Hidden Figures: Celebrating Women Shaping Tech & Digital Rights | EFF
As we celebrate International Women’s Day , it’s crucial to recognize the often-overlooked contributions of women to the foundations of technology and their continued leadership in shaping the digital landscape. While figures like Ada Lovelace are increasingly recognized, many pioneering women remain largely unknown, their work foundational to the technologies we rely on today.
Mary Allen Wilkes, a prominent programmer of the 1960s, stands out as a key figure in the development of early computing. She didn’t just write software for the LINC – considered by some to be one of the first personal computers – she also designed its console and authored the operator’s manual. This was a remarkable achievement in a field overwhelmingly dominated by men. The LINC, while expensive at $40,000 (in 1960s dollars), represented a significant step towards accessible computing, fitting into a single office.
Wilkes’s story isn’t isolated. Decades earlier, the ENIAC, the first all-electronic digital computer, relied heavily on the programming skills of a team of six women: Kathleen McNulty, Jean Jennings, Betty Snyder, Marlyn Wescoff, Frances Bilas, and Ruth Lichterman. Despite their critical role, their contributions were often minimized in the historical narrative of technological advancement.
The impact of women extends beyond early programming. Hedy Lamarr, known for her acting career, also co-created a “frequency-hopping” concept during World War II that laid the groundwork for modern radio systems, including cell phones and wireless networking. Less well-known is Laila Ohlgren, who in the 1970s solved a critical problem in the development of mobile networks. She recognized that storing and sending dialed numbers all at once with a “call button” – rather than digit by digit – would resolve connection issues that plagued early mobile phone calls.
Championing Digital Rights: Carolina Botero
Today, women continue to be at the forefront of technological innovation and advocacy, particularly in the crucial area of digital rights. Carolina Botero, a leader in the fight for digital rights in Latin America, exemplifies this ongoing commitment. For over a decade, she led the Colombia-based Karisma Foundation, expanding its influence regionally and internationally.
Botero’s work at Karisma focused on bridging the digital divide and empowering marginalized communities. She spearheaded initiatives to connect indigenous peoples to the internet, enabling them to contribute content to Wikipedia in their native languages, preserving cultural heritage and expanding access to information. Karisma also actively combatted disinformation, developed legal tools to protect cultural institutions from “digital blackholes” – the loss of digital information – and advocated for human rights in the online world.
A concrete example of Karisma’s impact involved the case of Diego Gomez, a Colombian graduate student who faced criminal charges for sharing a colleague’s Master’s thesis online. Karisma, in collaboration with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), successfully argued that such penalties for harmless scholarly sharing were unjust, ultimately leading to Gomez’s acquittal. Botero stepped down from her role at Karisma in 2024 but continues her advocacy work as an advisory board member of CELE (Centro de Estudios en Libertad de Expresión).
Transparency and Courage: Chelsea Manning
Chelsea Manning’s story is one of bravery, transparency, and the fight for accountability. In 2010, she disclosed classified Iraq War documents, including a harrowing video of the killings of Iraqi civilians and two Reuters reporters by U.S. Troops. These disclosures exposed previously hidden aspects of U.S. Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, sparking public outrage and prompting calls for greater transparency.
Manning’s actions were not simply about revealing information. they were rooted in a growing disillusionment with the realities of the war. After experiencing the complexities of the conflict firsthand as an intelligence analyst, she felt compelled to share what she saw with the public. She initially approached major news outlets, but ultimately released the documents through WikiLeaks.
The aftermath of her disclosures was fraught with hardship. Manning endured what the UN Special Rapporteur on torture described as “cruel, inhuman and degrading” treatment while in custody, including prolonged solitary confinement. This mistreatment sparked public outcry and criticism, even from within the State Department. Despite these challenges, Manning remained steadfast in her convictions.
Following a trial, Manning was convicted of 19 of 22 charges and received a lengthy prison sentence – the longest ever imposed on a whistleblower. Shortly after her conviction, she courageously came out as a transgender woman, a revelation she had long suppressed. While imprisoned, she became a vocal advocate for both government transparency and transgender rights.
The EFF filed an amicus brief arguing that the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) was not intended to criminalize violations of private policies, and continues to advocate for narrower interpretations of the Espionage Act and stronger protections for whistleblowers. President Obama commuted Manning’s sentence in 2017, and she received an EFF award that same year. Even after her release, she faced further legal battles and fines for refusing to testify before grand juries investigating WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. She ultimately published a memoir, README.txt, in 2022, reclaiming control of her narrative.
A Legacy of Advocacy: Annie Game
Annie Game, former Executive Director of IFEX (International Freedom of Expression Exchange), has dedicated over 16 years to defending freedom of expression globally. Under her leadership, IFEX fostered collaboration between traditional free-expression organizations and those focused on digital rights, recognizing the increasing intersection of these fields.
Game championed initiatives like the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, raising awareness about the alarming number of journalists killed and the lack of accountability for these crimes. IFEX also provided support to journalists facing threats, such as Bahey eldin Hassan in Egypt, who was targeted for his human rights advocacy and critical commentary on the Egyptian judiciary.
The Faces of Free Expression project, a partnership between IFEX and the International Free Expression Project, further highlights the stories of individuals who risk their safety and freedom to defend free speech and access to information. Game’s leadership has been instrumental in creating a safer environment for journalists and advocates worldwide, and she continues her activism with a growing focus on environmental protection.
The EFF has recognized numerous other women for their contributions to technology and digital rights, including Anita Borg and Hedy Lamarr. These individuals, and many others, demonstrate the enduring power of women to shape the technological landscape and advocate for a more just and equitable digital future.