Stories about Citizen Media from July, 2012
Brazil: Concerns Over Public Health in Januária
Participants of the citizen journalism project Amigos de Januária, Rising Voices grantee of 2011, are carrying on the mission to monitor the local government of Januária, in Brazil. The latest posts on their blog refer to concerns over health and public safety.
Nigeria: Senate President Calls for Social Media Censorship
The President of Nigeria's Senate, David Mark, recently advocated clamping down on social media in the country arguing that there was no opportunity for retraction of information in such media. Many netizens perceive his comments as a declaration of battle on the Nigerian web.
Argentina: Evita's Face on New Banknote
In honor of the 60th anniversary of the death of Eva Duarte de Perón (Evita), President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner unveiled a new banknote with Evita's image, replacing Julio Roca on $100 bills. On social networks, some defend the change and others criticize it.
Brazil: Project Discusses Political Campaign Sign Litter
Few months ahead of municipal elections in Brazil, the campaign Quem sujou agora, vai sujar depois [Who litters now, will litter afterwards] aims to raise awareness on how political candidates make Brazilian towns dirty during election campaigns. The project's page on Facebook [pt] gathers denouncing photos and videos sent by...
Brazil: Board of Social Communication Under Criticism
The Observatório do Direito à Comunicação, website of communication rights in Brazil, reports that [pt] the Board of Social Communication, elected by National Congress on July 17, is under criticism as the list of candidates was concealed and voting session was unannounced. Board members analyze, report and make recommendations on...
Laos: Environmental Impact of Xayaburi Dam
Kirk Herbertson explains the environmental impact as construction of the controversial Xayaburi Dam along Mekong River in Laos begins.
Peru: Environmental Journalist Detained in Cajamarca
Juan Arellano reports [es] in his blog that the “environmental journalist Jorge Chávez Ortiz, known on Twitter as @chavezwar [es], has reportedly been detained a few hours ago in Cajamarca. The young journalist from Cajamarca is also responsible for the blog Mi mina corrupta (“My corrupt mine”) [es], where he...
London: Triumph Beyond Medals for Bangladeshis
Five Bangladeshi athletes are in London to participate in the 2012 Olympics. Bangladeshis are not optimistic that their athletes will come back with medals. However, this is not the end of the Olympic dream for Bangladesh. Their main triumph is not on the field, but off the field.
Tajikistan: Telecoms Blackout Amidst Provincial Clashes
Amidst deadly clashes in the eastern Tajik province of Gorno-Badakhshan, the authorities have cut Internet, mobile, and landline connection to the region. Online people are sharing information via social media and trying to draw international attention to the situation on the ground.
Jamaica: Campaign to Exonerate Marcus Garvey – Part 1
Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican political leader, writer and thinker who is considered a national hero in the land of his birth. But in the United States, Garvey is down on record as a convicted felon. In the first installment of this two-part post, Global Voices talks to one Jamaican diaspora blogger, Geoffrey Philp, who started an online campaign to clear Marcus Garvey's name.
Brazil: Ministry of Health forms Partnership with Facebook on Organ Donation
The Blog da Saúde [Health Blog] announced [pt] the Ministry of Health's partnership with Facebook to encourage organ donation by members of the largest social network in the world. “The Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, and the Vice President of Facebook for Latin America, Alexandre Hohagen, will launch, next Monday (30th), a new profile feature for Facebook users...
Trinidad & Tobago: Panday on the Pulpit
“Mr Ramnath’s widow was driven to observe that she didn’t think her husband’s funeral would be used ‘as a platform to bash the government’. Spot the real neemakharam”: B.C. Pires blogs about a former Prime Minister's use of the pulpit to spew political vitriol.
Trinidad & Tobago: Ramadan & Coffee
What's Ramadan like for a coffee drinker? Find out here.
Zambia: Pupils Expelled For Facebook Activities
Twenty one pupils at a secondary school in rural western Zambia have been expelled over vile messages against their teachers on Facebook. Meanwhile, ruling party boss wants Zambian citizen news website shut.
Cuba: Rights Activists Beaten, Detained by Police at Payá Funeral
Rights activists and foreign media in Cuba reported on July 23 that Cuban state police detained nearly 50 individuals as they departed from funeral services for Oswaldo Payá, leader of the famed Varela Project and a winner of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for human rights and democracy. Among those detailed were Guillermo Fariñas and Antonio Rodiles.
Panama Pins Hopes on Eight Olympic Athletes
Panama will attend the London 2012 Olympic games with eight athletes. The biggest hopeful is Irving Saladino, current Olympic long-jump champion. Netizens and some of the Panamanian athletes share their hopes and concerns on social networks.
Greece: Photo ‘Road Trip’ Around Europe Debt Crisis
‘We Are The Pigs‘ – in reference to the derogatory PIGS acronym – is a crowdfunded photojournalism ‘road trip’ venture, to collect people's stories from European countries affected by the debt crisis. The project, started by two young Central European women journalists frustrated with the stereotypical hyperbole and abuse levelled in the media...
Jordan: Thousands of Syrians Seek Refuge
The situation in Syria has led hundreds of thousands of Syrians to flee the country to neighbouring Jordan. A Jordanian government source has said that officials are preparing for the possible arrival of up to one million Syrians.
Bolivia: Athletes Not a Priority at London Olympics
Bolivia is taking only 5 athletes to the XXX Olympic Games in London. A scandal related to the expenses of the Olympic leadership has exploded on social networks and reached the news media. The debate also focuses on the very poor level of sports in the country, which has never won an Olympic medal.
Argentina: Athletes Tweet Photos From #London2012
Just days before the Olympic Games begin in London, Argentine athletes share photos from London on their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Global: A Marathon to Translate the Declaration of Internet Freedom
The Olympic Games are taking off in London, but Global Voices Lingua translators are also excited with another marathon: the Internet Freedom Translathon, a challenge to get the Declaration of Internet Freedom translated in as many languages and dialects as possible in 24 hours. Global Voices Lingua project is curating translations: you don't have to be an Olympic athlete or professional translator to join us!
