Stories about Internet governance from June, 2013
China: Real Name Registration May Threaten Ethnic Minorities
Under China's new real name registration policy, Internet users are being asked to submit personal information such as their home address, national ID number, and a photograph, in order to register for social media services. A recent case illustrates how some platforms may be using this new information to discriminate against Uyghurs, an ethnic minority group.
Everyone's Rights are at Stake: Global Reach of US Surveillance Programs
Last week's revelations about phone and Internet surveillance programs run by the US government's National Security Agency (NSA) sent shock waves throughout the United States and the western media, but also around the globe. While in the US, many privacy-minded lawmakers and even digital rights advocates used the news as an opportunity to demand better protections for Americans' online privacy, Internet users worldwide were left wondering how to protect their own data in the face of these threats.
Bangladesh Unblocks YouTube After Eight-Month Ban
Bangladesh's telecommunication authorities have unblocked YouTube in Bangladesh after 260 days of restricting access within the country to the video sharing website.
Singapore’s ‘Largest Blogger-led Protest’ Bats for Media Freedom
An estimated crowd of 2,000 people joined a protest assembly in Singapore’s Hong Lim Park last June 8, 2013 to oppose the government’s new licensing scheme for news websites. Organized by the ‘Free My Internet’ movement, it was reported to be the ‘largest blogger-led protest’ in Singapore.
The Business Behind China's Internet Real Name Registration System
One company stands to profit in a big way as China pushes forward with a policy to require Internet users to register their real names and their national identification numbers in order to participate online.
VIDEO: How the Trans-Pacific Partnership Could Hurt Internet Users
A new animated video explains how the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a massive trade agreement being negotiated by the United States and ten governments from around the Pacific region, could have alarming consequences for Internet users.
Philippines Offers ‘Enhanced’ Cybercrime Prevention Law
The Philippine government is ready to submit an ‘enhanced version’ of the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act in response to the widespread opposition to the law, saying it will drop the online libel provision in order to focus on organized cybercrimes. Some groups welcomed the news, but others still pressed for the whole law to be scrapped.
