Stories about Freedom of Speech from March, 2016
‘Nude’ Photos of Australian Aboriginal Women Trigger Facebook Account Suspensions
Facebook has been attacked over its suspension of people in Australia for posting a photo of topless Aboriginal women performing a public ceremony.
Hear That? The Global Voices Podcast Is Back.
After a three year break, the Global Voices Podcast is back. In this edition, we take you to Mexico, China, Tajikistan, Macedonia and Russia.
Between Hashtags and Memes, Bolivian Leaders Push for Social Media Regulation
A draft law that would regulate social media -- with criminal consequences for its violators -- has sparked intense debates among Bolivian citizens.
Polarization and Dehumanization: Two Keys to Understanding the Assassination of Honduran Activist Berta Cáceres
Hedme Sierra Castro, a Honduran human rights advocate, shares context on Honduras, a land vulnerable to impunity and abuse of native communities.
Bahrain Arrests Activist Zainab Al Khawaja Along With Her One-Year-Old Baby
"#Bahrain seems to be tightening noose on dissidents, just don’t understand why one-year-old child is arrested."
Why China's Clampdown on Ren Zhiqiang Matters
The case has become a political thermometer on Xi's attitudes towards internal ideological differences inside the party.
Chinese Journalists Need a Press Law for Protection
"If there is no law, we take the initiative and can control [media] as we want."
Anonymous Artists Place ‘Monument’ to Antidepressants in Macedonia’s Capital
A unique sculpture appeared in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, on March 9: a monument to the antidepressant Diazepam (also known as Valium).
Get a Load of What the Tibetan Delegates Wore to This Year’s Two Congresses in China
At this year's conference, netizens' attention has focused on pins bearing Chinese President Xi Jinping's image that appeared on the chests of Tibetan delegates
Twitter Reports Massive Increase in Russian Government's Content Removal Requests
In the second half of 2015 Russian government agencies submitted 1,735 requests to remove content from Twitter—more than 25 times the number submitted in the first half of 2015.
Why Russian Television Said Nothing When a Nanny Beheaded a Four-Year-Old Girl
After the horrific murder of a little girl in Moscow, national television said nothing for 24 hours. That gave Internet users plenty of time to debate what the silence meant.
Graphic Artists Launch Online Poster Campaign to ‘Free the Media’ in Malaysia
"We feel that the time has come for Malaysians to demand for media and internet freedom in light of the latest assault on freedom of speech in Malaysia."
Russian Parents Can Now Get Text Message Alerts if Their Kids Search for ISIS Online
A new software system promises to alert Russian parents about their children's interest in extremist themes and groups like ISIS based on their social media activity.
China Silences Outspoken Tycoon and Other Celebrities on Social Media
The Cyberspace Administration of China has accused the outspoken real estate tycoon Ren Zhiqiang of publishing “illegal messages with a negative impact.” But he's not alone.