· July, 2012

Stories about News from July, 2012

Zambia: Pupils Expelled For Facebook Activities

  30 July 2012

Twenty one pupils at a secondary school in rural western Zambia have been expelled over vile messages against their teachers on Facebook. Meanwhile, ruling party boss wants Zambian citizen news website shut.

Netizen Report: Security Edition

  26 July 2012

This week's Netizen Report focuses on the theme of cybersecurity. We begin in Washington DC, where lawmakers have made promising amendments to the proposed Cybersecurity Act of 2012. From there, we move to the Europe, where the European Commission has opened up a forum for public input on similar legislation. Then, we move to the UK, China and beyond.

Transplanting mainland Chinese filter list to Hong Kong?

  19 July 2012

A local newspaper, AM730 [zh] found out that the Hong Kong government free wifi service is filtering away a number of politically sensitive websites. Even though most of the websites have been re-opened upon receiving netizens’ complaint, netizens and human right groups are concerned about the lack of monitor over...

Netizen Report: Neutrality Edition

  19 July 2012

We begin this week’s Netizen Report with a battle between South Korea’s net neutrality advocates and telecommunications companies, who are at odds after the Korean Communications Commission allowed three domestic mobile carriers to block access or add surcharges for mobile voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) services. Opponents to this latest move include several civil society groups and Google. From there we move on to net neutrality debates in the United States and Brazil, before embarking on our global tour of the ongoing struggle over freedom and control of the Internet.

Mexico: The Government Signed ACTA While Mexicans Were Asleep

  18 July 2012

The Mexican government signed its adhesion to ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) on Wednesday, July 11th. 2012 in Japan while it was the middle of the night in Mexico. Netizens showed their outrage complaining that the federal government acted against the will of the people and of the Senate.

Netizen Report: Blackout Edition

  11 July 2012

This week we focus in on Russia, where the government has proposed a draft bill that would censor the Internet in ways similar to China's Great Firewall. Russia's Wikipedia went dark on Tuesday in protest, coinciding with a debate on the bill in the Russian Parliament. From there, we look at net activism issues in Syria, Malaysia, Iran and beyond.

Netizen Report: Journalism Edition

  5 July 2012

In this week's Netizen Report we highlight the growing role for citizen journalism in nations that are undergoing political unrest. We begin in Iraq and Syria, before moving to Mexico, where online media platforms are providing an alternative perspective on the Presidential elections. From there we report on exciting trends in netizen activism in Egypt, Taiwan and around the world.