Stories about Free Expression
Meta's Oversight Board grapples with Facebook and Instagram's opaque content guidelines
If Meta is to continue to be a safe space for human rights defenders, it will have to engage seriously and in good faith with the Oversight Board.
Georgians take to the streets as parliament considers new ‘foreign agent’ bill
Hundreds of Georgians took the streets to protest what civil society describe as Georgia's very own "foreign agent" law.
Fake Russian fact-checkers spread propaganda about the war in Ukraine
PolitiFact analyzed this website and found its fact-checks that use well-known techniques of Russian propaganda — incoherence, a large number of claims, repetition of statements on obvious untruths — to confuse the public.
Beyond Jordan’s TikTok Ban
Jordan's recent ban of TikTok has sparked concerns over freedom of expression and access to information. Concerns raised as part of a broader trend of governments restricting social media platforms.
Georgia debates a foreign agent law, which critics say sets a dangerous precedent
The bill was tabled by a group of parliament members, formally from the ruling Georgian Dream who quit the party ranks last year and formed their own political party called People's Power.
Tanzania’s government makes headway in country’s media reforms
Political observers deduce that the overtures Samia has made thus far are simply a political game plan. While they have strengthened the opposition, they have nonetheless garnered her supporters for the upcoming elections.
Interview with Romanian anti-disinformation activist reveals disinformation campaigns often target refugees from Ukraine
The position of Romania regarding the war in Ukraine remains in line with the EU and NATO, despite pro-Russian destabilizing efforts. However, at general level, disinformation had become part of political discourse.
India's war against a BBC documentary on Modi
The recent raid on the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai shows a pattern of using state agencies to target think tanks, NGOs, and media outlets that criticize the government.
In Turkey, the state resorts to censorship majeure
Rocked by a devastating earthquake, citizens in Turkey now have to also deal with censorship measures imposed by the state amid an outcry of public criticism.
Every Friday, Russia labels new citizens and organizations as ‘Foreign Agents’
Labeling people and organizations as 'foreign agents' resembles Stalin's repressive regime. It is now being used to push dissenting voices out of the country.
How military supporters are using Telegram channels to suppress dissent in Myanmar
Pro-military people are urging the military authorities to take action against those who are pro-democracy, calling for detention, imprisonment, property seizure, revoking citizenship and travel documents — even the execution of political prisoners and rebels.
Anti-zero-COVID ‘white paper’ protesters face forced disappearance in China
An unknown number of anti-zero COVID policy protesters were forced into disappearance during Christmas and Lunar New Year break in China.
State-affiliated actors launch smear campaign against Hungarian investigative nonprofit Átlátszó
Hungarian pro-government media publish defamatory texts about independent investigative outlet Atlatszo with allegations that it was receiving 'Judas money' and being a 'criminal association' involved in treason and anti-national activities.
President Bukele harasses independent journalists on Twitter in El Salvador
Bukele's presidency has attacked and discredited independent journalists who expose corruption in his government, putting them at risk of harassment and violence.
Saudi Arabia: Call for release of two Saudi Wikipedians
A request for the release of doctors Osama Khalid and Ziad Al-Sufyani, who contributed to Wikipedia Arabic and were jailed in Saudi Arabia for 32 and 8 years, respectively.
Infrastructural content moderation: the case of Mariupol
In addition to the obvious humanitarian consequences that internet shutdowns in a war zone bring, infrastructural content moderation is a potent and dangerous approach to spreading disinformation.
Rights organization OVD-Info gives an overview of repression in Russia in 2022
In 2022 in Russia, there were more than 21,000 arrests and at least 370 defendants in criminal cases for anti-war statements and speeches. More than 200,000 Internet resources have been blocked including 11 sentences in cases of state treason.
Saudi Arabia: Government agents infiltrate Wikipedia, sentence independent admins to prison
The Saudi government infiltrated Wikipedia by recruiting the organization’s highest-ranking administrators in the country to control information about the country and prosecute those who contributed critical information about political detainees.
How Zimbabwe is building a Big Brother surveillance state
Citizens' belief that the infringement of human and digital rights does not concern them has created fertile ground for the emergence of pervasive surveillance in Zimbabwe.
Kosovo: Six attacks against journalists in December following escalating tensions
The Kosovo media sphere is endangered by the recent physical assaults and their implications for press freedom and reporting on developments in the northern part of the country
