Ranking Digital Rights

What Ranking Digital Rights does

Ranking Digital Rights (RDR) is an independent nonprofit research initiative founded in 2013 by Rebecca MacKinnon that creates global, human rights-based standards to evaluate how the world's most powerful digital platforms and telecommunications companies respect users' rights to freedom of expression and privacy. As of April 2026, RDR operates as a fully independent initiative after separating from the New America think tank, with a full-time team of 11–50 staff based in Washington, D.C. Its core offering is the RDR Corporate Accountability Index, which comprises the Big Tech Scorecard and the Telco Giants Scorecard (inaugurated 2022) and now covers 26 major digital platforms and telcos; supplementary products include the CLARITI methodology and digital tool for community-led Human Rights Impact Assessments (launched 2023, available in English, Burmese, Chinese, Uyghur, and Vietnamese), the RDR Research Lab, an Investor Guidance resource, and a forthcoming Generative AI Accountability Scorecard.

The underlying technology is methodological rather than software-centric: a proprietary indicator framework across Governance, Freedom of Expression, and Privacy categories, delivered through scorecards, downloadable research documents, and structured HRIA tools. There is no commercial SaaS platform, API, or pricing model; all outputs are distributed openly through rankingdigitalrights.org. RDR's revenue model is exclusively philanthropic — foundation grants from MacArthur, Ford, Luminate, Open Society Foundations, Mozilla, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Democracy Fund, supplemented by U.S. Department of State funding and individual donations via Every.org. The organization operates under a strict independence policy that bars any funding from companies it ranks or their competitors. Its go-to-market motion is community-led: research dissemination drives adoption by investors (176 signatories representing over US$9.2 trillion), and methodology is adapted by civil society partners across 35 countries evaluating 127 additional companies.

Name

Ranking Digital Rights

Legal name

Ranking Digital Rights

Website

https://rankingdigitalrights.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ranking Digital Rights is an independent nonprofit research initiative that evaluates 26 of the world's most powerful digital platforms and telecom companies on freedom of expression and privacy. Founded in 2013, it publishes annual scorecards, the CLARITI impact assessment tool, and supports global investor and civil society accountability.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Rights Research and Corporate Accountability

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Privacy Management (Consent, DSAR, RoPA) (HDADAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Data Security & Access Governance for Data (Entitlements/Policy Enforcement) (HDAEADAH), Consent, Preference & Data Rights Management (incl. HIPAA/GDPR support) (HLACAIAG)

Keywords

• Digital rights research
• Corporate accountability rankings
• Human rights assessment
• Tech company evaluations
• Privacy freedom expression

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants and Donations: RDR is a nonprofit that operates entirely on philanthropic funding from foundations and individual donors. They explicitly state they do not take funding from companies they rank or their competitors to maintain independence.
2. Government Grants: RDR receives support from government agencies including the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ranking Digital Rights (RDR) is an independent nonprofit research initiative that creates global, human rights-based standards and annual rankings evaluating the world's most powerful digital platforms and telecommunications companies on their policies and practices affecting freedom of expression and privacy. Its core deliverables are the RDR Corporate Accountability Index (comprising the Big Tech Scorecard and Telco Giants Scorecard), the CLARITI community-led Human Rights Impact Assessment tool, and the RDR Research Lab resource hub for civil society organizations.

Product overview

Ranking Digital Rights (RDR) is an independent research initiative that creates global, human rights-based standards and incentives for tech companies to respect and protect users' rights. The organization's core offering is the RDR Corporate Accountability Index, which comprises two main scorecards: the Big Tech Scorecard (evaluating digital platforms like Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and others) and the Telco Giants Scorecard (evaluating telecommunications companies like AT&T, Vodafone, Telefónica, Deutsche Telekom, and others). RDR also offers CLARITI, a Human Rights Impact Assessment tool and methodology; the RDR Research Lab (a resource hub for researchers); Investor Guidance resources; and a Global Engagement Program supporting civil society adaptations worldwide. The organization is currently developing a Generative AI Accountability Scorecard. All offerings are designed to promote freedom of expression and privacy on the internet through transparency and accountability mechanisms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Big Tech Scorecard: Annual ranking and evaluation of major digital platforms on human rights policies
• Telco Giants Scorecard
• CLARITI
• RDR Research Lab

Products and services

• RDR Corporate Accountability Index Annual ranking evaluating the world's most powerful digital platforms and telecommunications companies on their policies and practices affecting human rights to freedom of expression and privacy, measured against international human rights standards.
• Big Tech Scorecard Scorecard evaluating major digital platforms on their human rights policies related to privacy and freedom of expression, including content moderation, data collection, advertising transparency, and government request handling.
• Telco Giants Scorecard Specialized assessment of telecommunications companies evaluating network shutdown transparency, censorship demands, targeted advertising, and net neutrality commitments. The inaugural 2022 edition ranked 12 telcos including Telefónica, Vodafone, AT&T, and Deutsche Telekom.
• CLARITI (Community-led Assessment of Rights Impacts in the Technology Industry) A methodology and digital tool for conducting Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs) grounded in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, designed with eight phases guiding users through comprehensive HRIAs. Built for NGOs, journalists, researchers, and advocates to hold digital platforms and telcos accountable.
• RDR Research Lab A hub for human rights researchers worldwide who want to hold digital platforms, telecommunication companies, and other digital service companies accountable using RDR's standards. Provides guides, case studies, and downloadable resources.
• Social Media Safety Index (SMSI) Index created in partnership with GLAAD to report on LGBTQ social media safety across five major platforms, including a Platform Scorecard developed with 12 LGBTQ-specific indicators grounded in RDR methodology.

Quantifiable outcome

• 176 investors with US$9.2T in assets signed investor statement aligned with RDR data
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Digital Asia HubminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Conducted regional adaptations of RDR methodology for Asia Pacific region, including Malaysia and Taiwan research.
• Paradigm InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Conducted RDR methodology adaptations for Angola, DRC, Central African Republic, and East/Southern Africa regions.
• SMEXminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Arab region digital rights organization that was first to adapt RDR methodology in 2018. Partnered on Red Card on Digital Rights series for Qatar World Cup.
• GLAADcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022RDR partnered with GLAAD to develop a Platform Scorecard for the Social Media Safety Index, using 12 LGBTQ-specific indicators to rate platform performance on safety, privacy, and expression. RDR's methodology informed the scorecard development.
• Global Network InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022RDR's standards are consistent with Global Network Initiative principles and implementation guidelines. Both organizations work toward common goals of human rights protection in the tech sector.
• Investor Alliance for Human RightscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021The Investor Alliance coordinates shareholder engagement on human rights in the tech sector using RDR data. In 2021, they launched an Investor Statement on Corporate Accountability for Digital Rights, signed by 176 investors representing over US$9.2 trillion in investments. RDR data informs investor expectations and recommendations for tech companies.
• Greater Internet Freedom (GIF) ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021RDR partners with GIF to support civil society organizations worldwide in adapting RDR methodology to evaluate tech companies in their local contexts. Projects have covered 35 countries and 127 companies.
• SustainalyticsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019ESG ratings provider that RDR collaborated with during initial development of the Corporate Accountability Index methodology in 2015.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• AI Now Institute: A research institute examining the social implications of artificial intelligence, with policy briefs and corporate accountability frameworks. Highly comparable to RDR's planned Generative AI Scorecard direction, focused on AI accountability specifically.

Broad incumbents

• Freedom House: Produces the annual Freedom on the Net report ranking countries on internet freedom. Comparable to RDR for its annual ranking methodology and global network of country researchers; different unit of analysis (countries rather than companies) but parallel scoring discipline.
• Electronic Frontier Foundation: A long-established digital civil liberties organization with litigation, policy, and research arms. Wider portfolio and grassroots focus than RDR, but overlapping mandate on tech company accountability, privacy, and free expression, and overlapping funders and partner ecosystem.
• Mozilla Foundation: Funds research and advocacy on internet health, trustworthy AI, and responsible tech. Comparable to RDR as both a funder and adjacent practitioner working on corporate accountability and trustworthy tech research; broader remit and substantially larger budget.

Direct peers

• Access Now: An international digital rights organization defending and extending the digital rights of users at risk, with a particular focus on privacy, freedom of expression, and network shutdowns. Directly comparable to RDR in mission, advocacy tactics, and constituent community of civil society partners.
• Global Network Initiative: A multi-stakeholder organization that brings together tech companies, civil society, investors, and academics to address freedom of expression and privacy risks in the ICT sector. Directly comparable to RDR as it evaluates the same universe of major digital platforms and telcos on overlapping human rights standards, and is referenced as an aligned set of principles in RDR's methodology.
• Article 19: An international freedom of expression organization working on digital rights, including platform accountability and intermediary liability. Comparable to RDR for its corporate engagement strategies and overlapping interest in freedom of expression and privacy online.
• Privacy International: A UK-based charity that investigates and challenges state and corporate surveillance and data exploitation. Comparable to RDR as a research-and-advocacy organization focused on the same themes of corporate privacy practices, government data requests, and cross-border data protection.

Others

• Witness: A human rights organization focused on video evidence and digital documentation for accountability. Comparable to RDR for thematic overlap on technology and human rights, though operating in adjacent rather than directly competing territory.
• Business for Social Responsibility (BSR): A sustainable business consultancy working with major tech firms on human rights due diligence and ESG. Comparable to RDR through engagement with the same companies on corporate accountability, though operating as a paid consultancy rather than independent researcher.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rankingrights
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ranking-digital-rights

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 Ranking Digital Rights