October, 2012

Stories from October, 2012

Hong Kong: Battle against 50 Cents at Wikipedia

  27 October 2012

Editor note: Below is a translation of the article: Battle at Wikipedia – Counterbalance Brainwashing and Slanders through Participation, originally published [zh] in inmediahk.net in Chinese. The article is about how pro-government online commentators, often known as the “50 Cent Party,” use Wikipedia entries to defame pro-democracy community leaders. The...

Netizen Report: Malawi & Zambia Regulation Edition

  25 October 2012

This week's Netizen Report begins in Malawi and Zambia, both of whose governments have begun to restrict Internet freedom. From there, we move to China and Hong Kong, where Tencent's mobile phone service WeChat has begun to censor message content. Then, to the United States, Bahrain and beyond.

Global Voices Seeks Advocacy Editor

  22 October 2012

Global Voices seeks an Advocacy Editor to manage its online freedom of expression content. Global Voices Advocacy seeks to build a global anti-censorship network of citizen media and online activists throughout the developing world that is dedicated to protecting freedom of expression and free access to information online. The goal of the...

The Public Voice: Privacy Rights are a Global Challenge

  22 October 2012

October 22, 2012 is an important day for global civil society defending privacy and free speech. The Public Voice coalition will be hosting a global conference in Punta del Este, Uruguay, and you are invited to take part in the conversation and interact with the panelists. You can follow the...

Netizen Report: Subpoena Edition

  19 October 2012

This week, we begin in California, where Chevron is facing criticism after subpoenaing information from the email accounts of Google, Yahoo and Microsoft users in an $18 billion lawsuit against the company by Amazonian Indians in Ecuador. From there, we move to Uzbekistan, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and beyond.

Four tweeps arrested in Bahrain

  17 October 2012

According to the Ministry of Interior of Bahrain, “four arrested for misuse of social media.” However, the charges mentioned in the report seem to be very vague – “defaming public figures on social media.” The arrested tweeps, Ali Al-Haiki, Abdullah Al-Hashimi, Ali Mohamed and Salman Abdullah will be held in custody for...

MENA Netizen Report: Blasphemy Edition

  15 October 2012

We continue our monthly exhaustive MENA Netizen Report with the current 'Blasphemy Edition.' It discusses the repressive online policies that ensued the turmoil caused by the YouTube movie 'The Innocence of Muslims." The report continues with an overview of various national policies and related thuggery cases.

Netizen Report: Cyberattack Edition

  11 October 2012

This week's Netizen Report begins with a series of state-sponsored cyberattacks on Gmail users, the second in five months to be reported by the search engine giant. We then move to Iran, which reported cyberattacks against the nation's infrastructure and communication companies. From there, we travel to China, Cuba and beyond.

Latin America and the Caribbean Netizen Report: Free Trade Edition

  9 October 2012

In this edition, we focus on recent free trade agreements and the challenges they pose in the digital age. To fulfill the requirements of a free trade agreement with the United States, the Congress of Panama approved a law last week that will impose severe penalties for violating copyright and will make it almost impossible for the accused to be able to present their cases in court.

Cuba: Blogger Yoani Sanchez Arrested, Released After 30 Hours in Custody

  5 October 2012

Award-winning Cuban blogger and human rights activist Yoani Sánchez was arrested last night in the eastern province of Bayamo, where she had traveled to attend and report on the trial of Angel Carromero, a Spanish national accused of vehicular manslaughter after a car crash that killed renowned democracy advocate Oswaldo Payá and activist Harold Cepero. Carromero traveled to Cuba in July to meet with human rights activists on the island.

Netizen Report: Cybercrime Edition

  4 October 2012

This week's Netizen Report begins in the Philippines, where a new law meant to combat cybercrime is being protested against for potentially jeopardizing freedom of expression. Then, we move to Paraguay, which recently blocked access to website ABColor.me without a warrant, and onto Sweden, Sudan and beyond.

Global Voices on Net Censorship

  3 October 2012

In a new series we will take a glance at what's being reported on Global Voices Online, for an indepth look at how netizens the world over are reacting to increased Internet censorship.

Vietnam: Government Jails Three ‘Dissident’ Bloggers

  1 October 2012

Three Vietnamese bloggers have been convicted by a local court for allegedly spreading anti-government propaganda. One of them will serve a prison term of 12 years. Human rights groups immediately condemned the verdict and warned against the creeping online repression in the country.