named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
AI Governance Initiative
Advocates for ethical AI policies, monitors military use of AI, and supports regional innovation like LatamGPT to promote inclusive, rights-respecting AI development.
Digital Security Helpline
Provides direct technical support and forensic analysis to civil society, journalists, and activists targeted by digital attacks, including phishing and spyware.
KeepItOn Campaign
Global coalition advocating against internet shutdowns, documenting incidents, and pressuring governments and companies to keep networks accessible.
RightsCon
Annual summit convening global stakeholders to shape digital rights policy, foster collaboration, and advance solutions for emerging tech challenges.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Privacy-Preserving Cybersecurity & Data Collaboration 2 activities
- 24/7 Digital Security HelplineOperates a 24/7 helpline providing real-time technical assistance, rapid-response emergency support, and digital security guidance to activists, journalists, and human rights defenders globally in multiple languages.
- Direct Technical Support for At-Risk DefendersProvides direct technical assistance and digital security support to human rights defenders, journalists, and other at-risk individuals facing digital threats, including phishing campaigns and surveillance.
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Free Expression Defense & Advocacy 1 activity
- #KeepItOn Campaign and Internet Shutdown MonitoringDocuments and opposes government-imposed internet shutdowns globally through the #KeepItOn campaign, publishing annual reports and using the STOP methodology to track shutdowns, including during elections and exams.
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Free and Open-Source Software Advocacy & Development 1 activity
- Digital Rights Research and ReportingConducts forensic investigations and publishes research on digital rights issues, including hack-for-hire campaigns, AI risks in humanitarian contexts, corporate complicity in border surveillance, and transparency in tech governance.
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Human Rights Advocacy Funding 1 activity
- Grant-Making to Digital Rights DefendersAdministers grant programs providing direct financial support to grassroots organizations, frontline activists, and individuals advancing digital rights, with a focus on those operating in repressive contexts across over 50 countries.
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Leadership & Policy Dialogue Forums 1 activity
- RightsCon Global SummitOrganizes RightsCon, an annual global summit on human rights in the digital age, convening thousands of participants from over 160 countries for hundreds of sessions on critical digital rights issues.
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Human Rights Advocacy & Accountability 1 activity
- Strategic Advocacy and Policy EngagementEngages in policy advocacy through submissions, coalition-building, strategic litigation, amicus briefs, and public campaigns on issues including encryption, spyware regulation, digital public infrastructure, and anti-discrimination legislation.
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Industry Research and Benchmarking 1 activity
- Transparency and Accountability AssessmentsDevelops and refreshes assessment tools such as the Transparency Reporting Index to evaluate corporate transparency and content governance practices in the technology sector.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Digital Identity and Security ToolkitsDevelops and publishes toolkits and resources to support human rights-centered digital ID systems and digital security practices, including Arabic-language guides and adaptable safety materials for local communities.
- Digital Safety and Resilience GuidesDevelops and distributes practical digital safety guides for specific at-risk communities, including LGBTQ+ activists in Africa, election participants in Bangladesh, and individuals affected by biometric detention, with materials designed for use during internet outages.
- Exposure of Spyware and Surveillance AbusesInvestigates and exposes the use of commercial spyware and surveillance technologies by governments, including Cellebrite and Pegasus, in targeting activists, journalists, and dissidents in countries such as Russia, Egypt, and Azerbaijan.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$16.15M
Contributions & grants$16.30M101%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$90K1%
Other revenue$-242K
expenses
Total expenses$15.12M
Program expenses73%
Admin / overhead22%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$7.87M
Grants paid out$2.32M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$10.90M
Cash$4.66M
Investments$0
Liabilities$2.79M
Net assets$8.11M
Liquid reserves3.7 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +7.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 8
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOSEPH STEELE | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $214K |
| ORLAN WILSON | DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL FINANCE | 40 | $181K |
| PETER MICEK | DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AND UN POLICY | 40 | $179K |
| YUN HEE MCLAFFERTY | FINANCIAL CONTROLLER | 40 | $171K |
| THOMAS KAYE | CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER | 40 | $165K |
| MELISSA KIM | DIR. OF DEV. & ORG. GROWTH | 40 | $151K |
| BRETT SOLOMON | EXEC. DIR./SECRETARY (UNTIL 7/2024) | 40 | $128K |
| ALEJANDRO MAYORAL BANOS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (FROM 10/2024) | 40 | $52K |
board members · 9
- AGUSTINA DEL CAMPO — MEMBER
- ANDREW MCLAUGHLIN — CO-PRESIDENT
- ARZU GEYBULLA — CO-PRESIDENT
- BRUCE SCHNEIER — MEMBER
- EMNA MIZOUNI — MEMBER
- MARIETJE SCHAAKE — MEMBER
- NANJALA NYABOLA — MEMBER
- SEEMA CHISHTI — MEMBER
- STEFANIA KAPRONCZAY — MEMBER
relationships · 40
Who they work with
- #KeepItOn Coalition — Co-founded and leads the #KeepItOn coalition, which unites over 345 organizations across 106 countries to combat internet shutdowns.
- #KeepItOn coalition Coalition — Collaborates with Access Now to document internet shutdowns globally.
- Amnesty International Coalition — Co-signed a joint statement with Access Now and over 200 civil society organizations calling for a halt to AI-accelerated warfare.
- Amnesty International Partner — Co-signed a call with Access Now and over 200 civil society organizations to halt the use of AI in military kill chains.
- Amnesty International Partner — Collaborates with Access Now on digital rights initiatives.
- CC BY 4.0 Network — Licensee of the digital safety guide under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license
- Citizen Lab Partner — Collaborated on investigation into use of Cellebrite tool by Russian authorities
- Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa Partner — Collaborates with Access Now on regional civil society efforts in digital rights.
- Computer Incident Response Center for Civil Society Partner — Collaborates with Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline on incident response and information sharing.
- Derechos Digitales Partner — Collaborates with Access Now on regional civil society efforts in digital rights.
- Digital Security Lab Ukraine Partner — Collaborates with Access Now on digital security initiatives.
- Disinformation Defense League Network — Access Now is a member of this U.S.-based coalition.
- Electronic Frontier Foundation Partner — Collaborates with Access Now on digital rights initiatives.
- European Court of Human Rights Government — Recipient of an amicus brief from Access Now on spyware and surveillance in Azerbaijan.
- European Court of Human Rights Government — Submitted amicus briefs on spyware and surveillance issues in Azerbaijan.
- European Digital Rights Partner — Collaborates with Access Now on digital rights advocacy in Europe.
- Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams Network — Access Now is a full member, the first civil-society-focused team to be accepted.
- Leadership Conference of Civil and Human Rights Network — Access Now is a member of this U.S.-based coalition.
- LevelUp Partner — Collaborates with Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline on digital security training and support.
- Matomo Partner — Provides open-source analytics platform used to track visitor usage patterns on Access Now Assets.
- Myanmar ICT for Development Organization Partner — Collaborates with Access Now on regional civil society efforts in digital rights.
- NSO Group Government — Subject of legal advocacy due to its development and deployment of Pegasus spyware.
- Open Observatory of Network Interference Partner — Collaborates with Access Now on digital rights initiatives.
- Qurium – The Media Foundation Partner — Hosts the accessnow.org website through its Virtual Road project.
- Rapid Response Network Partner — Collaborates with Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline on rapid digital security support.
- Rightify Ghana Partner — Collaborated to urge the Ghanaian government to reject the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025.
- RightsCon Network — Organizer and host of the RightsCon summit series, a global multi-stakeholder forum on human rights and technology.
- RightsCon Network — Participates in RightsCon, a global summit for digital rights.
- RightscOn Coalition — Organizes and participates in RightsCon, a global summit for digital rights.
- SAFETAG auditor network Partner — Collaborates with Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline on security auditing.
+ 10 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Grassroots-to-Global Advocacy Modelmethodology: grassroots-to-globalBy empowering regional centers to shape regional and international priorities, the organization ensures locally grounded strategies inform global advocacy, creating more effective and contextually relevant digital rights campaigns.
- Human Rights-Centered Digital Infrastructure Advocacymethodology: human rights-centered digital infrastructureBy advocating for human rights as foundational to digital public infrastructure, the organization shapes technology governance and policy to prevent systemic harms before they occur.
- Intersectional and Grantee-Driven Fundingmethodology: intersectional_fundingBy using flexible, grantee-driven funding and an intersectional approach, the organization addresses compounding human rights risks in ways that recognize overlapping vulnerabilities and center frontline leadership.
- Strategic Multi-Level Accountabilitymethodology: corporate accountability through investor engagementBy combining corporate accountability through investor engagement, multilateral norm-building, and strategic legal advocacy, the organization creates reinforcing pressure across private, public, and legal institutions to institutionalize digital rights.
- Trust-Based Digital Security Ecosystemmethodology: trust-based_digital_security_ecosystemBy operating a 24/7 Digital Security Helpline, the organization builds sustained trust with civil society actors, enabling rapid response and long-term resilience against digital threats through accessible, reliable support.