Stories about Media & Journalism from August, 2018
‘Fake news’ is in the eye of the beholder: China is centralizing efforts to stop online ‘rumors’
In July 2018, Chinese state internet regulators received 6.7 million reports of illegal and false information.
In Mozambique, new licensing fees have raised the cost of doing journalism — and may threaten media freedom
The fees were described by Mozambican online newspaper @Verdade as "astronomical".
Artists rise up as Ugandan MP ‘Bobi Wine’ faces fresh charges of treason
"The extent to which violence is escalating in this country is worrying and we should all be concerned. We need to reflect on these matters and find a way forward."
Tajikistan releases whistleblower but leaves conviction in place
The #FreeKhayrullo campaign did its job and the government backed down. Now fearless Mirsaidov says he will appeal the conviction.
Facebook admits it has been slow in addressing hate speech in Myanmar
"The ethnic violence in Myanmar is horrific and we have been too slow to prevent misinformation and hate on Facebook."
Netizens flood the internet with support for monsoon victims in Kerala, India
"Kerala is striving together...to overcome the catastrophic flood. However...some are trying to malign this great effort with misinformation in the form of fake messages on social media."
Kerala floods: Tech-savvy Indian citizens mobilize to minimize the damage
"The spirit of unity, willpower, compassion, and dedication of thousands of volunteers belonging to state and non-state agencies in Kerala are indescribable."
Fearing reprimand, student protesters in Bangladesh go silent
The government has blamed social media users and activists for trying to create unrest by sharing provocative posts and content on Facebook.
Netizen Report: Elections in Mali marred by militant violence — and internet shutdowns
Bangladeshi students go quiet as police pursue online accounts, Brazil gets a new data protection law and Facebook is still floundering in Myanmar.
Latin America is the deadliest region on Earth — and this YouTube series wants to know why
Run by young reporters from the 130-year-old Colombian newspaper El Espectador, La Pulla combines hard analyzes with a raw sense of humor to delve into complex topics.
#FreeKhayrullo: Human rights groups demand justice for Tajik journalist facing trial
A bold and popular journalist is appealing a 12 year-sentence he received after speaking out against official corruption.
In Pakistan's elections, animals were tortured for the sake of political stunts
"A donkey beaten to pulp, punched in the face and abdomen several times, nose broken, kicked all over his body until he collapsed."
Lebanon ramps up interrogations of online activists
“You cannot bring us up with a mentality of freedom and then try to oppress us.”
Condemnation of independence activist draws a red line for Hong Kong's press freedom
The Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents' Club is under fire for organizing a talk by independence activist Andy Chan.
Russians are facing criminal prosecution for sharing memes online, thanks to anti-extremism laws
Repressive laws and cumbersome bureaucracy are putting hundreds of Russians behind bars for sharing memes online.
Netizen Report: Bangladesh protests trigger mobile network cuts, journalist arrest
Venezuela goes after journalists' cameras after drone attack, Iran re-routes Telegram (to government servers) and Google tries to go back to China.
As Malaysia's new government marks 100 days in office, is free speech still under threat?
"We hope to see a genuine departure from the old oppression, and a transition into a Malaysia where all ideas can be discussed peacefully and our constitutional rights exercised maturely."
Landmark ruling in Angola acquits journalist Rafael Marques of all charges
While Marques had been brought to court on previous occasions, this was the first time he was formally acquited.
Iran’s telecommunications company illegally rerouted Telegram app traffic
In a new move aimed at tightening the state-imposed ban on the Telegram messaging app, the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) temporarily rerouted Telegram app traffic in violation of domestic law in July 2018.
Bangladeshi photojournalist Shahidul Alam detained over student protest coverage
"...there were people with machetes in their hands chasing unarmed students. And the police are standing by watching it happen."
Is Western media biased against China? (Part Two)
China has claimed that Western media is biased against China. We tested that claim using two data analysis tools.
