Stories about Citizen Media from December, 2016
What Are People Naming Their Kids in Mexico?
Did you know there are Mexicans named "Christmas Day" or "Yahoo" and that -- to make matters worse -- online bullying violates their privacy?
Social Media Sites Blocked in Kazakhstan on 25th Anniversary of Independence
Activists reported that Facebook, YouTube, and other social media websites were inaccessible in Kazakhstan on Friday, the 25th anniversary of the country's independence from the Soviet Union.
#FreeMaxenceMelo: Authorities Charge Tanzanian Whistleblowing Website Owner Under Cybercrimes Law
"Mentioning 'Tanzania' and 'democracy' in the same sentence amounts to subjecting the term 'democracy' to ridicule."
Controversial Trinidad Carnival Fete Frustrates Fans Seeking Fun
The organisers of Soaka 2017 may have thought they were being Internet-savvy by asking patrons to go through a five-step ticketing process, but it struck some as elitist and discriminatory.
2016 Was the Caribbean's Year of Loss
For bloggers in the Caribbean, “2016” has nearly become an obscenity. Adjectives now used to describe this "annus horribilis" include "sucky", "terrible" and "the worst".
Controversial Legislation in Bangladesh Highlights the Complexity of Child Marriage
"Civil society easily can see child marriage but is blind to the fact why it happens. When there is development in society...child marriages will fall. We need time for that."
Syrian Media Activist: ‘It Is Terrible and Scary, Aleppo Has Become a Horror City’
Gnaid, an activist with the Aleppo Media Center, and his wife recently welcomed their second child, a baby girl, in the midst of a deadly siege on their city.
A Guerrilla Campaign Is Spreading Warmth Around the UK—One Place Card at the Time
"We need to send a timely reminder that...to build a better future together every one of us has to feel we belong."
Accessible Japan: Information About Traveling in Japan With a Disability
The site features gorgeous photos, as well as accessibility reviews of many of Japan's most famous landmarks.
Bulgarians React Quickly in Solidarity Response to Hitrino Train Tragedy
At least seven people were killed in the blast that followed a rail accident in one of the country's most impoverished regions.
After Missing Woman Is Found Dead, Trinbagonians Say, ‘Enough is Enough’
"How do we fix this? Where do we start? Who has the expertise [...] to bring about the changes [...] required to get these criminals off our blood splattered streets?"
Calls for ‘All Hands on Deck’ as Caribbean Islands Recover From Devastating Rains
"It is ridiculous my country still does not fully appreciate the need for disaster research and local research support."
The Bengali New Year’s Celebration of Democracy and Diversity Is Declared Intangible Cultural Heritage
"As long as Bangladesh lives, there will be this type of New Year's celebration...This is the image of a secular Bangladesh.
Sudanese Government Targets Activists, Stifles Media Coverage of Civil Disobedience
The civil disobedience action began on 27 November after the government removed subsidies on electricity, fuel and medicine.
Trinidad & Tobago Shaken—and Stirred—by Strong Earthquake
Trinidad and Tobago lies along a major earthquake fault line, so the tremor wasn't all that surprising -- but netizens still saw humour in the midst of an unnerving experience.
Egyptian Authorities Are Using Travel Bans to Crack Down on Human Rights Activists
"The government has been working for the last two years on restructuring the legislative system to violate the constitution. Even in the time of Mubarak we didn’t see this."
Dancehall Directory? A New Yellow Pages Cover Stirs Controversy in Jamaica
"When [they] attacked the Yellow Pages for their representation of this aspect of our culture, they didn’t just attack a genre of music…they attacked an identity, a way of life."
A Macedonian Tradition Continues: Nude Twitter Calendar Helps Promote HIV/AIDS Prevention
Would you pose nude for charity? Macedonian Twitter users do it every year -- and the 2016 edition raises awareness about HIV/ADIS prevention.
Dismantling Patriarchy at the Roots – One Video, One Conversation at a Time
Why are the aspirations of young girls’ treated differently from those of young boys? Why are girls prepared for housework from an early age and boys are allowed to play?
Caribbean Women Take Their Power Back by Sharing Stories of Sexual Abuse Via the #LifeinLeggings Hashtag
"#LifeinLeggings is the story of women AND girl children [...] A large number of the stories are of childhood events. [...] Measure the country's level of civilization against that."
Polls Open Amid Communications Blackout in The Gambia
The Gambia has shut off all external communications as citizens cast their votes in the country's presidential elections, by blocking both the internet and international phone calls.
