Stories about Advocacy from June, 2015
Learning About Lantern's Anti-Censorship Tools
GV Advox team members spoke with Adam Fisk, the founder and software developer behind Lantern, and Maryam Abolfazli, the Chief Operating Officer behind Lantern to learn more about their tools.
How a Facebook User in Thailand Was Sentenced to 50 Years in Jail for ‘Defaming’ the Monarchy
"How can they arrest Father? Father didn’t kill anybody; the judgment is excessive."
Arbitrary Arrests, Cybercrime, and Mass Mobile Adoption: Monitoring Digital Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa
Global Voices speaks to Tom Rhodes, the East Africa representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists, about the state of freedom of expression online in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Former TV Producer Mostafa Azizi Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison in Iran
Azizi, who had left for Canada, was arrested when he returned to be near his ailing father. He was convicted of “assembly and collusion against national security,” among other charges.
Pakistani Digital Rights Advocate Nominated as TIME's Next Generation Leader
'If youth is speaking for a cause, they have the ability to bring change. They only have to be consistent.'
Local Chinese Authorities Use Internet Slang ‘Ziganwu’ in Their Propaganda Recruitment
'Ziganwu' are Internet commenters not officially affiliated with authorities but who nevertheless ardently defend the government. China's Sichuan education office has adopted the term as part of recruitment efforts.
Digital Citizen 3.1
Digital Citizen is a biweekly review of news, policy, and research on human rights and technology in the Arab World.
Russia Moves Forward on ‘Right to be Forgotten’ Bill Despite Industry Protests
Lawmakers insist on adopting the new legislation that would require search engines in Russia to delete links to information and content online based on user requests.
Facebook Responds to ‘Stop Political Blocking’ Petition by Russians and Ukrainians
In a statement posted to Change.org on June 8, Thomas Kristensen, Facebook’s director of policy for Eastern Europe and Russia, explained that the social network stands by its moderation policies
Iran Increases Internet Surveillance Ahead of Parliamentary Elections
Iran's Deputy Interior Minister Zolfaghari announces heightened security in anticipation of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
‘Writing Code Is Not a Crime': Jailed Iranian Web Developer Saeed Malekpour Turns 40
"It is not justice to keep a talented software engineer in jail just because the software he developed was used by others for reasons deemed illegal by the Iranian government."
Iran Sentences Atena Faraghdani to 12.5 Years for Cartoons
A Revolutionary Court in Tehran has sentenced artist and civil rights activist Atena Faraghdani to 12.5 years in prison for publishing on Facebook cartoons and criticisms of the government.
Tor Use in Russia Spiking in Response to Kremlin's Censorship Efforts
As the Kremlin steps up its efforts to enforce Internet censorship, search engine data shows a growing number of Russians use Tor to circumvent content blocking.
How Safe Are Internet Search Engines from Russian Censorship?
Saddling Internet search engines in Russia with new regulations raises special concerns, given Moscow's recent track record for reinterpreting Internet laws in ways that inhibit civic freedoms online.