ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to explore Amnesty International's (AI) relationship to information and communication technologies (ICT). It looks at information production and dissemination, the sound, thorough and highly respected bedrock of Amnesty's reputation and legitimacy. The chapter reviews communication, co-ordination and mobilization, which constitute the nucleus of action at the grassroots level. It considers issues of access and representation with regards to online activism and discusses the implications for and challenges to AI's organizational and managerial culture. AI, an international human rights organization, works to promote the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. AI has become increasingly reliant on information and communication technologies to carry out its activities internationally. The advent of ICT has vastly improved the speed with which data can be collected by AI and circulated internally and publicly. Moreover, while the introduction of new technologies may have improved the medium they may also have posed unexpected organizational and financial challenges to and strains on AI.
