Stories about Digital Activism from May, 2013
Media's Too Simple View of Japan LGBT
Blogger and activist Masaki C. has something to say about English media coverage of LGBT politics in Japan, arguing that they simplify the issue down to marriage equality: They are, in constructing LGBT politics in Japan as such, erasing local history and ignoring dialogues taking place among queers in Japan.
Muslim TV Anchor Faces Backlash in India Over ‘Uncivilized’ Veil Comment
A female anchor for a popular Malayalam-language television channel in the southern Indian state of Kerala is facing a firestorm of criticism after she called the Muslim practice of women wearing a veil "uncivilized" and a form of oppression.
Brazilian Boy Band Tour Continues Despite Rape Indictments
Despite nine members of the 'pagode' boy band New Hit being indicted for the gang rape of two sixteen-year-old girls, the group has continued with its national tour regardless
Interview: Chadian Blogger and Journalist Expelled from Senegal to Guinea
The Senegalese government expelled Chadian journalist and blogger Makaila Nguebla on May 8, 2013, sending him to Guinea. He explained his situation in an interview with Global Voices' Anna Guèye.
‘Syria Untold': The Storytelling of the Syrian Revolution
Syria Untold is a new independent digital media project exploring the storytelling of the Syrian struggle and the country's diverse forms of resistance. The project will be partnering with Global Voices Online.
Is Ukrainian Right-Wing Blogger Eligible for the Bobs 2013 Award?
Ukraine was having a trouble-free debut at this year's The Bobs, Deutsche Welle's international blogger contest, until blogger Olena Bilozerska became the User Winner in the Best Blog Ukrainian nomination. Her victory turned sour and a scandal ensued when the Ukrainian netizens alerted the contest's organizers to her blog's ultra-right content. Oleg Shynkarenko reports.
Anonymous Hacks North Korea Again
Hacker collective Anonymous appears to have launched another round of attacks on major North Korean websites over the weekend. A guideline on targets and tools of ‘Operation North Korea Second Project’ was shared via Pastebin, North Korea tech explains in detail.
Ukraine's Freedom Party Crusades Against Gay Pride Parade
On May 25, Ukraine will once again attempt to hold its first gay pride parade ever. The previous attempt failed a year ago, when the event was cancelled shortly before it was to begin and one of its organizers was beaten by a group of masked men. Judging from the online reactions that began to appear as soon as the upcoming Equality March was announced, things may not go very smoothly this year as well.
Peru: “Freedom Camp” Raises Awareness of Possible TPP Consequences
The "Campamento por la Libertad" ("Freedom Camp") took place last weekend in Lima, focusing on raising awareness of the consequences that the signing and implementation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) could bring. Find out here about what transpired and what was created.
Mapping the Cuban Blogosphere
Blogger Yasmín S. Portales comments on the challenges of mapping the Cuban blogosphere, including everything and anything written in blogs. This is her most recent project: A directory is a map: you have the swamps of glorious battles swamps and the mountains of infamy. You include it all, or it's...
Efraín Ríos Montt Found Guilty of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity
Guatemalan de facto dictator Efraín Ríos Montt was found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity. The 86-year-old former General was sentenced to 80 years in prison. This landmark verdict sets a precedent for current conflicts around the world.
RuNet Apprehensive over Surkov's Dismissal, End of Political Era
"Before there was trickery, now it has been replaced with criminal charges and prison sentences. Surkov, whatever you may think of him, is, first of all, a political aesthete, who won't break pots with a hammer"
South Korean President's Spokesman Fired
South Korean President's press spokesman Yoon Chang-joong was relieved of his duty over allegation that he sexually assaulted a 21-year-old intern during President Park's visit to the United States which he accompanied. A community website for Korean women living in the U.S, Missy USA, first revealed the case and a screen...
Haiti: The “White Savior Industrial Complex”
kiskeácity links to a letter which “echoes many of the issues Haitians face with the White Savior Industrial Complex…and its army of 3,000 NGOs, 12,000 UN troops, innumerable speakers for Haiti, appropriators of Haiti's ancestral religion, culture and music and other so-called ‘allies’ who silence Haitians for a profit while...
Fight Against Ritual Killings Gears Up in Gabon
The discovery of a young girl's mutilated body on a beach in Gabon's capital city of Libreville has renewed the fight in the Central African country against the superstitious practice of ritual killings.
Conservative Pundit Sues South Korea's Saturday Night Live TV Show
Political satire in South Korea is having a rough go of it these days. The country's version of American comedy show Saturday Night Live faces a lawsuit filed by a conservative pundit who was lampooned on the program. And earlier this year, the wildly popular sketch-comedy show Gag Concert was reprimanded by authorities for addressing the South Korean president in too casual a manner.
Watchdog Social Media Monitor Pakistan's Historic Elections
As Pakistan nears its first democratic transition of power with the country's historic elections only days away, social media is empowering Pakistanis to take a more active role in the vote. We take a look at two new platforms that are monitoring elections and raising awareness through social media: Pak Votes and Pak Voter.
Crowdsourcing a Fair Election in Bulgaria
In less than five days, on May 12, Bulgarian citizens will elect a new parliament. There are doubts, however, about the fairness of the upcoming vote. To help monitor the violations of the electoral process, Bulgarian activists have created several online tools. Ruslan Trad reports.
Spanish Blogger Goes After Anti-Catalan Prejudice in Viral Video
A YouTube video featuring an Andalusian Spanish blogger criticizing xenophobic attitudes in Spain toward the region of Catalonia has gone viral.
Turf War Brewing in Brazil Over Corruption Investigations
On the heels of a landmark corruption case in Brazil that saw former members of ex-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's government convicted of participating in a vote-buying scheme, a proposed constitutional amendment in Brazil would hand over much of the investigative powers of the public prosecutors' office, which prosecuted that case, to police.
RuNet Speculates on Protest Rally Size, Again
Every Russian opposition rally and march attracts wild online speculation about the numbers of the participants -- both by observers and the participants themselves.