Stories about Technology from September, 2013
IBM, Cisco Supply Brazil with Surveillance Tools for World Cup
With the perspective of mega events, Brazil became a priority for the global surveillance industry. On the front line of the technological centers which concentrate decisions concerning security during the games is the American multinational corporation IBM.
GV Face: Retweeting Terrorists? The Westgate Mall Attacks
In this week's edition of our Google Hangout series GV Face, we discuss the role of social media in the aftermath of the devastating attack in Kenya.
Developing Latin America 2013: An ‘Apps Challenge’ for Social Impact
This year Developing Latin America goes from being a Hackathon to an Apps Challenge, an event to think of better ideas, obtain more concrete solutions, and achieve more sustainable applications.
Brazil Becomes Hot Market for Surveillance Technology Ahead of World Cup
Giants of the surveillance sector get contracts in a number of Brazilian cities to monitor citizens during the games of 2014 - from security scanners to remote tracking software.
When There's No Emergency Phone Number, Kenya Tweets For Help
When al-Shabab gunmen attacked Nairobi's Westgate Mall, Philip Ogola of Kenya Red Cross jumped to action – with a tweet.
What We Watch: YouTube Video Popularity Comparison
A new data visualization tool from the Center for Civic Media in the United States helps illustrate how popular videos spread online and between countries. Looking at the most popular videos in 61 countries, What We Watch shows which countries have the biggest overlaps in interest. Civic Media Center Director,...
Nairobi Mall Attack Inspires Two Online Tools for Emergencies
The Ping will help families to quickly check in with each other during an emergency while Blood Donation Kenya matches blood location centers with people willing to help with donation.
Brazilian President Calls for Global Respect of Net Neutrality at the UN
Net neutrality, privacy and human rights were in focus on Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's speech (pdf) at the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly, on September 24, 2013. The leader said that UN needs to establish international protections for Internet users from spying and announced Brazil's intention to prepare a proposal...
Social Media Week Discusses Principles for a Collaborative World
Social Media Week, a worldwide event which “brings people, brands and organizations together to explore how we connect and communicate as a society”, starts today, September 23, 2013. In the second edition of this year's global conference, with the cities of Berlin, Bogotá, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, São Paulo and Toronto...
Trinidad & Tobago: Death Knell for Professional Photography?
Is the smartphone the death knell for professional photography? Mark Lyndersay discusses the question here.
North Korea Gets 3D Movies
North Korea Tech wrote about a recent report that North Korean capital Pyongyang newly hosted a movie theater capable of showing 3D movies. The blogger also explains about North Korean leadership's deep interest in motion pictures.
Iran:Facebook and Twitter Blocked Again
Internet users in Iran lost access Tuesday to Facebook and Twitter. Several bloggers and news sites reported Facebook and Twitter became widely accessible to Iranian users on Monday, Sept 16, for the first time since 2009.Iranian officials dismissed the episode as a technical glitch.
Iran: Facebook, Twitter become Accessible
Several bloggers and news sites reported Facebook and Twitter became widely accessible to Iranian users on Monday, Sept 16, for the first time since 2009. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and several other Iranian officials use Facebook and Twitter.
Hail storm Turned Islamabad White
Blue Area, Islamabad right now… #Islamabad pic.twitter.com/RKpesYfA6h — محمد فرحان حامد (@FarhanHamid36) September 15, 2013 On Sunday (15th of September, 2013) morning Islamabad went pitch dark as a hail storm and heavy rain hit the Pakistan capital. Chowrangi team compiles twitter reactions.
Local Police in Bangladesh Capital Dhaka Sign Up for Facebook
It's the first time that the police department has joined Facebook, but not it's first foray into new technologies.
How Malian Citizens Help Monitor the 2013 Presidential Elections
With the support of the French-speaking Global Voices group, a project was created to support and facilitate monitoring the 2013 elections in Mali. The aim of this project was to form volunteers from Mali who would use social networks to share information throughout the electoral process.
Chile Coup Recounted Through Interactive Storytelling
The online version of Chilean newspaper La Tercera released an interactive, multimedia special [es, en] on the 40th anniversary of the coup against Salvador Allende. Mariana Santos worked with the team behind this project as an ICFJ Knight International Journalism Fellow. Mariana says that “the goal was to tell this...
VIDEO: Exploring the Galapagos Islands with Google Maps
Google Maps has released a video on their trip “to collect 360-degree Street View imagery” of the Galapagos Islands. The blog Lat Long explains: The extensive Street View imagery of the Galapagos Islands will not only allow armchair travellers to experiences the islands from their desktop computer, but it will also play...
UNESCO Patron of First SEE Science Promotion Conference in Serbia
The Center for the Promotion of Science (CPN), under UNESCO patronage, is hosting the First Regional Science Promotion Conference with the aim of gathering science promotion professionals, practitioners and enthusiasts from Southeast Europe. The conference program will discuss science from a scientific, but also from an educational and economic point...
Hackathon Mozambique Offers Design Contest
Hackathon Mozambique launched a graphic design contest [pt] for the upcoming third civic hackathon, and the deadline for submissions is already near: September 14, 2013. The event, sponsored by Mozambique's Ministry of Science and Technology with the support of Sweden and Finland, will take place in early December and is being organized in an open group...
Secret Use of Personal Digital Data Shocks Australians
A current affairs exposé, In Google We Trust, has caused a flutter on twitter in Australia. It looked at how individuals’ digital data is being collected and used.
