Stories about Sovereigns of the Cyberspace

Digital Citizen 3.0

  27 May 2015

Digital Citizen is a biweekly review of news, policy, and research on human rights and technology in the Arab World.

South Korea: Naver Provokes Push for Portal Regulation

  29 August 2013

Conservative party politicians and major news organizations are pushing for new regulatory measures aimed at Naver, South Korea's leading search and online content provider. In addition to dominating online advertising and content markets, Naver has been accused of prioritizing its own content in search results.

Why was Facebook Blocked in Cambodia?

  15 August 2013

On August 7, Facebook was inaccessible in Cambodia for several hours. Government officials and ISPs claimed that the blockage resulted from technical complications, but media freedom groups remained suspicious of a foul play by authorities.

Nigerian Government to Ramp Up Internet Surveillance?

  12 July 2013

In April, Nigerian news site Premium Times revealed government plans to purchase equipment that would allow it to conduct online surveillance on an unprecedented scale. The government reportedly had contracted with Israeli company Elbit Systems Ltd to advance the Internet and computer-based gathering of Nigerian citizens' personal data.

Orphaned in US, SOPA Finds Home in Russia

  17 June 2013

America’s controversial Stop Online Piracy Act is back—and it’s poised to become law in a matter of weeks. SOPA, however, isn’t coming to the US, where a wide coalition defeated the legislation in January 2012. A law that creates similarly harsh penalties for online copyright violations is on the cusp of finding a home in Russia.

Everyone's Rights are at Stake: Global Reach of US Surveillance Programs

  14 June 2013

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.

If Your Blog Gets Hacked, Can WordPress Help?

  5 June 2013

In March, Vietnamese political news blog Anh Ba Sam underwent a series of attacks that left its content compromised and its administrators unable to access the blog’s back end. Although the site is now back under their control, restoring their ability access the blog was more difficult than administrators imagined.

Advocates Challenge Use of FinFisher Surveillance Software in Pakistan

  23 May 2013

The Pakistani human rights organisation Bytes for All is challenging the use of invasive surveillance software by the government of Pakistan. FinFisher, produced by Gamma International, a UK-based company named by Reporters Without Borders as one of five "corporate enemies of the internet" and "digital era mercenaries," is notorious for its advanced spying and surveillance capabilities which are used to target human rights movements all over the world.

Human Rights Verdict Could Affect Cisco in China

  24 April 2013

In 2011, two separate lawsuits were filed against Cisco Systems alleging that its technology enabled the government of China to monitor, capture, and kill Chinese citizens for their views and beliefs. To what extent are these human rights violations attributable to technology provided by Cisco?

Hong Kong Citizen Media Site Faces DDoS Attack From China

  22 April 2013

Hong Kong-based citizen media platform inmediahk.net was hit by a DDoS attack last week, coming mainly from China. Inmedia, a volunteer citizen media network, has been blocked in mainland China since 2007. Inmedia members believe that recent coverage of controversial issues, including a dock workers' strike in Hong Kong and the construction of a military pier in the city's center, may have triggered the attack.

#FreeRod: Preliminary Victory in Chilean Twitter Parody Case

  21 April 2013

A court in Chile has dismissed claims against Chilean Twitter user Rodrigo Ferrari, who was facing prosecution for operating a Twitter account that parodied millionaire Andrónico Luksic. The decision is not final and may be reviewed by the Court of Appeals, but it is a good sign for the future of online free expression in Chile.