Stories about Citizen Media from April, 2015
The Curious Chronology of Russian Twitter Bots
Multiple Twitter accounts were created on the same day, sometimes within hours of each other. This trend, typical for automated bot networks, was evident throughout Alexander's pro-Kremlin bot sample.
Understanding Copyright in the Arab World
Arab countries should not extend the length of their copyright term without thinking of the consequences that this will have on the ability of society to access knowledge and culture.
‘There Is a Word Missing in the History of the Armenian Genocide: Justice’
Only five Latin American countries have recognized the Armenian genocide, among them Argentina, where a journalist tells the story of her grandparents harrowing escape.
Thousands of Guatemalans March to Demand Resignations of Top Leadership
According to some analysts, these protests are different from demonstrations against "corruption as usual," and could lead to an institutional crisis, early elections, or even a coup.
Late Author Eduardo Galeano Saw Something Deeply Profound in Soccer
The Uruguayan writer was one of the first in Latin America to dare to muse on the nature of the game known as the opium of the people.
Nepal Earthquake: People Around the World Scramble Online to Find Loved Ones
Many around the world and in Nepal are desperately trying to reach loved ones through social media.
At Least 115 Children Killed as a Result of War in Yemen
At least 115 children have been killed and 172 maimed as a result of conflict in Yemen since 26 March, according to UNICEF. The number is likely to rise.
Pakistani Activist Sabeen Mahmud Shot Dead After Hosting an Event on Balochistan
Sabeen arranged this event after a roundtable under the same name "Unsilencing Balochistan" was cancelled at a leading private university called LUMS following pressure from Pakistani spies.
A Response to the Kremlin-Bot Skeptics
After Alexander's bot network analysis garnered massive attention from Russian media and social networks, he now addresses some of the skepticism about the bot networks and their provenance.
“Take the Right Side in the Struggle of the Oppressed”: A Letter to John Kerry from Kilinto Prison, Ethiopia
In a letter to John Kerry, jailed Ethiopian blogger Natnael Feleke writes: "Because of the repressive regime, the Ethiopian constitution is powerless to protect citizens from being abused."
A Year After Their Arrest, Ethiopia's Zone9 Bloggers Remain Strong and Determined
"It is eery the degree to which the bloggers seemed to anticipate their current fate."
Guyana's Health Minister Assails Women's Activist, Says He Would ‘Slap Her Ass’
The Minister of Health's tirade against a women's rights activist raises questions about gender equality, human rights and the political status quo in Guyana.
Japanese University Turns a Blind Eye to the Plight of Campus Cats
Professor Charles Januzzi has worked for nearly 25 years to care and control the population of a stray cat colony on campus, but University of Fukui now says no more.
Colombia's Festival on the Value of Data in Development
The Cartagena Data Festival has just wrapped up in Cartagena, Colombia. The festival is an international event committed to discussing data deployment for human development and related topics, like open data, data journalism, big data, and other analysis tools. The festival, which ran from April 20 to April 22 and took place in...
Were Turkmen Dissidents Wrong to Publish a Video of Schoolgirls ‘Turning Up the Love’ on Their YouTube Channel?
In deeply traditional, highly repressive Turkmenistan, schoolgirls dancing along to Western songs is akin to a crime against the state.
Mexico's Escalating Labor Strike in San Quentin
Global Voices looks at farm workers' protests in San Quintin and Mexico's larger ethnic conflict and social challenges.
Are Blogs an Endangered Species?
This text is part of the 46th #LunesDeBlogsGV (#MondayBlogsOnGlobalVoices) on March 23, 2015. On #LunesDeBlogsGV (#MondayOfBlogsOnGlobalVoices), we work to preserve blogs as an “endangered species”, confronting the challenges that threaten their existence in today's digital jungle. In a similar effort, the blogger Iván Lasso compiles stories about the future of blogging and the problems bloggers face today, when their...
Japanese Women Push Back Against Leaning In
The Japanese government wants more women in the workforce, but some women, stretched thin between childcare, running a household and caring for aging parents, feel the support system isn't there.
‘Anonymous International’ Wants You to Think the Kremlin Can Hide Nothing
'Anonymous International' continues to leak confidential government correspondence in Russia, while the group's methods and motivations remain shrouded in mystery.
Angola: Award-Winning Journalist Faces Trial Over ‘Blood Diamonds’ Investigation
Jonathan McCully contributed to this report. Last month, Rafael Marques de Morais was awarded the Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Award for Journalism for his “impactful, original, and unwavering investigative journalism” in his home country of Angola. Tomorrow, he will face trial on multiple charges of criminal defamation because of...
‘We Want Answers': Mexico’s Federal Police Accused of Massacre at Apatzingán
An investigative report debunks the Mexican government's version of a shooting in January. "Friendly fire" among civilians didn't leave 16 people dead. Federal police firing into a downtown plaza did.