Stories about Technology from May, 2017
Online Trolls Attack Critics of India's Aadhaar State ID System
Critics of the Aadhaar biometric ID system are being criticized by state agencies and trolled by anonymous handles on Twitter.
Egypt Ups Systematic Efforts to Silence Independent Media
In an environment of persistent conflict, free and independent media that cover events in the public interest — not in the interests of politicians — is more important than ever.
Kaqchikel and Other Guatemalan Languages Gain Momentum Online Thanks to Digital Activism
The Digital Activism Meeting for Indigenous Languages took place in Guatemala and brought together important initiatives for the visibility and strengthening of Mayan languages through technology.
A Wikipedia Made for—and by—the Atikamekw First Nation in Canada
An ongoing project, funded by the Wikimedia Foundation, is working with the Atikamekw community to develop Wikipedia content in their own language.
Mumbai Technologists Are Using TV Spectrum to Bring More Internet Access to India
Poor Internet infrastructure leaves the vast majority of Indians limited to mobile Internet only, making it difficult to engage deeply with Internet technology.
Diaspora* and Other Free Software Are Available in the Occitan Language, Thanks to Volunteer Translators
"I don’t like when people decide that one language has more value than another. In my opinion, every language is as equal as the next."
Azerbaijan Blocks Independent Media (And Actually Admits it)
"This was one thing we had left and they have taken it too. May God punish them. All they think about is how to shut people up."
‘Cyber Warrior’ Group Threatens to Extort Indian Women on Facebook
Threats of character assassination and extortion can carry severe real-life consequences, especially for women.
Netizen Report: Chelsea Manning and the Power of Transparency
This week, Chelsea Manning was finally released from prison, Ukraine censored Russian web platforms and Thailand threatened legal action against Facebook.
Iran Elections 2017: Hassan Rouhani Ran on Openness. But What Did He Actually Achieve?
Hassan Rouhani has been both the candidate and President of "hope and moderation" for Iranians. Article 19's report assesses how this has had an affect on freedoms online.
Among First Nations Youth, Hip-Hop Is a Tool for Self-Expression and Cultural Preservation
"This is the day you’ll hear our scream / cause we lost our way in life as youth / but I believe that one day we will rise."
The Russian State Media: Champion of Internet Freedom. (From Now On.)
With millions of Ukrainians now at risk of losing their beloved online services, Russia's state media did what it often does in unexpected geopolitical situations: it suddenly changed sides.
Why Is China Home to Half of the Computers Infected With WannaCry Ransomware?
Chinese computer users may be more vulnerable to the attack as many commonly use unlicensed (i.e. pirated) or outdated versions of Windows OS and thus do not receive security updates.
Thailand Threatens to Take Facebook to Court Over Anti-Monarchy Posts
Tha Thailand government has given Facebook until Tuesday, May 16, 2017, to remove the 131 remaining 'anti-monarchy' posts.
How a Rural South African Village's DIY Telco Lowered Its Communication Costs
"Of course all of this is not about the internet itself, it is about the collaboration, the skills, the social needs, the building something together."
Netizen Report: Draft Laws in Egypt Could Lock Down Social Media
As Egypt's parliament pushes to further restrict expression, Turkey blocks Wikipedia, Russia blocks WeChat, and the UK can't seem to stop snooping.
With an Eye on the Future, First Nations in Canada Are Switching From Audio Cassettes to Digital
With a helping hand from the Indigitization project, First Nations communities in British Columbia are digitally preserving the rich cultural content contained in audio cassettes.
Who's Paying for the Meme War Against Alexey Navalny?
The scheme comes in the wake of news about a major mudslingling campaign that the Kremlin was reportedly planning against Navalny.
Jamaica Furthers Its Missing Child Prevention and Recovery Efforts With Facebook Alert System
A new Facebook initiative in conjunction with the Jamaican government, the first of its kind in the region, aims to make it easier to identify and hopefully find missing children.
Draft Law Would Require Egyptian Social Media Users to Register With Government
Users who do not register could face up to six months in jail and a fine.
