Stories about News
US Spying Whistleblower Edward Snowden Takes Refuge in Hong Kong
The man behind the bombshell intelligence leaks that revealed top secret US phone and Internet surveillance programs said he fled to Hong Kong because they "have a spirited commitment to free speech and the right of political dissent". But some in Hong Kong aren't so sure about the government's willingness to him.
VIDEO: Turkish Protests Filmed by the People, for the People
As the #OccupyGezi protests have surged, Turkish mainstream media has foundered, failing to cover the anti-government demonstrations for fear of retribution. Citizen journalists have stepped up to fill the role, reporting and filming so that the Turkish people and the world can see what's happening in the country.
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.
As Protests Continue, Turkey Cracks Down on Twitter Users
The critical role that social media and the Internet are playing in the anti-government protests engulfing Istanbul and other parts of the country has not gone unnoticed by Turkish authorities. Police have arrested dozens of people accused of publishing “misinformation” on Twitter to encourage others to join in the ongoing unrest.
Saudi Arabia Blocks Instant Messaging App Viber
Following the Saudi threat to block encrypted communication software unless the government is allowed to spy, the instant messaging application Viber was blocked earlier yesterday. The website can no longer be accessed and the application does not connect.
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.
Netizen Report: Jordan Censors Hundreds of Websites
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world. This week's report highlights new censorship practices in Jordan and China and troubling developments in Turkey as protests continue.
Mexico: Local Cyberbullying Law Could Threaten Free Expression
In the Mexican state of Nuevo León, as of last week, anyone who uses social networks to publish messages or images that cause "harm, dishonor, discredit to a person, or exposes him or her to contempt" can be incarcerated for up to three years.
Netizen Report: India Seeks to Monitor VoIP Users
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world. This week we highlight a range of impending regulatory changes in Asia, beginning with a new effort by the Indian government to monitor citizens over VoIP services such as Skype.
Thailand Threatens to Censor Online Critics of Prime Minister
In the wake of the Thai government's lawsuit against cartoonist Chai Rachawat, the country's Minister of Information and Communications Technology has warned that websites containing defamatory remarks against the Prime Minister will be immediately shut down.
Netizen Report: China's “Seven Speak-Nots” Bring New Hurdles for Netizens
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world. This report highlights new policies in China that are increasing restrictions for netizens in the country.
Irrepressible Voices: A New Human Rights Video Website
This post introduces the newly launched project Irrepressible Voices, a citizen video platform. Irrepressible Voices aims to fill the gap between citizen journalists' work and mainstream media coverage of human rights issues by connecting online activists, bloggers, and citizen journalists with the mainstream media as well as with policy and decision makers.
Netizen Report: Bahraini Blogger Surfaces After Two Years in Hiding
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world. This week we begin with the stories of two prominent political bloggers from Bahrain and Chad, both living in exile and facing unique challenges in the online and offline worlds.
Netizen Report: Azerbaijan, Brazil Consider New Legislation on Expression
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world. This week, we examine a range of regulatory and legislative issues that have recently emerged in Azerbaijan, Brazil, Germany, and Ghana.
Netizen Report: Israel Asserts Right to Search Email
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world. This week we focus on a new set of surveillance issues in Israel and the United States, as well as challenges to online activists in Singapore and Malaysia.
Human Rights Verdict Could Affect Cisco in China
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?
Netizen Report: News Sites Face Cyberattacks, Censorship
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights around the world. This week we focus on a series of attacks on digital news sites in Guatemala, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh, and examine challenges to online activists in Russia, Venezuela, and Nigeria.
Japan: The Police Don't Want You to Use Tor [UPDATE]
According to an April 18 news report, Japan's National Police Agency may soon urge Internet Service Providers to 'voluntarily' block the use of Tor, the anonymous online communication system. The NPA report carrying this announcement has not been formally released; whether NPA will actually put this move into practice remains unknown.
