The opening event of Open Access Australasia’s OA Week 2025, this session brings together speakers from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia to explore how government administrations are exerting ownership and control over knowledge, shaping narratives and gatekeeping access. This diverse panel sheds light on the politics shaping knowledge ownership and access in a range of countries, with an emphasis on ways to defend and reclaim our knowledges in the face of these threats.