Stories about Feature from March, 2021
The Gambia’s missed opportunity for digital rights reform
Gambians held high hopes for digital rights reforms under President Adama Barrow. But the draft constitution fell short on its promise to adequately protect digital rights.
Chinese patriotic YouTuber apologizes after criticizing propaganda and corruption
"In our village, the forest land has not been distributed. It is so full of corruption!"
Malaysia’s ‘fake news’ ordinance takes effect amid continuing concern over the COVID-19 state of emergency
"This ordinance strengthens the perception that the state of emergency we are currently in is a smokescreen to curb any form of criticism towards the government of the day."
Sierra Leone’s new cybercrime bill could turn a phone into a crime scene
Sierra Leone’s cybercrime bill could turn a citizen’s smartphone into a crime scene at a moment’s notice.
Protests erupt in Bangladesh after writer charged under the Digital Security Act dies in prison
Ahmed was arrested after he criticized the government's pandemic response on social media. He was charged with "tarnishing the image of the nation" and "creating hostility" -- all offenses under the DSA.
Kenya police turn to Twitter PR as the arrest of a blogger goes against public opinion
“Somehow, the [Directorate of Criminal Investigations] believes that PR, and specifically ‘live-tweeting,’ will change Kenyans' perception without bringing about the much needed reforms within the force.”
Twitter could be fully blocked in Russia within the next month
Russian internet regulator Roskomnadzor says it is prepared to block Twitter completely if the platform continues to ignore its requests to take down content flagged as illegal.
How India's new internet regulations will change social media, online news and video streaming
If failing to comply, social media platforms could lose intermediary immunity, which means they could be prosecuted for content posted by its users.
Sudan's revised cybercrime law falls short on its promise
Political activist Owar Alsadig’s lawsuit sparked controversy over the nature of Sudan’s current information and cybercrime laws, and the potential to abuse these laws to limit freedom of expression.
