Stories about Censorship from May, 2015
Did Russia Just Effectively Outlaw Internet Anonymizers?
A Russian court has ruled to block a webpage for being "an anonymizer," raising concerns that tools like Tor and other anonymizing proxy services might soon be banned wholesale.
Digital Citizen 3.0
Digital Citizen is a biweekly review of news, policy, and research on human rights and technology in the Arab World.
New Messaging App by Iran's Basij Militia Gives State Access to All Conversations
A new messaging application has been introduced in Iran by the Basij militia. The app will use servers owned and controlled by the Basij, allowing for easy access to and monitoring of all user conversations by the paramilitary group and intelligence agents.
Robot Commenters Accidentally Expose Themselves on China's Weibo Platform
Patrick Wong contributed to this post. Chinese netizens are having a good laugh over the mechanized missteps of government-controlled robot commenters, who have been criticizing messages sent by their own...
Leaked Emails Reveal Details of China's Online ‘Youth Civilization Volunteers’
'Speak out in a timely way and positively guide mistaken opinions and thoughts in order to grow mainstream thought and sentiment on the Internet.'
Message to an Ethiopian Blogger: Mahlet Fantahun, You Are Not Alone
"Writing one single blog post is not going to bring Mahlet... out of Kaliti Prison. This is much rather about keeping the process going. Of not staying silent."
Russia Launches ‘Predictive System’ for Monitoring Protest Activity Online
The new Russian software will allegedly be able to spot preparations for protests online long before they happen, and could supply that information to law enforcement, academics and state officials.
The Media is the Message: E-Diplomacy in Egypt
Egyptian authorities today must figure out how to communicate effectively in the wake of four years of constant regime change.
Lost in the Web: Navigating the Legal Maze Online
Media lawyer and human rights expert Nani Jansen gives an overview of censorship and online speech regulation across the globe.
Digital Citizen 2.9
Digital Citizen is a biweekly review of news, policy, and research on human rights and technology in the Arab World.
Amid “Intelligent” Censorship Discussions, Iran Affirms Facebook Will Remain Blocked
Discussions regarding the implementation of “intelligent” filtering have proliferated Internet policy within Iran. “Intelligent” filtering is a process whereby they filter select content on a social media platform, rather than...
Facebook's Zuckerberg Responds to Ukrainians’ Complaints, But Is His Answer Enough?
Mark Zuckerberg has addressed the appeals of Ukrainian Facebook users for better content moderation and calls to create a dedicated Ukrainian office. His answers seem unlikely to satisfy them.
Bahrain Court Upholds Six Month Sentence Against Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab Over Tweet
A Bahrain court today upheld a six-month sentence for human rights defender Nabeel Rajab over a tweet. Rajab is already in custody under investigation for other tweets.
Suspended Algerian Satirical TV Show Vows to Make a Comeback Online
''Eldjazairia weekend'' an Algerian satirical TV show, co-hosted by GV contributor Abdou Semmar, was suspended from air on April 24, due to political pressure.
Selective Truths Revealed: The Case of Iranian Search Engines
Iranian authorities maintain that local search engines can compete with Google and other Western alternatives. A new study by Iran research group Small Media puts these claims to the test.
New Research: Iran is Using ‘Intelligent’ Censorship on Instagram
Political pages are accessible, but Justin Bieber and the Kardashians are blocked. Saddled with a censorship regime that is both exhaustive and ineffective, Iranian authorities are experimenting with “intelligent” filtering.
Iran's Leading Women's Magazine Suspended After Covering Cohabitation Outside of Marriage
Managing editor Shahla Sherkat says she's hopeful she can convince the court to allow publication to resume. Iran’s Press Oversight Committee suspended Zanan-e Emrooz, reportedly for writing about "white marriages."
Despite Low Internet Use, Burundi Blocks Viber and WhatsApp
Fewer than 2 percent of Burundi’s 10.2 million residents use the Internet. Nevertheless, the government blocked Viber and WhatsApp this week, amid protests.
