It’s my pleasure to share with you the latest episode of the Communicating Purpose podcast with Pam Cowburn, Head of Communications and Campaigns at the Open Rights Group.
Founded in 2005, ORG is the UK’s leading and largest grassroots digital rights and privacy campaigning organisation. They work to protect individuals’ rights to privacy and free speech online.
Its current campaigns revolve around two major pieces of legislation: the Online Safety Act and the Data Bill.
Pam has held senior communications positions at a number of human rights organisations, including criminal justice NGO, Fair Trials, and the freedom of expression organisation, Index on Censorship. She has also worked as a consultant for UNICEF, Survival International and ARTICLE 19.
She has generated media coverage and created communications for campaigns on a wide range of issues, from surveillance, online censorship and data protection to children’s privacy, AI in criminal justice and pre-trial detention.
In this episode, we discussed:
🔒 How the Open Rights Group is safeguarding digital privacy and free speech
📰 How media exclusivity can shape—or stifle—public discourse on critical issues
🤝 Why collaboration between media, public affairs, and grassroots activism is key to policy change
📢How Open Rights Group delayed the government’s flawed e-visa rollout
I hope you enjoy.
John Higginson, Higginson Strategy