Starlink helps Venezuela recover after deadly twin earthquakes — with a catch

The pair of earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 have now reportedly claimed the lives of at least 2,295 people, and likely thousands more. Internet access is crucial to recovery efforts, helping people access disaster information, reach loved ones, and coordinate emergency response. While Starlink is temporarily providing free satellite internet service, new customers still have to pay for a receiver — underscoring the need for connectivity solutions designed for humanitarian crises. If you're looking for ways to help, check out this list of resources and volunteer opportunities coordinated by local rights group Acceso Libre (in Spanish). Read more via USA Today

When control is the goal

Pakistan-administered Kashmir faces shutdown as protests leave more than 20 dead

As we write, authorities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir have yet to lift a deliberate internet shutdown that is leaving people cut off from their loved ones, critical information, healthcare, banking, and government services. Authorities implemented the blackout on June 5 following protests, and planned to restore access by June 12 — but the shutdown reportedly remains in effect. Now, at least 24 people are reported dead and dozens more injured in ongoing clashes between protesters and police. We call on authorities to restore connectivity immediately to protect people’s safety and human rights. Read more via Reuters

Government admits failure to establish why there was internet shutdown during Zambia’s 2021 general elections

Shutting down internet access during an election is a blatant attack on election integrity. The government of Zambia has now acknowledged it “totally failed” to identify the cause of the internet blackout that disrupted the 2021 general election, and has pledged to keep the upcoming general election in August free from network disruptions. Together with our #KeepItOn coalition partners, we welcome that commitment, and continue to urge officials and internet providers to #KeepItOn before, during, and after the election. Read more via Zambian Eye

AI’s trust issues

Signal’s Meredith Whittaker wants you to remember that AI chatbots “are not your friends”

In an interview with Bloomberg, Signal President Meredith Whittaker warns against giving AI chatbots broad access to our digital lives. When AI assistants operate across services and applications, she says, it creates “a system with very pervasive access” — and in the context of Signal, it “would constitute a kind of a backdoor.” To learn more about how the use of AI can threaten your data and security, check out our Artificial Insecurity series on confidentiality, information integrity, and access and availability. Read more via Bloomberg

READ: “Digital domination: AI, surveillance, and digital power in Palestine and beyond”

Digital technologies like AI are increasingly embedded in systems for control, militarization, and domination. A new book of research articles published by the Palestinian rights group 7amleh and Birzeit University examines the ways AI technologies are used to assert control and shape the realities of Palestinians and communities worldwide, as part of an effort to expose these dynamics and advance digital rights, accountability, and justice. Read more via 7amleh

AI under scrutiny at the UN

JOIN US: “Artificial Insecurity: AI and Cybersecurity”

We’re only days away from the first UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, taking place July 6-7 in Geneva. If you’re a UN dialogue registrant, we invite you to join a side-event on AI and cybersecurity on Monday, July 6, from 13:30-14:15 CEST, moderated by Access Now’s Daniel Leufer and featuring experts from academia, civil society, industry, and government. The session, co-organized by Global Partners Digital, offers a technically grounded look at the security risks that large language models (LLMs) and agentic AI pose for people and communities at risk around the world. Read more via United Nations

The three temptations facing the UN’s first global AI dialogue in Geneva

In a new op-ed for Tech Policy Press, internet policy expert Konstantinos Komaitis explores the potential outcomes of the UN dialogue, arguing that participants should avoid narrowing the discussion in ways that will limit its impact. “Too often, human rights are treated as the normative chapter of AI governance rather than one of its strategic foundations,” he writes. “Yet societies will ultimately judge AI not only by what it can do, but by whether it remains accountable to people.” Read more via Tech Policy Press

REGISTER: “AI for good — but governed how?”

What does responsible AI in humanitarian crises actually look like? And how can humanitarians make better decisions about AI systems before they are procured, deployed, and scaled? If you’re in Geneva next week, join Access Now and the CDAC Network at 10:30-11:30 CEST on Tuesday, July 7 at the University of Geneva’s Centre of Humanitarian Studies for a joint briefing aimed at preventing humanitarian use of AI from deepening existing power asymmetries. Learn more and register here. Read more via CDAC

Staying safe and proud

Pride, protected

Pride is about being yourself and celebrating community, online and off. But not all spaces feel safe for LGBTQ+ people. Watch our video for quick tips on using digital tools to secure your accounts, protect against doxxing, and stay safer on messaging apps. You can also explore our latest Digital Security Toolkit for more ways to safeguard your identity, privacy, and communications. Watch via Access Now

COMING SOON: “Resisting anti-rights attacks on LGBTQ+ people in the digital age”

The rise of the anti-rights movement is accelerating the criminalization of LGBTQ+ people and identity in Africa. Access Now will co-host a webinar discussion with Rightify Ghana at 16:00-17:00 EAT on Wednesday, July 8, to examine how the movement weaponizes narrative framing on family values to restrict rights, how Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ+ bill will impact people across the continent, and what civil society can do to fight back. Register here to join us. Read more via Access Now

Opportunities and other highlights

LAST CALL: take our Express reader survey

If you haven’t yet taken our short six-question survey, we encourage you to do so now, as we will close the survey next week. Thank you to everyone who has already weighed in — your feedback will help us deliver the information you need in the fight for digital rights! Read more via Access Now

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