Stories about Technology from May, 2020
A conversation with Udmurt language digital activist Artyom Malykh
Eastern & Central Europe29 May 2020"My primary motivation is to keep the language of my community alive. Udmurt must be used in as wide a variety of spaces as possible in order to ensure that it lives on."
Netflix blockbuster ‘Extraction’ draws criticism for portrayal of Bangladesh's capital
The Netflix blockbuster “Extraction” attracted a lot of criticism and debate for its poor, inaccurate and stereotypical portrayal of Bangladesh and Bangladeshis.
Kremlin expands online voting possibilities amid COVID-19 fears
Eastern & Central Europe27 May 2020After the Russian government passed a bill expanding possibilities for voting online and by post, journalists and digital rights activists have started to question its potential for abuse.
How identity-driven conflicts fuel Ethiopia's incendiary social media rhetoric
Sub-Saharan Africa25 May 2020Unity Park aimed to tell the story of all Ethiopians and celebrate the country’s diversity. But social media revealed politicized, nationalistic reactions along ethnic lines: Amhara and Oromo.
A glimpse at Thailand's digital ID through the biometric profiling of Malay Muslims
East Asia18 May 2020"The discriminatory nature of these measures could amount to racial profiling, which subjects Malay Muslims to disproportionate and unnecessary surveillance based on ethnic prejudice rather than objective signs of suspicion."
Photo contest asks Rohingya community to document their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic
South Asia16 May 2020A photography competition for Rohingya people is being held from April 23 – August 23, 2020, featuring two broad categories – “Rohingya life” and “Response to Coronavirus” and entries can be submitted online.
Cameroon’s 3-year separatist crisis: Online threats, attacks on identity and freedom of expression
Sub-Saharan Africa15 May 2020Journalists in Cameroon have to be very careful about reporting on atrocities related to the separatist conflict. Appearing to side with separatists or the government can lead to online attacks.
China to its anxious youth: ‘Believe us, things are better in your day!’
"We have to struggle for our rights, not sit and wait. Youth in China should yell out -- we want freedom of press!"
In Bangladesh, criticism of government response to the COVID-19 pandemic is risky
South Asia11 May 2020"Would it be wrong if someone says that the authorities in Bangladesh, equipped with Digital Security Act, launched a crackdown on those critical to the government?"
COVID-19: Switching online is not an option in conflict-stricken countries in the Middle East
Middle East & North Africa11 May 2020While the internet provides a lifeline in wealthy countries during COVID-19, this is not the case in conflict-stricken countries in the Middle East.
Promoting coronavirus education through indigenous languages
South Asia11 May 2020A new online initiative called virALLanguages is helping speakers of indigenous, minority, endangered and other marginalized languages create informational videos on coronavirus in their own languages.
COVID-19, locusts and floods: East Africa's triple dilemma
Sub-Saharan Africa4 May 2020East Africa's "triple threat" — the coronavirus, locusts, and floods — are not mutually exclusive. In fact, each is inextricably linked.
