Lawyer, Lead of Creative Commons Guatemala, co – leading the initiative “Technology for Transparency Network” https://transparency.globalvoicesonline.org/ and advocating for free speech anytime, anywhere.
Latest posts by Renata Avila
Connecting Istanbul and London to Crowdsource the Web We Want Festival
On Sept. 5, the Web We Want campaign will organize a "Think-In" global brainstorming session to plan for the upcoming Southbank festival -- anyone, anywhere can get involved.
Web We Want Festival Will be Globally Crowdsourced: Get Involved!
We’re asking you -- community groups, neighbors and strangers, techies and technophobes, old and young, urban and rural people -- to make the Web We Want Festival your own.
Spain on a Downward Spiral? New Law May Destroy the Digital Commons
Linking is what made the Web what is today -- restricting this function poses a threat to the very nature of the open Internet.
Mexico and US Censor Activist Site, with Help of GoDaddy
Activists in Mexico confirmed that the Government of Mexico worked with the US Embassy in Mexico and GoDaddy.com to censor 1DMX.org, a platform for news and discussion of social unrest in December 2013.
Web We Want Contest: Cartoonists Fight Back!
The Web We Want initiative challenged artists everywhere to produce cartoons on the topic of NSA surveillance, in support of #TheDayWeFightBack -- here are the winners!
Cyber Stewards Network and Local Activists Investigate FinFisher in Mexico
Security researchers have found evidence that FinFisher, the big bad wolf of spy technologies, is being used in Mexico. Local advocates are using these findings to bring legal action to federal agencies involved in surveillance.
The Public Voice: Join a Global Conversation on Privacy
On Tuesday, September 24, The Public Voice coalition will hold a privacy and consumer protection meeting, in an effort to build a bridge between policymakers, your privacy, and you. Anyone can join the meeting online.
Government Critic Arrested on Drug Charges in Mexico
Supporters suspect that Gustavo Maldonado was arrested in retaliation for his online activities. Just hours before his arrest on a small-scale drug charge, Maldonado posted a YouTube video accusing local officials of corruption.
MERCOSUR and the Future of the Internet in Latin America
Last Friday, Latin American government leaders issued a strong statement against the mass surveillance of their citizens by the US government at an emergency meeting of MERCOSUR. Activists, academics and NGOs from Latin America wrote an open letter to the regional alliance, inviting leaders to consult with civil society in building human rights-protective Internet policies for the region.
Mexico: Advocates Demand Investigation of FinFisher Spyware
Human rights activists and journalists in Mexico are demanding an investigation of the possible use of FinFisher surveillance software in Mexico. Advocates suspect that the software has been used to spy on journalists and activists in the country.
#FreeRod: Preliminary Victory in Chilean Twitter Parody Case
A court in Chile has dismissed claims against Chilean Twitter user Rodrigo Ferrari, who was facing prosecution for operating a Twitter account that parodied millionaire Andrónico Luksic. The decision is not final and may be reviewed by the Court of Appeals, but it is a good sign for the future of online free expression in Chile.
#FreeRod: Chilean Twitter User Faces Trial for Parody
Chilean billionaire Andrónico Luksic has accused Twitter user Rodrigo Ferrari of “usurpation of identity” for running an account that mocked Luksic. If Ferrari is found guilty, the case could set a disturbing precedent for both free expression and privacy in Chile.
Costa Rica: President Signs Internet Freedom Declaration
Laura Chinchilla, President of Costa Rica, signs the Declaration of Internet Freedom and calls upon the leaders of the world to "join us in preserving and nurturing this openness and freedom upon which a bright future can be built."
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 service that continues to rely on insecure connections. Google enabled default Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS), a widely used communications protocol...
The Public Voice: Privacy Rights are a Global Challenge
October 22, 2012 is an important day for global civil society defending privacy and free speech. The Public Voice coalition will be hosting a global conference in Punta del Este, Uruguay, and you are invited to take part in the conversation and interact with the panelists. You can follow the...
Paraguay: ISPs Block News Website Without Warrant
An alarming act of censorship by private companies took place on September 26 in Paraguay. Two Internet Service Providers (ISPs) blocked the AbcColor.me website without a judicial warrant. After pressure from netizens, the websites were unblocked.
Assange Asylum Granted After Threats from UK Authorities
This morning, Thursday 16 August, 2012, in a press conference streamed from the website of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Ricardo Patino declared that the country would grant asylum to the Founder and Editor of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange. This comes after threats by UK authorities to remove Assange from the Embassy.
Costa Rica: Cybercrime Law Threatens Internet Freedom
Costa Rica just passed Law 9048, which includes reforms to the country’s Criminal Code to create new cybercrime offenses, including rules against illegal access and interception of communications. Journalists and internet freedom activists are trying to modify the most controversial part of the law which criminalizes the publication of State secrets, the use of any form of e-impersonification and the spread of false news.
Netherlands: First country in Europe with net neutrality
The Netherlands is the first country in Europe to implement net neutrality it in its law. Together with the net neutrality provisions, it passed privacy protections for users against wiretapping and disconnection by the Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Mexico Hosts Global Conference on Privacy and Free Speech
The Public Voice coalition will be hosting a global conference in Mexico City on October 31, 2011 and you are invited to take part in the conversation and interact with the panelists.
