Stories from January, 2015
Hong Kongers Should Have the Right To Be Forgotten, Says HK Privacy Commissioner
Commissioner Chiang argues that concerns about the policy infringing on freedom of expression are "overblown".
WhatsApp, Line and Tango in Jeopardy in Iran, As President and Judiciary Clash
Culture Minister Ali Jannati refused to say if the government would implement the ban on three messaging services. They currently remain accessible to Iranians.
Netizen Report: Venezuelans Question Disappearing Internet Service
This week's report begins in Venezuela, where Internet users reported an outage on the country's largest ISP for approximately 12 hours last Saturday.
‘I Am Shuhrat': Tajiks Come to Jailed Lawyer's Defence on Facebook
Shuhrat Qudratov, a Tajik lawyer with a reputation for defending politically endangered clients, has been sentenced to nine years in prison on charges many citizens feel are bogus.
Sketch Comic Faces Accusations of ‘Glorifying’ Terrorism in Spain
The day after the attack on Charlie Hebdo in France, a Spanish judge summoned satirist Facu Díaz for questioning about a satirical sketch broadcast on his online TV show.
Netizen Report: Post-Charlie Chilling Effects Take Shape Worldwide
This week, we look at reactions to the Charlie Hebdo attack from Russia, the UK and across the EU -- and the ramifications the attack could have for digital rights.
India and #GoIBlocks: A Lesson for ISPs When Facing Censorship Orders
If you operate an Internet Service Provider, you need to stand by your customers, protect their privacy and defend their freedom of access to information.
Kremlin-Owned Internet Search Engine Filters Out ‘Charlie Hebdo’ Results
Earlier today, Russian Internet users discovered that Sputnik.ru returns almost no image-search results for “Charlie Hebdo” (in Latin script or Cyrillic), whatever one’s “moderation” settings.
Fact-Checking the Hype Surrounding FireChat in Hong Kong's Protests
Pro-democracy protesters downloaded smartphone chat app FireChat in droves amid rumors of an Internet shutdown. In the rush to cover the phenomenon, media outlets got some things wrong.
Intel Shuts Down Its Russian-Language Developer Forums
Intel's decision could create an important precedent, showing how easily new RuNet regulations spill into seemingly innocuous blogging activities.
Russia Investigates VKontakte User for Posting Ukraine-Related Content
Russian authorities are investigating a Yekaterinburg woman on charges of "inciting hatred and violence" for posting links to content about Ukrainian Euromaidan protests on the social network VKontakte.
Post-Umbrella Revolution's Politics Reflected in the Newly Launched Stand News
With tensions still sky-high in Hong Kong, the newly-formed Stand News may seek to chart new political and journalistic territory.
What Drives Blasphemy Charges in the Middle East? (It's Not Just Religion)
Sentenced to death for his online writing, Mauritanian blogger Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed is yet another victim of a repressive government using “apostasy” pretexts to crack down political speech.
Netizen Report: China Adds Yet Another Layer of Control to the Internet
In our first Netizen Report of 2015, we look at the latest on censorship in India, blogger persecution in Russia, and the Sony hack (it may not be what it looks like.)
Chinese Police Are Buying Spyware — And Posting Their Purchase Orders Online
Netizens now can see exactly what surveillance tools police are using, and exactly how much they paid for them.
Indian Netizens Criticize Online Censorship of “Jihadi” Content
Indian netizens are speaking out against censorship in the face of government blocks on Github, Internet Archive, Vimeo, Sourceforge and other popular sites.
Digital Citizen 2.2
Digital Citizen is a biweekly review of news, policy, and research on human rights and technology in the Arab World.
