With growing threats to human rights and its defenders, along with the proliferation of manipulated media, how can we ensure that critical voices are heard, amplified, and protected?
How do we establish the authenticity of video when the truth is constantly in question? And how can we proactively adapt to the transformative shifts in communication brought by AI?
WITNESS is a global organization that helps people everywhere harness the power of video and audiovisual technology to tell their stories, document the truth, and defend human rights – today and in a future increasingly shaped by AI.
We work across five continents to equip activists, journalists, fact-checkers, and other human rights defenders with the tools, skills, and strategies needed to navigate this shifting landscape.
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OUR APPROACH
We support THOUSANDS of people with the training and tools to tell their stories and strengthen the credibility of their video documentation.
We equip MILLIONS of people with resources and guidance to use video to defend human rights in an increasingly complex and AI-shaped world.
We shape tech systems, infrastructure, policies, and regulations so that BILLIONS benefit from audiovisual technologies that strengthen – rather than undermine – human rights.
OUR PRIORITIES
Our work is focused on three key priority areas:
Defending
the Earth
We support the use of audiovisual technology for land defense and in addressing the climate crisis. This includes helping activists document and expose environmental violations – such as threats to Indigenous and Traditional territories – and countering the spread of AI-fueled disinformation around extreme weather events.
Advancing Justice in Conflict & State Violence
We work to ensure video can be effectively used to hold governments and perpetrators of abuses accountable for acts of violence and repression – for example, by strengthening the credibility of footage of police brutality or helping activists verify the authenticity of video evidence from conflict zones.
Shaping and Responding to Emerging Technologies
We influence how audiovisual technologies are built, governed, and used – from infrastructure and standards to policy and regulations – and equip activists and movements with the tools and expertise to detect and respond to AI-generated deception.