Stories about Technology from April, 2014
Russia Reconsiders Bitcoin?
A partial exodus from Russia by MasterCard and Visa has inspired some digital currency enthusiasts to propose Bitcoin, the world's leading crypto-currency, as a solution to the country's monetary problems.
South Korea: Samsung Sues Newspaper Over Negative Report
South Korean tech giant Samsung has launched a lawsuit against a local IT newspaper for publishing an unfavorable report. Marmot's Hole blog wrote about how things developed and the repercussion of Samsung's response to negative press coverage. Some of the highlights read; I’d caution Samsung that in terms of PR, lawsuits...
Will Russia Regulate Blogs Like Mass Media?
The regulations would require fact-checking, age restriction warnings, and obeying election laws, among other responsibilities.
Censorship Forces Navalny to Abandon LiveJournal
Russia's most famous blogger (or as he describes himself: "corruption fighter, son, husband, father") has been forced to move away from the blogging platform that launched him to fame.
Ecuador: Civil Society Takes On Private Copying Levy
In Ecuador, the debate over private copying levies continues, and the prospect of an additional tax on data storage devices for music and videos is on the table.
Project Uses Mobile Phones to Encourage Reading
Lauri writes about a project in South Africa, FunDza Literacy Trust, that takes advantage of mobile phone technology to encourage reading among kids: What I find lovely, though, is when Africans sort out innovative solutions to their problems. FunDza Literacy Trust is one such solution. Cellphones have taken off big...
Remote Hubs in Asia for NETmundial Internet Governance Meeting
NETmundial, which will bring together people from a variety of backgrounds to discuss the principles of Internet governance, is set to be held in São Paulo on 23 and 24 April 2014. It will also have 33 remote hubs in 31 cities spread throughout 22 countries that will allow for...
Using Workout Apps in Trinidad & Tobago
“A lot of people are into the fitness craze,” writes T3CHTT, who shares some of the fitness apps he's used, considering that he “like[s] keeping track of [his] activities and sharing them on twitter.”
Exploring Trinidad & Tobago's Digital Divide (Part 1)
A progressive new company is changing the face of data collection in the Caribbean, starting with a project in Trinidad and Tobago that examines the country's digital divide.
India General Election 2014: Branding of Candidates Via Social Media
Social media is also the space for innovation and creative thinking. Milind Deora [Union Minister and incumbent MP from South Mumbai] boasts of being the first candidate available to the electorate on WhatsApp and BBM, and provides an interactive mashup map to track all his activities and initiatives. Like BJP’s...
Friedrich Ebert Foundation Publishes Report on the Use of Social Media in Cameroon
The Friedrich Ebert Foundation has published a research report on the use of social media in Cameroon: To what extent, for what purposes and by whom are social media like Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Linkedin, etc. used in the country? To find answers to these questions, the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation has commissioned a...
Chasing Bangladesh's Extreme Weather
The Great Bangladesh Weather Expedition aims to study the severe weather there, including flooding, tornadoes and drought.
A Russian Gulag for American Social Networks’ Data?
A Moscow city councilman is promoting legislation that would require all online social networks to house users’ personal data on servers located on Russian soil.
Caribbean: An ICT Wish List
From critical thinking to more public data, T3CHTT compiles a list of what the region is lacking when it comes to Information and Communications Technology.
GV Face: The USA's Secret “Cuban Twitter”
A secret US plan to support regime change in Cuba with a Twitter-like messaging service called ZunZuneo has now come under the spotlight with news reports that thousands of Cubans were duped into signing up for the service under false pretenses. Will there be consequences for digital activists worldwide? Some...
Campaign to Unfollow “Occupied” Opposition Twitter
Many @lentaruofficial fans were incensed at the perceived usurpation, and started a mini-campaign to get people to unfollow the "zombie" impostor.
Mozambique Wants to Criminalize ‘Insulting’ Texts, Emails and Internet Posts
The proposed law, soon to be submitted to parliament, would criminalize text messages, emails and other types of online posts that "jeopardize the security of the state".
Five Urdu Bloggers From Pakistan Everyone Should Know
Tens of thousands of Pakistanis are conversing on the Internet in Urdu. Our Urdu Editor introduces you to five of them in this post.
RuNet April Fools’ Roundup
RuNet Echo has collected the best gags for your amusement.
Vkontakte's Pavel Durov Departs: Genuine or Joke?
In what is either a bombshell for Russian social media or a daring April Fools' Day joke, Vkontakte general director Pavel Durov has announced his resignation.
Maoming Residents in China Rally Against PX Chemical Plant
Photo posted on social media showed protesters bleeding after apparent scuffles with police.
