Stories from January, 2014
Lebanon: SMEX Tracks Web Filtering Through Research, Crowdsourcing
New research from Social Media Exchange shows web blocking data from Lebanon -- and invites users to join a crowdsourcing effort to learn more about blocking across ISPs.
On Alaa, Learning, and the Struggle
"These friendships come in fragments, but they are sometimes the best we have." Reflections from Jillian York on friend and activist Alaa Abd El Fattah, currently in prison in Egypt.
Netizen Report: Korean Indy Sites Accused of Producing “Not Real” News
Are anti-protest laws the new black? Is Facebook reading your mind? What if Egypt becomes the de-facto cyber security leader of Africa? These questions and more in this week's Netizen Report.
WikiLeaks Supporters Shocked by Visit With Syria's Assad
The view from down under: A late December meeting between Australia's Wikileaks Party and Bashar al-Assad has raised critical questions about the WikiLeaks Party and platform.
Minister Offers $2000 Reward To Unmask Zambian Watchdog Editors
Bribes abound in the latest chapter of the battle between the Zambian government and the independent Zambian Watchdog news site.
Egypt: The Muppets Intelligence Agency
In Egypt, a Muppet-like character is being accused of sending coded messages to terrorists. Amr Tarek explains why this puppet is on trial.
Censorship, Prosecution Drive Exodus of Opinion Leaders from China's Sina Weibo
China's crackdown on online "rumor-mongering" has led many opinion leaders to quit Sina Weibo, the country's most popular social media platform.
Botched Bureaucracy Mars SIM Card Registration in Zambia
While some Zambians scramble to register their SIM cards, others have discovered their registration information has gone missing.
Chinese Netizens (and Political Discourse) Migrate to WeChat
With pro-government voices successfully dominating Weibo, WeChat has become the most important platform for public opinion making in mainland China.
Netizen Report: Will Saudi Take the “You” Out of YouTube?
Fresh back from a holiday hiatus, this week we look at post-Snowden fallout in Southeast Asia, activist push-back on censorship in Morocco, and a new site that "translates" terms of service for the average user.