Access Now

What Access Now does

Access Now is an international non-profit organization founded in 2009 and headquartered in New York that defends and extends the digital rights of people and communities at risk. The organization operates across eight offices on five continents and serves a global beneficiary base including human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and civil society organizations. Its core operations are delivered through a portfolio of programs: the Digital Security Helpline provides 24/7 technical support for at-risk civil society members facing digital threats; RightsCon is the world's leading annual summit on human rights in the digital age (running since 2011 and drawing 2,600+ participants from 150+ countries); the #KeepItOn coalition coordinates 345+ organizations across 106 countries to fight internet shutdowns; and Access Now Grants provides direct funding to grassroots digital rights organizations.

The organization's underlying technology is service-oriented rather than product-oriented. Its technical infrastructure centers on the Digital Security Helpline's response operations and the Transparency Reporting Index (an evaluation tool tracking corporate and government disclosure practices). Access Now also produces annual research reports documenting internet shutdowns, including a 2025 record of 313 shutdowns across 52 countries with estimated global economic losses of $19.7 billion. The organization does not offer public APIs, SDKs, or commercial software products.

Access Now operates as a non-profit funded primarily through grants and donations from foundations, governments, and individual supporters. Notable funding includes multi-year grants from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation totaling over $10M between 2022 and 2023. The organization has a Development Director dedicated to managing grants and identifying new institutional funding opportunities. Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, and the go-to-market motion is community-led, combining direct technical support, strategic advocacy at UN and regional bodies, grassroots grantmaking, and annual convenings. Brett Solomon serves as Executive Director.

Name

Access Now

Legal name

Access Now

Website

https://accessnow.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Access Now is an international non-profit organization founded in 2009 that defends and extends the digital rights of at-risk users, serving human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and civil society organizations globally through a 24/7 Digital Security Helpline, RightsCon summit, #KeepItOn coalition, and grassroots grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Rights Advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy (BPAGAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Media Freedom, Access to Information & Digital Rights (BPADAGAE)

Keywords

• Digital rights advocacy
• Civil society support
• Internet shutdowns
• Digital security helpline
• Human rights

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Access Now operates as a nonprofit organization funded through donations and grants from foundations, governments, and individual supporters. The organization has a Development Director who manages grants and identifies new opportunities for support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Access Now is an international non-profit human rights organization that defends and extends the digital rights of users at risk. It delivers a 24/7 Digital Security Helpline for activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, leads the #KeepItOn coalition tracking and opposing internet shutdowns worldwide, organizes the annual RightsCon summit, and runs a grassroots grantmaking program for civil society organizations.

Product overview

Access Now is a civil society organization (not a technology product company) that offers a portfolio of advocacy services, convenings, and direct support programs. The core offerings include the Digital Security Helpline (24/7 technical support for civil society), RightsCon (annual global summit on digital rights), the #KeepItOn coalition (fighting internet shutdowns), and Access Now Grants (grassroots funding). Additional programs include the Transparency Reporting Index and #WhyID campaign. These services are distinct programs unified by the organization's mission to defend and extend digital rights of people at risk, combining direct technical support, strategic advocacy, grassroots grantmaking, and convenings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• #KeepItOn: Global coalition and campaign fighting internet shutdowns around the world, comprising over 345 organizations from 106 countries.
• RightsCon
• Digital Security Helpline
• #WhyID

Products and services

• Digital Security Helpline 24/7 technical support service providing direct assistance to activists, journalists, and human rights defenders at risk. Offers emergency response, security guidance, and support for civil society members facing digital threats.
• RightsCon The world's leading summit on human rights in the digital age. Annual convening bringing together activists, technologists, policymakers, and civil society to address internet censorship, surveillance, AI governance, and digital rights globally.
• #KeepItOn Campaign Global coalition of over 345 organizations from 106 countries working to end internet shutdowns worldwide. Documents shutdowns, advocates against restrictions, and provides resources to affected communities.
• Access Now Grants Grassroots grantmaking program supporting frontline organizations fighting for digital rights around the world. Provides funding to civil society actors working on digital rights advocacy, security, and policy.
• Transparency Reporting Index Index tracking and evaluating transparency reports from technology companies and governments, assessing disclosure practices related to content moderation, user data requests, and government surveillance requests.
• #WhyID Campaign Campaign focused on digital identity systems, advocating for people-first approaches to digital ID and opposing identity systems that enable surveillance or exclusion.

Quantifiable outcome

• Documented 313 internet shutdowns across 52 countries in 2025, a record high
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• #KeepItOn CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal coalition of 345+ organizations from 106 countries working collectively to end internet shutdowns worldwide. Access Now leads the coalition which documents shutdowns, advocates against them, and provides support to affected communities.
• LookoutcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCybersecurity research firm that collaborated with Access Now and SMEX to document the BITTER APT hack-for-hire campaign targeting journalists and activists in MENA region.
• SMEXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital rights organization that partnered with Access Now and Lookout to research and document the hack-for-hire campaign attributed to BITTER APT targeting civil society.
• Spyware Accountability InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative supported by Meta that funds civil society organizations conducting forensic research and advocacy against commercial spyware. Access Now is a beneficiary/recipient of support.
• #KeepItOn Coalition (with Access Now leadership)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccess Now leads the coalition which released a report documenting internet shutdowns in armed conflicts, collecting over 120 testimonies from civilians in Gaza and Sudan, mapping five distinct forms of direct civilian harm.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Electronic Frontier Foundation: EFF is a leading digital civil liberties nonprofit defending privacy, free expression, and innovation through litigation, policy advocacy, and technical work. Directly comparable to Access Now in mission (digital rights for users at risk), advocacy style, and global community engagement.
• Freedom House: Freedom House is a US-based international NGO that monitors internet freedom, advocates against censorship and surveillance, and produces flagship reports like Freedom on the Net. Highly comparable to Access Now in monitoring digital rights abuses and shaping US/international policy.
• Article 19: Article 19 is a London-based international human rights organization focused on freedom of expression and information, with a dedicated digital program. Directly comparable to Access Now in defending digital rights, advocating against shutdowns, and operating globally.
• Witness: Witness is a global NGO that uses video and technology to support human rights defenders, providing training, tools, and advocacy. Comparable to Access Now's Digital Security Helpline model of equipping at-risk civil society with practical technical support.
• Privacy International: Privacy International is a UK-based charity that litigates and investigates government and corporate surveillance. Directly comparable to Access Now in addressing surveillance, data protection, and spyware concerns with a research-driven advocacy approach.

Broad incumbents

• Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Watch is a large international human rights organization that investigates and reports on digital rights abuses, internet shutdowns, and surveillance as part of a broader mandate. Comparable in advocacy reach and UN engagement, though digital rights is one of many issue areas.
• Amnesty International: Amnesty International is a major global human rights organization with significant work on surveillance, spyware, internet shutdowns, and digital freedom. A broader incumbent with overlapping digital rights programs and substantially larger resources than Access Now.

Emerging players

• Citizen Lab: Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto conducts interdisciplinary research on digital surveillance, censorship, and spyware (e.g., NSO Group/Pegasus). Comparable to Access Now in spyware accountability work and the Spyware Accountability Initiative, though primarily academic rather than advocacy.

Regional players

• SMEX: SMEX is a Lebanon-based digital rights organization focused on the MENA region, which partnered with Access Now and Lookout on the BITTER APT hack-for-hire research. A regional peer with overlapping research and advocacy mandate, primarily serving Arabic-speaking communities.

Others

• Open Technology Fund: OTF is a US government-funded program supporting internet freedom technologies and circumvention tools for activists and journalists. Comparable ecosystem player — Access Now's grantees and Helpline users overlap heavily with OTF's funded communities — though OTF operates more as a funder than a direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/accessnow
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/accessorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/accessnow
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2845349
• Instagraminstagram.com/accessnow
• TikToktiktok.com/@accessnow

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Access Now