The Alliance for Encryption in Latin America and the Caribbean (AC-LAC) has been established as a platform for collective capacity and knowledge building, with cryptography as an essential tool for promoting and protecting security and respect for fundamental human rights in the region, such as freedom of expression and privacy.
This regional alliance seeks to advance a proactive agenda to promote and defend encryption in Latin America and the Caribbean that generates and strengthens an ecosystem of trust, security and stability in information and communication technologies (ICTs), such as the critical infrastructure of the internet, its applications and services.
The Alliance, initially composed of 13 organisations and one observer representing multiple stakeholders of the digital ecosystem, proposes to coordinate efforts with different initiatives at the global, regional and national levels, generating spaces for exchange and mobilisation on the impact of weakening encryption on rights and security.
The member organisations, which have worked together to bring a joint agenda despite their diverse backgrounds and interests, are: Access Now, ALAI, APC, ARTICLE 19, Coalizão Direitos na Rede (CDR), Derechos Digitales, EFF, Fundación Karisma, IP.rec, IRIS, ISOC Brazil, Nic.br and R3D. The eLAC initiative will participate as an observer member. The AC-LAC is open to receiving more members who share the principles and ideas of the alliance.
Next Thursday, 21st October at 17:00 UTC, within the framework of Global Encryption Day, the AC-LAC will present its regional pro-encryption agenda hand-in-hand with the 14 member organisations. It will hold a live event online with the intention of openly publicising the reason for its foundation and the importance of encryption for a more secure internet. Find out more about the programme here.
The Institute for Digital Development of Latin America and the Caribbean – IDD LAC has the role of Executive Secretariat of the Alliance.