Stories about Technology from October, 2015
Netizen Report: US Tech Companies Grapple with EU Data Rules in a Post-Snowden World
Ukraine rolls out Russian-style Internet blacklist, Cuba releases artist-blogger "El Sexto" after 10 months in prison, and Bahrain jails Zainab Al-Khawaja for insulting the king.
How Poor Service Turned Into Slut Shaming in Trinidad & Tobago
"The victim (and yes, she is a victim) is a grown woman who has every right to use her personal property in any legal way she saw fit."
Netizen Report: Uganda Vows to Step Up Online Censorship
Free speech is under fire in East Africa: Two Facebook users have been charged under Tanzania's new cybercrime law, while new social media regs are on the horizon in Uganda.
What You Need to Know About Russian Social Networks to Conduct Open-Source Research
Outside of the familiar English-language social networks of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and others, there is a handful of social media platforms used either exclusively or primarily in the post-Soviet world.
How Social Media Fuels China's Growing Love of Cosmetic Surgery
China's cosmetic surgery industry is using powerful social media marketing strategies to convince more and more young women that they need to go under the knife to be beautiful.
The US is No ‘Safe Harbor’ for Citizens’ Data
The European Court of Justice struck down the data transfer agreement between the EU and the US. Privacy advocates are smiling while US tech companies are unsure of what's next.
French Citizens Are Raising Their Voices for More Respect, Less Hate in Politics
"There is no longer anything to expect from those who govern us." Citizen movements want to take the lead in changing politics in France.
Two Tanzanians Accused of Posting ‘False Information’ Face Charges Under New Cybercrime Law
According to the state, both men have violated Section 16 of Cybercrimes Act, which prohibits "publication of false information." Little more is currently known about their cases.
Iranians React to the New Iranian-American Twitter Chairman
Twitter announces it's new executive chairman to be an Iranian-American. We take a look at what Iranian news and social media have been saying in reaction.
Ethiopia's Zone9 Bloggers Acquitted of Terror Charges
Many supporters on Twitter put words like "acquittal", "court" and "judiciary" in quotation marks to emphasize the degree to which the case exposed Ethiopia's failed judicial system.
Netizen Report: #TakeBacktheTech Campaign Stands Up to Online Misogyny (and Misinformation)
Trolls attack open Internet advocates, Egypt books a Facebook user for putting Mickey Mouse ears on President Sisi, and a Myanmar activist goes to trial for mocking the military wardrobe.
Advancing Technology in a Digital India
India waits to see if Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of a more connected India yields a more prosperous society, or only causes further problems.
Watch Out, Internet! Ukraine Is Getting Its Own Cyberpolice
The new Ukrainian cyberpolice force is tasked with protecting the country and its citizens from malicious Internet activity, and is expected to do it better than its predecessors.
Futureplaces: Porto Hosts Do-It-Together Medialab for Citizen Initiatives
The annual event that turns the city of Porto into a “medialab for citizenship” is coming back to Portugal from October 20 to 24th.
WhatsApp Leads in Popularity, But Not Substance in Tanzanian Election Campaign
As a campaign platform, WhatsApp engages the most Tanzanian users, but political communication there mostly boils down to "trash talk," leaving Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to provide more substantial debate.
Rethinking Criticisms Levelled at Iran's Supreme Council of Cyberspace
In a follow up to the ICHRI piece, Small Media reacts to that report, with their own observations on the recent changes to Iran's Internet policy.
The Dark Side of Hydropower in Bhutan
Bhutan depends heavily on its hydroelectric industry, but some bloggers worry that the country may be getting carried away with this industry.
Stopped and Frisked by Facebook: ‘Real Name’ Policy Puts Speech Before Privacy
Facebook has a long way to go before they can fully appreciate the responsibility they carry when they decide to dictate what and who is "real" in the world.
Netizen Report: Is Egypt Blocking Voice Calls on WhatsApp and Skype?
Lebanon arrests two over Facebook posts, Venezuela blocks Bitcoin sites in crusade against foreign currency, and the EU takes 'Safe Harbor' away from US tech companies.
Facing Sweeping Surveillance Bill, French Public Falls Between Alarm and Indifference
Civil liberties defenders say a pending bill could catapult France into a new position of power in the field of international Internet surveillance.
New Leak Details Kremlin’s Plans For a Russian ‘National Internet’
The leak by Anonymous International reveals plans for the concept of a “national information platform” in Russia, which effectively describes the creation of an alternative Russian Internet.
