The Calyx Institute

About The Calyx Institute

We build and maintain a privacy-respecting ecosystem of free and open-source software (FOSS) centering on CalyxOS, an operating system for Android devices, that enables people to enjoy their lives online with data privacy and dignity. We offer hands-on tools, such as the Calyx hotspot, for people to access the internet easily wherever they are, especially in areas where connectivity options are limited. Through grantmaking, research, education, and community capacity building, we support internet freedom that allows the public to make informed choices about their online lives. At Calyx, we focus on three areas of development: building a privacy-respecting ecosystem with software development, bridging the digital divide with affordable internet access, and sustaining our community through initiatives in grantmaking, research, and education. Centering on CalyxOS, the privacy-respecting ecosystem of FOSS tools we build aids in encrypting communications with contacts, combats invasive metadata collection, and protects people who are using these devices from geolocation tracking. With the Calyx Internet Membership Program, we offer people who have limited resources or few alternatives the means to stay connected. Along with tool development, we are also actively engaging with diverse stakeholder groups in our community to build vocabulary around privacy and expand literacy on digital security. Through grantmaking, we offer direct support to organizations and collectives that focus on protecting privacy and internet freedom. In addition, we seed research and education as a core programmatic component in our various projects and initiatives. By partnering with our peers, funders, and service providers, we hope to drive collective action toward a privacy-and-rights-respecting future of technology.

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