightsCon Summit Series. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
- Steele, Sharon (2016-12-03). "Tor at the Heart: Torservers.net".
- "Foundation Board appoints Katherine Maher as Executive Director – Wikimedia blog". Retrieved 2016-06-24.
- Sakharov Prize 2010 - 9 nominations, retrieved 2015-04-30
- ^ "Access Now About". Access Now. Retrieved 2013-05-18.
- "Staff | Access". www.accessnow.org. Archived from the original on 2015-10-01. Retrieved 2015-09-21.
- "Funding | Access". www.accessnow.org. Archived from the original on 2019-07-23. Retrieved 2019-08-03.
- ^ "#iranelection: The digital media response to the 2009 Iranian election". Retrieved 2013-05-18.