Stories about WORLD from November, 2016
Alipay’s New App Abuses Personal Data and Reinforces China's Class Divisions, Critics Say
"Even if the company needs to expand into social media, it should use a better means rather than being so shameless."
Experts Cast Doubt on Tunisia’s Biometric Identification Bill
Digital rights advocates and Tunisia's Data Protection Authority are voicing concern about the bill. At present, Tunisia does not require government authorities to obtain court approval before accessing citizen data.
Internet Freedom Declines in Russia and Ukraine, Improves in Belarus
Russia, Belarus and the Central Asian states were all rated "not free" in Freedom House's 2016 "Freedom on the Web" report.
Brazilian Activists Outsmart Facebook's Censorship of the Female Nipple
"What are the real differences between one portrait and another? What is offensive in one nipple that isn't in the other?"
Complaint of Moldy Buns Triggers Wave of Harassment at Chinese University
A student was forced to make a public apology after accusing his school cafeteria of selling moldy buns. He has now left Weibo, after receiving a flood of harassing comments.
Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri Bans Photojournalist for this ‘Unofficial’ Photo
Hussein Baydoun was barred from photographing the PM after this image was published. Photographs he took during last year's ‘you stink’ protests against government corruption were featured in numerous outlets.
Brazil Superior Court Rules in Google's Favor, Against ‘Right to Be Forgotten’
The court ruled that forcing search engines to adjudicate removal requests would give too much responsibility to search engines, effectively making them into digital censors.
No Surprise: Backdoors and Spyware on Smartphones is the Norm in China
"We are so used to the leaking of personal data. We don’t care about government surveillance anymore. We are nobody."
Despite Suppression, Founder of Prize-winning Chinese Citizen Journalism Website Remains Optimistic
This post was written by Catherine Lai and originally published on Hong Kong Free Press on November 12, 2016. The version below is published on Global Voices under a partnership agreement. Despite the continued detention of his reporters and having been imprisoned twice, the founder of the citizen news site…
Netizen Report: Trump Win Triggers Safety and Surveillance Fears
US activists weather wave of post-election social media harassment, Ethiopia blocks Global Voices, and the UK finally passes the much-maligned Snoopers Charter.
Omani Film Critic Sentenced to Jail Over Facebook Posts
"As long as there is a human being exploiting a human being, there are revolutionary dreams, and dreams make the future."
Cameroonian Government Launches Campaign Against Social Media, Calls It “A New Form of Terrorism”
The government of Cameroon considers social media “a new form of terrorism.”
Chinese State Media CEO Challenges Tencent’s Power Over Online News
Xu, who has 33 years of experience working in media, is now openly expressing concern that Internet corporates may soon be more powerful than the state and the party.
Ethiopian Authorities Arrest Zone9 Blogger Befeqadu Hailu Citing ‘State of Emergency’
Hailu was told that his arrest was prompted by the interview he gave for Voice of America's Amharic Service about Ethiopia's state of emergency.
A French Videographer is Detained, Highlighting France's Odd Use of ‘State of Emergency’
Gaspard Glantz, Taranis News site creator and video reporter focusing on protest movements in France is facing legal challenges that constraint his work.
Russia Tightens Grip on Tech Infrastructure, Cuts Ties With US Firms
As concerns about the Kremlin’s involvement in cyber attacks against the West deepen, Moscow is taking aim at Microsoft, Oracle and IBM. Are these efforts symbolic or strategic?
Turkey Continues to Arrest Kurdish Politicians, Restrict Internet Use
"What was done tonight is not only a coup but also an operation to separate the country!"
‘We Will Not Surrender': Opposition Voices Rally to Support Turkey's Besieged Media
Yet another independent media outlet in post-coup attempt Turkey is on the brink.
Chinese Activist Who Wore ‘Xitler’ T-Shirt Goes Missing in Detention
"He’s one of a very small number of young Chinese who have been outspoken in criticising the Chinese government on Twitter using their real names."
Demystifying Social Media Censorship — in Arabic, Spanish and English
Social media platforms have terms of use that restrict several types of content including nudity, hate speech, and violence. But these difficult-to-define rules are always subject to interpretation.
