Stories about Digital Activism from April, 2021
The rise and fall of Clubhouse in Turkey
After a brief few months of popularity among student protesters and opposition activists, pro-Erdoğan figures have now flooded the app.
Ukraine, Belarus commemorate 35th anniversary of Chernobyl disaster
For the world, Chornobyl symbolises the fragility of our environment and the threat posed by human activity. But for many in Ukraine and Belarus, it remains a personal tragedy.
Harnessing the power of social media, Indian netizens support one another during the second wave of COVID-19
As India's healthcare system reels under mounting cases of COVID-19, citizens rally the power of social media to help one another and keep hope alive.
Cuban artists fight repression through song, social media and hunger strikes
Internet access is opening up the island to new forms of protest against a government that has long controlled the narrative.
A Namibian couple's battle to bring home twin daughters born via surrogacy
Lühl and Delgado's case has been widely debated on social media and, for many Namibians, it is a symbol of the country's LGBTQ+ community's struggle for equal rights.
An activist's effort to put his native language Dagbani on the digital map
"The representation of multiple languages online is one way to ensure that all the different ways of seeing the world by different people are captured and well-preserved."
Feminist activist in Russia faces prison term for ‘body-positive’ drawings
Human rights groups have labeled Yulia Tsvetkova a prisoner of conscience and have called on Russia to remove all charges and to "stop targeting feminist, LGBTI and other activists."
Inspiring new generations of Balinese language speakers through superheroes and wikis
"Unequal access to digitalization is our biggest problem. Internet users continue to grow, but in reality not all areas in Bali have adequate internet access."
Russian authorities crack down on student journalism outlet over protest explainer video
Supporters of DOXA journal have called the charges against its editors "preposterous" and demanded that "all harassment of students immediately cease."
Herself a victim of cyberbullying, Lindsey Kukunda fights online violence against women in Uganda
Uganda media “promotes violence against women …. stories of ‘revenge porn’ are not written in support of the victim but as entertainment and blame.”
Digital discourse: How going online is keeping Kadazan and other indigenous languages alive in Borneo
"The indigenous languages don’t have to stay in dusty cabinets. We can use technology to have our languages and cultures available online."
Should there be Shona-language versions of Google and social media sites? This Zimbawean technologist says yes
"Native speakers should be at the forefront of researching and producing these tools as they better understand their own language."
Serbian freelancers protest new taxation law that threatens to push thousands into poverty
Told for years that their line of work was not regulated by law and had no framework for taxation, digital workers are now expected to pay hefty taxes in retrospect.
Kenyan activists intimidated as irked citizens stage online protest against IMF loans
Using hashtags #StopLoaningKenya and #StopGivingKenyaLoans, Kenyans expressed frustration at the IMF for approving additional debt intended to fund a response to COVID-19. State intimidates social media users to quit dissent.
Algerians’ speech freedoms strained by media laws passed under COVID-19 pretext
As Hirak protests continue to protest unmet public demands, Algerian government uses the pandemic to restrain independent media platforms and people's digital rights through suppressive laws.
For stateless and scattered Tibetans, a new online tool helps voters make an informed choice
The reliable online platform, created by a group of Swiss Tibetans, allows candidates and voters to communicate effectively, and although it overcame some challenges, others are work in progress.
Jamaicans agonise, politicians seek solutions after another young woman is killed
News of a young woman's murder comes against the backdrop of record murder rates in Jamaica which, according to one 2020 survey, is the highest in the region.
Thierry Henry quits social media and calls for platforms to act against racist online attacks
Popular public figures are quitting social media as an increase in virtual racial attacks against football players prompts fresh calls for social media platforms to do more.
Ghanaian digital activist pushes for more online visibility for the Dagbani language
Sadik Shahadu: "Even though there are offline Dagbani resources and learning materials in most public libraries in some schools from the north, getting access to them is somehow difficult."
Israeli phone hacking firm stops sales to Belarus and Russia
Cellebrite, an Israeli software company known for making tools used to extract data from smartphones, has announced it will halt sales to Russian and Belarus state bodies and law enforcement.
