Stories about Advocacy from November, 2019
Nigeria's social media bill will obliterate online freedom of expression
The proposed social media bill will annihilate online freedom of expression, criminalize criticism of the government and legalize internet shutdowns in Nigeria.
MP of populist right-wing political party from North Macedonia confirms existence of party’s troll army
MP Daniela Rangelova is not the first high party official to reveal details about the existence of VMRO-DPMNE's “troll army”.
Varakashi: Zimbabwe’s online brigade targets activists and dissidents
The overarching aim of the Varakashi is to push the narrative that anyone who disagrees with the Zimbabwean government is an agent of foreign powers, and therefore unpatriotic.
‘Suspension won’t silence me’: Teen speaks out after embedding message about Xinjiang Uyghurs in TikTok makeup tutorial
Feroza Aziz used a makeup tutorial as a disguise to criticise China's treatment of Uyghurs on Tiktok.
Activists in Angola continue to face repression for online and offline activities
Online activists in Angola risk tough reactions from authorities, particularly when their activities are connected to offline activism.
Will Uganda shut down the internet as opposition heats up for 2021 elections?
As the 2021 election approaches, Uganda authorities are very likely to continue to crack down on political dissent, including through social media shutdowns.
In Ethiopia’s disinformation epidemic, the crumbling ruling coalition is the elephant in the room
As acts of communal violence that took place in Oromia in October subsided, a new battle began online over interpretations of the violence — and who was to blame.
Bosnian journalists demand justice in case of journalist threatened and assaulted by hooligans
The journalists from Bosnia and Herzegovina are hoping that the judiciary in their country will finally start to systematically address the issue of journalists' safety.
Former university lecturer jailed for online posts in Vietnam
Vietnamese authorities continue their crackdown on freedom of expression against ordinary citizens even when they do not engage in any grassroots activism or political movements.
Hong Kong activists denounce court ban on ‘violent’ content as a threat to internet freedom
Internet Society Hong Kong will file a judicial review against an interim injunction prohibiting anyone from posting, re-posting and aiding the dissemination of information that promotes violence.
Twitter was a minefield of false information during the 2019 Nigerian elections
Twitter became a battle ground of ethnocentric disinformation and political propaganda before, during and in the immediate aftermath of the 2019 elections in Nigeria.
Behold Russia's new ‘sovereign internet’
The "sovereign internet" bill is about bringing the "critical infrastructure" of the RuNet under the state's oversight. That could mean a more effective implementation of Moscow's laws regulating expression online.
Social media propelled ethnocentric disinformation and propaganda during the Nigerian elections
The 2019 Nigerian elections witnessed unprecedented dissemination of ethnic hate speech at the service of disinformation and propaganda online, particularly on Twitter.
The right to privacy in Sudan: A call to enact a data protection act
In the absence of an effective data protection law, personal data will remain at risk of misuse and abuse not only by the government but also the private sector.
End Impunity, Free Expression!
Our right to information is inseparable from our right to expression, and both are under attack. The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists is observed on November 2.
Beijing constructs an “independence” plot for Hong Kong protests through information operations
Initial findings strongly suggest that the Chinese Communist party and state media outlets played a key role in spreading disinformation that framed the protests as a “pro-Hong Kong independence” movement.
