Data and technology are not neutral representations of reality. They are reflections of power – the power of those who collected the data and those who designed the technology. 

This power informs the substance of the news we consume, and the manner in which it is parcelled out to the public. It affects what information is made available, and what is hidden. It shapes the norms that have been set around data collection, usage, and privacy, along with the terms of public discourse, the basic health of democracies, and the structure of competition and markets.

In the aftermath of the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the ongoing disinformation campaigns targeting elections around the world, these issues have come of age as policy and consumer concerns. In a world where data and technology are increasingly pervasive, we must ensure the public has a voice in how they are used and how they impact lives and societies. 

We work to uphold data rights by focusing on three complementary areas: open data, privacy, and artificial intelligence (AI).  

Our digital rights work is centred on freedom of expression issues such as content regulation, hate speech, online surveillance of journalists, and net neutrality. We also focus on access issues including internet shutdowns, governments blocking messaging apps, and encryption.

We fund NGOs and universities that promote, research, advocate for, and simplify the use of open data. We combine this with work across privacy, surveillance reform, and AI ethics.

Alongside funding organisations and initiatives, we work with governments and the private sector to implement data and digital rights policies and practices, as well as support groups which use strategic litigation as a tool to achieve change. 

Finally, we advocate for global and national norms and policies on AI ethics, open data, and privacy, such as how to counter online disinformation, public implementation of open data policies, and scrutiny of automated decision-making.