· December, 2012

Stories about TYPE from December, 2012

China Introduces New Rules to Tighten Government's Grip Over the Internet

On Friday, December 28, China's legislature approved a new set of rules intended to tighten government control over the Internet, forcing internet and online service providers to require real name registration from all their users. What do Chinese netizens think of the new regulations? What are the implications of the these new measures?

30 December 2012

Bahrain: Tweet Leads Human Rights Activist to Prison

Sayed Yousif Almuhafda is the Vice President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. He is also member of the rights groups Front Line Defenders and Amnesty International. He was arrested on December 17th as he was monitoring a non violent demonstration in the capital Manama and reporting about it on Twitter.

30 December 2012

Netizen Report: Surveillance Edition

This week's Netizen Report begins in the UK, where a Parliamentary committee has sent back the British Communications Data Bill for giving overly sweeping surveillance powers to government. From there, we recap highlights from the recent WCIT conference. Then, we move to China, Egypt, and beyond.

21 December 2012

Facebook's Suspicious Behavior

Dead people liking stuff on Facebook. Living people liking and sharing stuff without their knowledge. Leila Nachawati investigates Facebook's unusual behavior.

20 December 2012

Free Bassel: Netizen Under Serious Threat

Bassel Khartabil Safadi, a Syrian open source developer and pro-democracy activist, has completed 9 months in jail. His friends and family fear for his life as he is being prosecuted by a military court.

18 December 2012

Pakistan's Fight for Net Freedom

It’s been an active year for digital activism on Internet freedom in Pakistan. The fact that the United Nations deemed it a basic universal human right has not stopped authorities in Pakistan from clamping down on the world wide web in many different ways and by various means.

14 December 2012

Netizen Report: Magna Carta Edition

In this week's Netizen Report we begin in the Philippines, where a "Magna Carta for Philippine Internet Freedom" has been proposed to replace the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act. While including punishments for libel and cybercrime, the new legislation also guarantees the rights and protection of Internet users. From there, we move on to WCIT, Ireland, Kazakhstan and beyond.

12 December 2012

Netizen Report: WCIT Edition

This week's Netizen Report begins in Dubai, where the World Conference on Information Technology is underway. The meeting will review the current International Telecommunications Regulations that serve as the rules of digital connections and could make important decisions regarding the future of Internet governance. From there, we move to Costa Rica, South Africa, and beyond.

6 December 2012

Speak Justice: Voices Against Impunity

Murder is the ultimate form of censorship against journalists. In most cases killers remain free, generating self-censorship among those still risking their lives to do their job. To break the cycle of fear and silence, the Committee to Protect Journalists is launching Speak Justice: Voices Against Impunity.

6 December 2012

Tajik Official Blocks Facebook and Summons its CEO

The chief of the state-run telecommunications service in Tajikistan has ordered Facebook blocked and asked the social network's CEO to travel to the Central Asian country and meet with him. Tajik internet users now ridicule the official.

6 December 2012