Stories about Advocacy from September, 2014
Laos Joins Southeast Asian Neighbors in Imposing Stricter Internet Controls
The new law will criminalize online criticism of government policies and outlaw "Spreading information that distorts truth or tarnishes the dignity and rights of individuals, sectors, institutions and organizations."
Anton Nossik on the Coming End of Facebook, Twitter, and Google in Russia
Media expert and founding member of the Russian blogosphere Anton Nossik explains why he thinks the end is nigh in Russia for websites used by billions around the globe.
China Sentences Peaceful Uyghur Scholar Ilham Tohti to Life in Prison
"I scream for our ethnic group, but I scream louder for China," Ilham Tohti said through his lawyer.
How Not to Understand the Kremlin's Internet ‘Kill Switch’
The justifications for preparing a “self-sufficient RuNet” are weak. The tools necessary for such a feat, moreover, would empower the Kremlin to restrict Russia's vital communications in an instant.
In Crimea, No Room for Blogger Liza Bogutskaya And Her Pro-Ukrainian Views
Liza Bogutskaya's outspokenness against what she sees as Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea has made her a favorite of pro-Ukrainians online and an enemy of the Russian state in Crimea.
Images of Horror: Who Decides What We See Online?
In a "cameras everywhere" world, we must pay close attention to the decisions platforms like YouTube that are often responsible for deciding what we see -- and what we don't.
CPJ Calls on Obama to Defend the Right to Report in the Digital Age
With more and more world governments targeting journalists with communications surveillance, the Committee to Protect Journalists is asking the Obama administration to clean up its act.
Right to Be Forgotten: A Win for Argentina's Lawsuit-Happy Celebrities?
What kind of information is in the public interest? Is it possible (or desirable) to define this? Free expression attorney Ramiro Alvarez examines this question in the context of Argentina.
Nearly 70% of Young Iranians Use Illegal Internet Circumvention Tools
According to Iran’s list of Computer Crimes, the distribution of both circumvention technology and instructions to use such tools are both illegal. Violating these laws can result in severe punishment.
Was Popular Saint Lucia Blog Hateful or Just Outspoken?
The no-holds-barred, muckraking blog had become both notorious and controversial among people interested in local politics -- and then it was blocked, without warning.
Egyptian Blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah Released on Bail
Prominent Egyptian activist and blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah was released on bail today but the road to justice is a long and bumpy one, says netizens.
Who Says You Can Block Google? Chinese Citizen Sues Telco, Demands Answers
The Chinese government has a heavy hand when it comes to online content. But exactly which government authorities set Internet censorship policy? A citizen lawsuit against China Unicom seeks answers.
Global Voices’ Alexander Sodiqov Is Safe With His Family in Toronto, Canada
The wait is over. Alexander Sodiqov and family are back in Toronto after the Tajik government assented to a formal request to allow him to continue his academic work there.
Lebanon Blocks Six Porn Sites, Sparks Fears of Further Censorship
Internet users worry that the decision, made by the Ministry of Justice, could lead the government down a slippery slope to greater censorship.
The Iranian Government is Blocking Unregistered News Sites
Iranian news sites that do comply with registration requirements will receive a government subsidy.
East Timor’s “Repressive” Media Law Declared Unconstitutional
East Timor journalists and human rights groups scored partial victory when the Court of Appeal ruled that the Press Law passed by parliament last May is unconstitutional.
Student in Kerala, India Arrested for Insulting National Anthem
Salman Zalman, a philosophy student and an activist from Kerala, was charged with sedition for his Facebook activities, and for allegedly "disrespecting" the Indian national anthem.
“Anti-Selfie Bill” Breeds Discontent in the Philippines
A proposed bill in the Philippines would make it illegal to photograph anyone -- even public officials -- without their permission.
This Russian Lawmaker Thinks the US Can Take Russia Off The Internet
A deputy in the Russian parliament thinks the United States might cut off Russia's internet and suggests Russians take measures to get ready for the information blackout.
EXCLUSIVE: German Companies Are Selling Unlicensed Surveillance Technologies to Human Rights Violators – and Making Millions
Data analyzed by two leading researchers on surveillance and digital security technology suggests the majority of surveillance technologies produced by German companies have been bought and sold under the table.
