It’s time to register for RightsCon!

It’s finally here. On September 22, we’re hosting the RightsCon Continues Summit, a 24-hour online gathering to bring the global digital rights community together for a unique moment of collective resistance. Spanning every time zone, our program focuses on themes of resilience, solidarity, movement building, and cross-sector collaboration — and you’re invited. Learn more and register today. Read more via Access Now

What we learned from Zambia

Changing tides: adapting to the digi-verse

The threat to digital rights continues, the work of our community continues, and so does RightsCon. In a new op-ed for Alliance Magazine, Access Now’s Bridget Andere and Nikki Gladstone reflect on the Zambian government’s effective cancellation of RightsCon 2026 earlier this year, arguing that it’s a symptom of broader geopolitical pressure on civic space — and that funders, companies, governments, and international institutions must step up now to “defend the conditions that make an independent civil society possible on the global digital stage.” Read more via Alliance Magazine

LISTEN: “Sound of the silenced”

Internet shutdowns are an especially pernicious tactic for silencing our voices and shrinking civic space. Behind every shutdown is a person, a community, a livelihood, and a life that has been disrupted. Check out our Sound of the silenced interactive web special sharing the stories of people who have experienced shutdowns in the past decade, then join us at RightsCon Continues for a fireside chat with #KeepItOn coalition partners on movement building. Read more via Access Now

Got a spyware alert? Here’s what to do

Apple threat notifications and spyware: what everyone should know

Earlier this month, Apple sent out threat notifications to users in 110 countries, warning them that they may have been targeted with so-called mercenary spyware — the type sold by surveillance firms like NSO Group, often exclusively to governments. In our latest post, our Digital Security Helpline experts answer the most common questions about how to respond, and what you should do to protect yourself. But remember: security is never a state that you reach, but a practice that you keep. If you’re an activist, journalist, or human rights defender and were notified of a potential attack, contact our Helpline for tailored advice. Read more via Access Now

Spying device detectors may give domestic abuse victims a false sense of security, study finds

In the wake of the Apple threat notifications, you might be seeing more ads for spyware detectors. But as our Digital Security Helpline is warning, these apps and services have only limited capabilities. Check out this piece from The Guardian on the dangers of letting down your guard, and learn the simple, but important steps you should take to prevent spyware attacks. Read more via The Guardian

Flock off

Meet Flock, the $8 billion startup facing growing backlash against surveillance capitalism

Across the U.S., police agencies are purchasing contracts with Flock, a company that uses a fleet of solar-powered cameras to capture detailed information about all cars traveling in a specific geographic area — a capability that has already enabled alleged privacy violations and abuse by officers, such as the tracking of former romantic partners. Access Now’s Michael De Dora talks to Fortune about the threat this kind of pervasive surveillance poses to people’s basic constitutional rights. Read more via Fortune

AI, but make it rights-respecting

U.S. civil rights groups call for surveillance reforms, citing threats from AI

With the rise of new tech capabilities comes greater responsibility for governments to ensure our rights are protected. This week we joined our civil society partners in urging congressional leaders to enact meaningful reform of surveillance powers in any reauthorization of Section 702, a dangerous provision of U.S. law that could become even more dangerous for people already at risk of rights violations. “As artificial intelligence tools are integrated into surveillance systems, they risk expanding the government’s ability to collect, search, and analyze Americans’ personal information in ways that could disproportionately harm Black, Brown, immigrant, and other marginalized communities,” the coalition letter reads. Read more via The Leadership Conference

Are you staying safe?

What happens to the secrets you share with AI

Surveillance doesn’t always look like surveillance. This Axios backgrounder explains what could happen to your data if you tell an AI chatbot details about your health, finances, relationships, or other deeply personal parts of your life. Read more via Axios

Digital Security Toolkit: staying safer with generative AI

You may not be telling an AI chatbot all your secrets. But many of us are nevertheless using generative AI tools for work, and that still comes with serious risks. Our latest Digital Security Toolkit flags those threats and offers practical steps to help you, your team, and your organization stay safer when you use these tools. Check it out and share it with someone who might find it useful. Read more via Access Now

Opportunities and other highlights

APPLY: Incident Response Analyst

We’re hiring! Our Digital Security Helpline is looking for a technologist who can help investigate and respond to digital security incidents affecting people and communities at risk, with a preference for candidates in the Philippines, Indonesia, or India. Learn more and apply now. Read more via Access Now

REGISTER: Bread&Net 2026

Get ready for three days of bold ideas as digital rights defenders, technologists, and changemakers from across the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region come together to imagine a more just and equitable digital future. Check out the details on the Bread&Net summit, which takes place October 14-16, and register to participate. Read more via Bread&Net

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