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Celebrating 20 years of Derechos Digitales is more than marking an anniversary, it is a recognition of two decades of deep commitment to the defence, promotion and development of human rights in the digital environment across Latin America. Since our founding in Chile and our expansion throughout the region, our organisation has served as a pillar, a trusted reference, and a steadfast ally in the pursuit of a more just and inclusive Latin American society, where technologies enhance and not limit human rights.

Over these years, we have witnessed and taken part in significant changes in the digital environment—the rise of the internet to global debates on copyright, privacy, surveillance, freedom of expression, data protection, and the current challenges posed by artificial intelligence and its governance. In this context, our mission has been not only to defend and promote digital rights through information, education and awareness raising, but also to advocate for public policies and practices that prioritise respect and dignity for all.

In 2005, we founded Derechos Digitales in Chile. Since then, a significant part of our efforts has been dedicated to public policies and regulations shaping the digital environment across Latin America. Our first major initiative was to join the Creative Commons global movement as a network member in Chile to promote free culture and open access to knowledge. This step laid the foundation for our involvement in copyright reform and our long-standing defence of an open and accessible internet.

By 2012, the debate over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) had gained prominence on the public agenda. Our critical stance on its provisions that threatened digital rights helped mobilise civil society and allowed us to contribute significantly to this agenda. We also continued to strengthen our commitment to transparency and privacy, launching Chile’s first Who Has Your Back? report in 2017.  This report pressured companies and local governments to be more transparent about how they handle personal information, and was later replicated across the region by allied organizations.

In Chile, we have spent over seven years advocating for the reform of the Personal Data Protection Law, to strengthen citizens’ control over their data and establishing a new Personal Data Protection Agency. Alongside many other organisations, Derechos Digitales continues to advocate for robust and effective protections to ensure privacy and security online.

Continuing our commitment to analysis and research from a broader perspective, our long-running Latin America in a Glimpse series has provided in-depth insights at internet trends and challenges for over a decade, helping foster informed, constructive dialogue on human rights and technology.

We work to amplify Latin America’s voice in global technology policy debates, supporting the work of local activists and organisations to promote inclusive and representative technological development. To support this effort, we launched the Latin American Program for Digital Resilience and Defense (LAREDD), an initiative that strengthens the region’s human rights defence ecosystem by building capacities and skills of activists and digital security specialists, all through a social justice perspective.

Today, we offer two funds to support initiatives that promote a free, secure and accessible digital environment. The Rapid Response Fund offers immediate support for urgent needs, while the Fund for Digital Rights in Latin America focuses on raising awareness within communities about their digital rights.

We believe in the power of networks and collaboration to amplify our impact. That is why we are part of more than 20 global and regional networks dedicated to promoting human rights in digital spaces and shaping internet governance.

Over the past 20 years, we have reached countless milestones, led transformative projects and produced critical research. While it is impossible to capture the full scope of our work in this brief note, we wanted to share a representative snapshot of our journey.

Today, with great excitement, we unveil our new visual identity and logo—a reflection of two decades of commitment, shared learning, growth, and a renewed energy to face the challenges that lie ahead. We are deeply grateful to all the people and organisations who have walked the path with us in the defence of digital rights.

Thank you for being part of this journey and for continuing to build a freer, fairer and safer internet.

Let’s keep pushing forward!