17 January 2012

Stories from 17 January 2012

U.S. Bills Could Threaten the Global Internet

Ignoring the warnings of citizens and technologists, United States lawmakers are considering two bills, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA), that are a real and dangerous threat to the openness of the web everywhere in the world. In response, the Global Voices community has decided to join websites such as Wikipedia, Reddit and BoingBoing in “going dark”, and will black out the Global Voices Advocacy site for 12 hours on January 18, and display a banner on other Global Voices sites that provides more information about the proposed laws.

17 January 2012

Iran: Another Blogger in Jail

According to confirmed reports from Tehran, Parastoo Dokouhaki, Iranian blogger and journalist, is arrested by authorities. Parastoo is a women activist as well. She writes in her blog  “Zan-Nevesht” and...

17 January 2012

Liberia: Lawmaker in the Web of Nudity

Netizens discuss the recent revelation of a scandalous episode of nudity widely known in Liberia as ‘Snoweleaks' or ‘Snowegate' which involves Edwin Melvin Snowe, Jr., a very popular lawmaker.

17 January 2012

Mexico: Netizens Mobilize for the Tarahumara Indigenous People

Netizens organized food drives for the Tarahumara indigenous people of Chihuahua after a video, reporting the alleged suicide of 50 natives to avoid starvation, spread online. Although there is insufficient evidence to prove the suicides, the alarming state of malnutrition and poverty among the Tarahumara indigenous is a reality.

17 January 2012

Russia: Moscow Population Cuts

Kyle Keeton of Windows to Russia reports that the Moscow government is planning to reduce the number of people residing in over-crowded central Moscow, hoping for people moving to suburbs...

17 January 2012

Russia: Making A Run For It

Andy Young of Siberian Light reports that opposition politicians Mikhail Prokhorov and Grigory Yavlinsky have now collected the two million signatures needed for running for Russia's presidency in the upcoming...

17 January 2012

Poland: Martial Law 30 Years On

Polandian writes about the 30th anniversary of the introduction of martial law in Poland 1981, and argues that repression became a positive trigger for the popular movement against communist rule.

17 January 2012

Malaysia: Ministry Blames Google Translate for Website Errors

Don’t wear “clothes that poke eye” and remember the “Mongoose fight” uniform for official functions. These are some of the funny English translation errors in the website of Malaysia’s Ministry of Defense. The errors have been removed already but not before netizens were able to discuss them thoroughly in various social networks

17 January 2012