Stories from November, 2012
Zambia: “SIM Registration is For Security Reasons”
Recent admission by Zambia's telecoms regulatory body that the mandatory registration of SIM cards was being done to mount a security data base for users is stirring controversy among users and netizens.
Citizens Tell Governments: Vote for Openness at the ITU
Today, Internet rights advocates are urging their governments to vote for openness at the conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Beginning Monday, Member States of the UN agency will decide whether the ITU should expand its regulatory authority to the Internet -- a move that could threaten privacy, free expression, and access to information for Internet users around the globe.
Open letter to Marissa Mayer: HTTPS for all Yahoo! communications services now!
After the celebrated appointment of Marisa Mayer as CEO of Yahoo!, the new leadership has the opportunity to fix an urgent matter: Yahoo! Mail is the only major web-based e-mail...
In Case of Disconnection: Preparing Gaza for an Internet Shutdown
For days, rumors have abounded that Israel—which controls the telecommunications infrastructure of Palestine—plans to shut down the Internet in Gaza. While thus far the rumors have proven false, various organizations and actors are working to ensure that Gazans are prepared.
Domain Names: Expression that Deserves Protection
The Initiative for Freedom of Expression on Internet (iLEI, by its Spanish name), a special program of the Center of Studies for Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, has a new work where it addresses the relationship between freedom of expression, domain names and the various models countries adopt to administrate them.
Translation Project: Protect Global Internet Freedom statement
Over the next seven days, Global Voices Lingua volunteers will be translating a public online petition that supports the protection of human rights online and urges government members of the...
Blogging on behalf of Hamid
Antonella has not blogged since long time. Her last blog post was on April 25, 2012 in which she wrote: “Dear Hamid, Every day I discover how vast a...
China: Beijing Twitterer Detained for Writing Micro-fiction
A Beijing Twitterer @Stariver has been detained since November 7th, 2012, at the eve of the 18th National Chinese Communist Party Congress. According to his friends who visited his family...
Portugal: Activist blog silenced by Google
On the day of Portugal's general strike, Google's Blogger took down an activist blog maintained by one of Portugal's largest organizations advocating for "precarious" workers. The group suspects the move was motivated by allegations of defamation by a Portuguese company, accused of abuses by a commenter.
Netizen Report: Chinese Leadership & Censorship Edition
This week's Netizen Report begins in China, where an unprecedented level of censorship has been reached as the nation goes through its once in a decade leadership change. From there, we move to Egypt, which has revisited a ban on porn sites originally ordered in 2009. Then, we go to Australia, the EU and beyond.
MENA Netizen Report: Porn Edition
Most of this month’s report was researched, edited, and written by Rayna St, Nermeen Edrees, and Hisham Almiraat. After a YouTube trailer named “The Innocence of Muslims” sparked a widespread...
Latin America and the Caribbean Netizen Report: Cybercrime Edition
In the last 10 years, various countries in the region have put forward legislation that attempts to combat computer crimes. As a result of these initiatives, the state collects the personal information of Internet users, running the risk of violating their right to privacy.
International Day to End Impunity: Join the Campaign
To demand justice for all artists, journalists, musicians and writers who are forcibly silenced around the world, IFEX has decided to name November 23 the International Day to End Impunity. Join in!
Anonymous Twitter Account Leads Major Protests in Kuwait
Tens of thousands showed up in the areas of Mishref and Sabah Al-Salem protesting the Kuwaiti Amir's amendment of the voting law which allows a citizen to vote for one candidate instead of four. What is interesting though is that an anonymous Twitter account is the one deciding dates of marches and meeting points. Mona Kareem shares Twitter reactions to the march, in addition to photographs and videos.
Egypt: Online Porn, Here to Stay?
The ongoing battle over the future Egyptian constitution and the more-than-a-month long strike of Egyptian medical workers are among the most pressing issues in the country at the moment… or are they? The Public Prosecutor apparently decided the people needed more drama and announced Egypt would start blocking porn sites.
Same Technology, Different Freedoms: How U.S. Copyright Law Can Restrict Mobile Devices
From a user’s perspective there is not much difference between a smartphone and a tablet. Both devices are portable touch-screen computers, and while the a smartphone might have a dedicated...
Egypt To Block Porn Sites… Again
On Wednesday, November 7, the Egyptian Public Prosecutor decided that online pornography was “inconsistent with Egyptian traditions and values.” He ordered a general ban of all porn sites in Egypt.
Netizen Report: Baku Edition
This week's Netizen Report begins at the Internet Governance Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan, which is a UN-sponsored event to discuss major Internet governance issues. It comes just weeks before the World Conference on International Communications starts in Dubai, which could alter the structure of the Internet, according to online free speech advocates. From there, we move to Russia, whose Telecom Minister has asserted the government does not intend to censor the Internet in response to criticisms over a new law to protect children online. From there, we move to Pakistan, China and beyond.
Azerbaijan: “A Country that Portrays Social-Networkers as Mentally Ill”
While all eyes were on the presidential election in the United States, a major international conference started on Tuesday in Baku, the capital of the former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan. The 7th United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) claims to bring “all stakeholders” as equal partners to discuss major issues relating not only to the future of the Internet but also to matters of policing, management, and of course, freedom of expression online.
Chile: Why do we Need Exceptions to Copyright?
We have already explained how copyright can clash with freedom of expression. But are there legal alternatives in a copyright system that is increasingly restrictive? If all works are always an interpretation of other works, can we have access to them without necessarily becoming “delinquents”? The good news is that yes, we can, although there are limitations. We have released a new video in the #NoTemasaInternet (Don’t fear the Internet) campaign and will soon upload more material about this issue.
