Stories about Surveillance from April, 2013
Will the Revolution Still be Tweeted? Venezuela's Netizens Face Uncertain Future
Since the death of Hugo Chavez and narrow victory of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, two social media users have been arrested for posting information deemed “destabilizing” to the country. On election day, the Internet was briefly shut down throughout most of the country. And today, social network users are facing threats to their employment status, as authorities search profiles for signs of political affiliation that have, in several cases, resulted in users losing their jobs.
Peru: The Cyber Crime Bill is Back
The Cyber Crimes Bill or #LeyBeingolea, was on the Congress agenda last week but was never addressed. The controversial Denial Bill was also there, which would penalize those who "approved, justify, deny or minimize crimes committed by members of terrorist organizations."
Human Rights Verdict Could Affect Cisco in China
In 2011, two separate lawsuits were filed against Cisco Systems alleging that its technology enabled the government of China to monitor, capture, and kill Chinese citizens for their views and beliefs. To what extent are these human rights violations attributable to technology provided by Cisco?
Facebook's Graph Search: Be Careful What You “Like”
Facebook's new Graph Search tool allows strangers -- anyone from casual acquaintances to government actors -- to discover information about you that you may not have intended them to find. This post explores the impact of this new tool on users and offers a few ideas on how to keep your information from becoming public without your consent.
Saudi Netizens Criticize New Internet Monitoring Scheme
Saudi government plans to impose surveillance measures on encrypted online communications, such as Skype, WhatsApp, and Viber have triggered sharp criticism from Saudi Internet users. If the companies behind these programs refuse to comply with the measure, authorities say they will be blocked.
Saudi Arabia Threatens to Block Skype and WhatsApp
Saudi Arabia is threatening to block a number of popular communication tools, such as Skype and mobile messaging service WhatsApp, unless the operating companies agree to infringe on the privacy of users and monitor them.