Featured stories about Digital Activism
Stories about Digital Activism
‘I didn't ask for it!': Four women fighting against gender-based violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The spontaneous decision to host a page where women would anonymously share their experiences of sexual assault and harassment has received a response far beyond anything the activists expected.
‘Our activism won't stop': The Oyan movement recounts the January protests in Kazakhstan
Accused of stirring up the protest by the president and political analysts, activists from Oyan, Qazaqstan! tell their version of the story of the protests and violence that shook Kazakhstan.
Trinidad and Tobago residents’ response to proposed amendments to fireworks legislation? Enforce existing laws
"As it stands, the draft fireworks bill is unacceptable. According to one source, the draft sounds like it was written by the sellers of fireworks themselves."
Indians give Chinese places hilarious names after China renames 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh
As China renamed 15 places in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, Indians on Twitter responded by renaming Chinese places with Indian names.
Fuel protests spill over into political demands across Kazakhstan
A regional dispute over higher fuel prices turned into a mass protest across Kazakhstan, where people demand more freedom, while the government sent special forces to disperse the crowds.
Google removes YouTube ads featuring interrogations of Belarusian political prisoners
The short videos, used to promote pro-government channels, feature opposition members and independent journalists imprisoned by the Lukashenka regime in what look like forced confessions made under duress.
The Civic Media Observatory in 2021
2021 was a big year for the Civic Media Observatory. Here’s a recap of our work.
In Nigeria, the government weaponises the law against online expression
The Nigerian Communications Act of 2003 (NCA) has been employed by the government in justifying various violations of online freedom of expression in Africa's most populous nation.
Undertones: Online violence in Myanmar, Pakistan’s smog cover-up
Myanmar’s pro-military factions express themselves openly on social media, targeting pro-democracy supporters. And the government of Pakistan’s Punjab region clamps don on posts about poor air quality in the region.
Despite updates in legislation, organisations in Uganda struggle with data protection and privacy compliance
While Ugandan legislation was recently updated to include more provisions aimed at protecting digital privacy, reality on the ground shows the majority of Ugandans are not guaranteed those rights.
2021 in retrospective: Authoritarian practices threatened journalists and restricted media freedom in South Asia
In this retrospective, we will review issues of online and press freedom, censorship, the safety of journalists and digital rights in South Asia that we covered during the year.
Tunisia: New prosecutions resurrect shadow of dictatorship
The use of military law by Kais Said's government to prosecute journalists and restrict freedom of expression foreshadows a return to the nightmare governments of before the Arab Spring.
Namibian activists maximize social media to expose unlawful jurisdiction and homophobic legislature
LGBTQ+ and feminist activists in Namibia use social media as a tool to gain international attention and put pressure on their government to ensure equal rights.
Push to stop it: Anti-harassment buttons appear in Uzbekistan's buses
NGO Sarpa and Israeli aid agency Mashav teamed up with Tashkent's bus company to install an anti-harassment button on board.
How new generations are reinventing antifascism in Bosnia and Herzegovina
"How can we truly recognize manifestations of fascism and antifascism in societies that are free from direct physical conflict, where the definition of the 'other side' is becoming progressively more blurry ... ?"
Russia blocks access to Tor browser website
The push for greater online censorship is part of the country's "sovereign internet" strategy which seeks to cement centralised state control over internet infrastructure and online spaces.
Belarus, transformed: political analysts track social and political change in the country
"The Belarusians have re-envisioned their national identity, giving birth to a new civil society and reformatting social processes that generate new patterns of behavior."
In Azerbaijan, bullying in schools is still a problem
Ali Malikov, a high school senior, is boycotting his school after lack of action by the school administration and the Ministry of Education to address bullying and harassment.
Press freedom and the Indian judiciary
In India, journalists are being unfairly charged with defamation, sedition, and publishing fake news. Despite the constitutional guarantee of press freedom, threats to the press are rampant in the country.
Ukraine marks anniversary of Euromaidan protest on Day of Dignity and Freedom
Global Voices covered the Revolution of Dignity extensively in 2013 and 2014, featuring the multitude of citizen voices as captured by our volunteer authors.
When athletes get political: Support for the Uyghurs ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics
NBA player Enes Kanter called for fellow Muslim athletes to join him in condemning the atrocities that the Uyghurs have been suffering at the hand of the Chinese government.
