Stories about Censorship from March, 2016
Netizen Report: Ethiopia’s Zone9 Bloggers Go Back to Court
Chinese dissidents’ families torn apart over party controversy, courts in Morocco and Ethiopia drag out trials against advocates, and Russian tech moguls launch a new center for monitoring "information attacks".
Chinese Police Tear Families Apart Over Letter That Demanded President's Resignation
An open letter urging China President Xi Jinping to resign has triggered a rash of political persecution against the family members of Chinese dissidents living abroad. Germany-based writer and Deutsche Welle reporter Chang Ping reported on March 27 that police in China burst into his father's birthday celebration and detained…
Russian Censors Target Public Wi-Fi Spots in Crusade Against Blocked Websites
Russian censors are now policing public Wi-Fi in places such as cafes, shopping malls or public libraries, to make sure ISPs are blocking access to websites that are officially banned.
China Shuts Down Communist Party News Site, Arrests 20 Over Call for Xi Jinping's Resignation
Though the letter was only online for a few hours, it is viewed as a direct challenge to Xi Jinping's leadership from party insiders.
Netizen Report: Congo Shuts Down All Communications on Election Day
Bahrain court slams social media satirist in absentia, circumvention tools take another hit in Russia, and Facebook is off the hate speech hook in Germany (at least for now).
Yahoo Reports First Content Removal Requests from the Russian Government
This is the first time Yahoo has reported receiving Russian requests requests to remove user-generated content from services such as Flickr and Yahoo Groups.
Indian Migrant Worker Arrested in Saudi Arabia For Denouncing Working Conditions on Facebook
"People stuck...in a country where they are treated worse than dogs, for years in very bad conditions, that's the reality 'necessary' for us to fuel our tanks. Infuriating and depressing."
Netizens Mock Mark Zuckerberg's Love Affair with China
"Mark, you have six people in your running team. Did you apply for authorisation to run on the street? If not, this is illegal in China."
Russia Plans to Fine Websites for ‘Propaganda’ of Circumvention Tools
The Kremlin is so worried about internet circumvention tools it now seeks to make mere mentions of them illegal and introduce fines for "propaganda" of ways to access blocked websites.
Netizen Report: Uganda and Nigeria Seek Stricter Controls for Social Media
Thuggery runs rampant in the MENA region, Chile bans spy balloons and Google gears up to expand implementation of the "Right to Be Forgotten."
‘Nude’ Photos of Australian Aboriginal Women Trigger Facebook Account Suspensions
Facebook has been attacked over its suspension of people in Australia for posting a photo of topless Aboriginal women performing a public ceremony.
Between Hashtags and Memes, Bolivian Leaders Push for Social Media Regulation
A draft law that would regulate social media -- with criminal consequences for its violators -- has sparked intense debates among Bolivian citizens.
Kurdish Reporter Faces Jail Time in Turkey for Twitter and Facebook Posts
Turkish authorities increasingly "conflate coverage of banned groups and investigation of sensitive topics with outright terrorism or other anti-state activity."
Twitter Reports Massive Increase in Russian Government's Content Removal Requests
In the second half of 2015 Russian government agencies submitted 1,735 requests to remove content from Twitter—more than 25 times the number submitted in the first half of 2015.
China Silences Outspoken Tycoon and Other Celebrities on Social Media
The Cyberspace Administration of China has accused the outspoken real estate tycoon Ren Zhiqiang of publishing “illegal messages with a negative impact.” But he's not alone.
