Stories about Digital Activism from February, 2013
What India Can Learn From #Shahbag
Sandip Roy writes why India should be paying attention to its neighbors #Shahbag uprising as there is a conversation happening there which matters to everyone in South Asia.
Weary of Austerity, Portugal Sings a Song of Revolution
Thousands of Portuguese people have promised a massive anti-austerity protest on March 2, 2013. Leading up to the date, demonstrators have led a campaign to interrupt government ministers during their public appearances by singing a historic song used by revolutionaries who toppled the country's dictatorship in 1974.
“Liberal, Jewish, Sexy”: Keeping Tabs on Hungarian Students
According to a report published by a Hungarian TV channel, members of the student union of one of the universities in Budapest allegedly kept tabs on students’ religion, ethnic background and political affiliation.
Sexual, Holy and Disruptive: One Billion Rising in the Caribbean
The "One Billion Rising" campaign, created in response to statistics which suggest that one in three women will be assaulted or raped in their lifetime, called on women across the world to dance together in protest of gender violence on February 14th. Various groups throughout the Caribbean participated...
Get it Right: “It's Colombia, NOT Columbia”
In an attempt to fix a common spelling error and improve the image of their country, four young Colombian professionals launched the social media campaign "It's Colombia, NOT Columbia." Despite its quick success, the campaign has not been free from criticism.
Bulgarian Government Quits, But Protests Continue
The protests in Bulgaria continue: on Sunday, in Sofia and other cities, tens of thousands of people marched against corruption, high utility bills and poverty. Ruslan Trad reports from the Bulgarian capital.
Syria: “Lens of a Young Homsi”, Photographs of a City under Siege
A group of young photographers from Homs has become an important source of information about the besieged Syrian city. In addition to letting the world know what's happening in Homs, they also receive daily requests from people who had to flee the city and want to know if their houses have been destroyed or not.
Cuban Yoani Sánchez's Arrival in Brazil Makes Noise
Acclaimed Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez left Cuba this past Sunday for the first time since 2004. Sánchez will visit and speak at universities, NGOs and government forums in Europe, Latin America and the United States. While many voices around the world have expressed joy and excitement about Sánchez’s tour, responses have not all been positive.
Kazakhstan to ‘Work Closely’ with Bloggers
Marat Tazhin, a senior government official in Kazakhstan ordered [ru] yesterday the creation of a database of the most popular bloggers and moderators of major social media networks in the country. He also ordered state-run media and press services of key ministries to “work closely” with the bloggers and use their...
SenseCamp Berlin: a Social Entrepreneurship Gathering
Berlin held its second SenseCamp on February 8 and 9, 2013, a barcamp dedicated to social entrepreneurship. The program included workshops, meetings and conferences, to raise the impact of social entrepreneurial start-ups. Creative types, entrepreneurs and those who were interested, were invited to register in order to participate in this...
Evacuate the Children of Fukushima
Parents, residents and lawyers are taking to the streets demanding that their children by evacuated from Japan's Fukushima region, where they claim radiation levels continue to be high.
Yoani Sánchez Divides Opinions on a Visit to Brazil
Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez was received in Brazil by pro-Cuban government protesters, who accuse her of receiving money from the United States' government and of being a CIA agent. The ones that support the dissident's actions accuse the Brazilian government of collaborating with the Cuban government's repression.
Senegal Balks as President Recycles Predecessor's Pal
The president of Senegal's decision to appoint a local architect, renowned for his work but notorious for his political schmoozing with previous regimes, as the head of a proposed Senegalese cultural house in New York has come under fire.
The Spanish Government's ‘Obscene’ Hashtag Makes Waves on Twitter
The Spanish governing party launched the hashtag #QuelaenseñeRubalcaba [#ShowyoursRubalcaba] in order to urge the leader of the opposition to publish his income tax return. The hashtag has been received with great furore on Twitter and became a Top Trend within a few hours. In this article we've collected some of the wittiest tweets, as well as numerous images which surfers have been uploading on the social network. [All links lead to Spanish language pages unless otherwise stated]
A Fistful of Bloggers: Russian MP Pressured to Resign
Duma Ethics Committee Chairman Vladimir Pekhtin resigned today after a week of pressure from bloggers and the media over undeclared Florida property.
[Webcast] Thoughts On The Fallout from Kony 2012
Ruha Devanesan explores how Invisible Children has responded to criticism of Kony 2012 and adapted its messaging and asks what lessons can be learned by the human rights advocacy community.
Targeted by Kuwaiti Police, Stateless Video Blogger Calls it Quits
A video blogger in Kuwait is walking away from his cyber-activism, writing that police have threatened and beaten him. Mona Kareem tells us why the Angry Bedoon will no longer be sharing videos of oppression against stateless people in Kuwait.
“Ask Angy” Humanizes the Experience of Undocumented Immigrants
Angy Rivera shares her immigration story with the world in hopes of humanizing this complex experience, particularly in the United States. Two years ago she publicly announced that "she did not fear being undocumented," and since then she writes a column entitled Ask Angy, in which she responds to questions, doubts, and comments.
Matisse Bustos Hawkes, Witness and the Power of Video
We spoke with Matisse Bustos Hawkes, communications manager at Witness, an international non-profit organization that uses the power of video and narrative to open the world's eyes to human rights' abuses.
