Stories about Freedom of Speech from June, 2014
Beyond the World Cup Headlines: Iran's Lacking Team Spirit, but Brazil's Favelas Have Plenty
You have to know more than just football to understand the World Cup. Deji Olukotun gives a play-by-play of the important free expression and human rights issues.
Singing and Dancing in a YouTube Video to Cheer On the National Football Team Can Get You Arrested in Iran
"Goal Iran" includes clips of Iranians in more than a dozen countries singing and dancing. Iranian police call it "vulgar."
Justice Matters for Ethiopian Bloggers
Justice matters is a blog that reports on the trial of detained Zone9 bloggers and journalists in Ethiopia for expressing their opinions: This blog contains the most current information about advocacy efforts, press coverage, and the legal status of the Zone9 bloggers in Ethiopia. It is dedicated to report on...
‘Tajikistan's Detention of Alexander Sodiqov Cuts to the Core of What Research Scholars Do’
"The detention of Alexander Sodiqov cuts to the core of what research scholars do. They rigorously collect data, analyze them, and disseminate knowledge."
Meet Xiaobing, the (Fun? Annoying? Creepy?) Chatbot Taking Over China's Weibo
Microsoft's artificial intelligence robot, which is modeled after a 16-year-old girl, has found new life on Twitter-like Sina Weibo after being blocked on messaging app WeChat earlier this month.
This Film Is About the Remarkable Friendship Between a Buddhist and Muslim in Myanmar. So Why All the Hate?
A human rights festival in Myanmar cancelled a screening of the documentary "The Open Sky" after receiving threats on social media accusing the film of being a Muslim conspiracy.
Russian Bureaucracy’s Race to Police the Web
"...the most frightening truth may be that Russia’s law enforcement agencies don’t always wait for lawmakers to grant them formal authority when it comes to policing the Internet."
African Union Moves Towards Gagging Free Speech Online
The 23rd African Union Heads of Government Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea starting on June 26, 2014, might adopt the African Union Convention on Security in Cyberspace and Personal Data Protection. Moses Karanja, in this article in AfricanHadithi, argues that this legislation might be a cover to limit online free speech...
‘Happy’ in Thailand? How the Coup Regime Is Still Suppressing Democracy
Mass media is being censored, Facebook is under fire and even the Hunger Games salute has been outlawed. Are Thais truly "happy" under the military regime?
Twitter's Game of Cat and Mouse in Russia
A pattern is emerging in the relationship between the Kremlin and Twitter, where Moscow makes sweeping demands of the website and then touts the resulting compromise as a victory.
People in Hong Kong Have a Legitimate Reason to Freak Out When Facebook Is Down
Denial-of-service attacks in Hong Kong have recently targeted an online referendum on democratic reform and a media outlet critical of Beijing. Some suspect mainland China are behind the attacks.
Australian Shock and Outrage at Egyptian Sentencing of Al Jazeera Journalists
Journalists have led the way on social media in expressing Australians' shock over the prison sentences for the Al Jazeera journalists in Egypt.
Iran's Internet Under Hassan Rouhani: Hope and Disillusionment as Narenji Bloggers Face Prison Sentence
What explains the recent moves to tighten controls within Iran’s cyberspace alongside Rouhani’s liberal Internet ethos? Mahsa Alimardani and Fred Petrossian explain in this exclusive #longread for GVA.
Russia Claims to Have Forced Twitter into Submission Ahead of Crowell's Moscow Visit
Ahead of a meeting between Twitter and Russia’s chief censorship outfit, Moscow is signaling that Internet giants like the world’s most popular microblogging service must conform to Russian sovereignty.
Russia Says the Internet Spreads Extremism
Russia’s Interior Ministry has drafted a ten-year strategy for countering violent extremism. The plan identifies the Internet as the main conduit for extremism and calls for new policing measures.
Beyond the World Cup Headlines: Protests in Brazil, a Jailed Writer in Cameroon and Foul Play From Fans
You have to know more than just football to understand the World Cup. Deji Olukotun gives a play-by-play of the important free expression and human rights issues.
Cloudflare CEO Updates DDoS Attacks on Civic Referendum in Hong Kong
The civic referendum on the election mechanism of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong has begun around noon time today on 20 of June. The voting system has been under massive DDoS attacks since June 14 and now it relies on Cloudflare to defend the platform. Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince...
Russia's Failed e-Democracy?
Last year, the Kremlin launched an online portal where citizens can propose and vote on their own legislative ideas. The e-democracy experiment disappointed many, however.
Tajik Government Silent on “Disappeared” Global Voices Contributor
Tajik authorities have allegedly paraded University of Toronto researcher Alexander Sodiqov, who disappeared three days ago, on television in an apparent attempt to discredit him and an opposition politician.
Why Conducting Academic Research in Khorog, Tajikistan is a Criminal Offense
What does the Tajik government have to fear by arresting scholar and Global Voices author Alexander Sodiqov? Chris Rickleton explains.
Just Google It? Not In China, Where Google Remains Blocked
Google search, Gmail and Google Scholar are only accessible thanks to VPNs and mirror sites in China ever since they were blocked in late May before the Tiannamen massacre anniversary.
