Born in Poland, currently located in the UK. Working as social media consultant for non for profit sector. Local organizer of Twestival, co-organizer of Barcamp Transparency. Passionate blogger and photographer always interested in social media ethics, freedom of speech and other basic human rights.
Latest posts by Sylwia Presley
Poland: Reactions to Evacuation of Polish Tourists From Cairo
Sylwia Presley shares tips on what to do if one ends up getting stuck at the Cairo Airport due to political situation in Egypt, and reports on Polish netizens' reactions to their government's decision to help evacuate Polish tourists currently there.
Poland: More Reactions to IAC Report – on Microblogs and via Cartoons
The Interstate Aviation Committee's report on last April's Smolensk plane crash has provoked many insightful posts from bloggers, but microblogging platforms - Twitter and Blip.pl - have also become good spaces for Poles to express their opinions, and quite a few of visuals criticising the report have appeared online as well.
Poland: Initial Reactions to Russian Report on Polish Air Force One Plane Crash
The Interstate Aviation Committee's report on the crash of TU-154M airplane near Smolensk on April 10, 2010, has generated an outburst of strong opinions about the validity and objectivity of the document, as well as the effect it might have on the Polish politics in 2011. Most discussions in various social media are highly negative of the document's content, but gradually bloggers are beginning to elaborate on the topic.
Poland: Microblog Reactions to the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity
More than 800 concerts, 1,300 artists performing for free today, 120,000 volunteers, an endless amount of charity activities across the whole of Poland and so far almost $12.3 million: these are the results of the grand finale of the 19th Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. As we slowly approach the end of the day, we are also looking at online reactions to the event.
Western Europe: A journey through tech for transparency projects
Sylwia Presley takes us on a tour of technology for transparency projects in Western Europe.
Poland: Initial Microblog Coverage of the Presidential Elections
Both on Twitter and on its Polish mirror service, Blip.pl, people are sharing their thoughts about today's presidential election in Poland.
Transparency Projects in Central and Eastern Europe
There are a number of innovative projects in Central and Eastern Europe that use technology to promote transparency and hold leaders accountable, but a lack of political will has resisted implementing the reforms they seek. More cooperation through offline events could help.
Poland: Social Network Criticized for ‘Black Ribbon’ Gifting Option
Sylwia Presley translates online reactions to a new gifting option that a popular Polish social network has introduced this week: black ribbons.
Poland: Controversy Over Polish President's Burial Location
Today's announcement that the Polish presidential couple, killed in the tragic aircraft accident over Smolensk last Saturday, would be buried in Krakow's Wawel Castle has raised a lot of controversy. Sylwia Presley translates the views of some Polish Facebook members.
Poland: Online Grief After 10.04.2010
Sylwia Presley reports that all major Polish online news portals, social media services, governmental websites and portals of Polish organizations abroad have changed their color palettes to gray, black and white to express unity with the nation's grief.
Poland: Video Reactions to the Deadly Plane Crash
Following the shocking news of the death of President Lech Kaczyński and 95 other officials, Poland starts the official week of mourning. Next to an enormous amount of reactions in various online venues, video messages present themselves as a very powerful tool to express the feelings of the nation.
Poland: R.I.P. Black Saturday 10.04.2010
As we live through the first 24 hours of the tragedy of the Polish nation, social media in Poland present various reactions to this morning's events, when the country lost its President and 95 other important personalities.
Poland: President Kaczyński is Killed in Plane Crash in Russia – Initial Reactions
Sylwia Presley reports on the initial reactions of the Polish social media users to the shocking news of the plane crash, which killed the Polish president and many other top officials in Western Russia this morning.
Poland: Ryszard Kapuściński – Fiction or ‘Non-Fiction'?
A discussion of the newest book about the life and work of journalist Ryszard Kapuściński has reached the UK, the United States and other regions of the world. Sylwia Presley reviews reactions in the Polish blogosphere.
Poland: ‘Buy Yourself a Blogger’ for Paula Pruska
Sylwia Presley writes about a fundraising campaign launched by four prominent Polish bloggers to help Paula Pruska, who has been documenting her fight with cancer on her blog.
Poland: Potential Internet Access Restrictions Boosting Creativity
Earlier this year, the Polish PM met with Polish bloggers to discuss the government's proposal to introduce the Registry of Banned Websites and Services. The result was the withdrawal of the above-mentioned proposal. The threat of any restrictions on the Polish web kicked off a series of creative reactions to the issue.
Poland: Real-Time Reactions to Kowalczyk's Gold in Vancouver
Sylwia Presley reviews real-time reactions of the Polish fans who were cheering for Justyna Kowalczyk, the Polish cross country skier who won the first gold for Poland at the Vancouver Olympics on Feb. 27.
Poland: Government Approves Proposal to Create Registry of Banned Websites and Services
Sylwia Presley posts an update on the Polish government's controversial decision to create a Registry of Banned Websites and Services, and on the Polish netizens' ongoing protests against Internet censorship.
Poland: Charity Initiative Criticised by a Catholic Radio Station
Today is the day when Poland unites in an enormous charity event called The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, organized for the 18th time by Jurek Owsiak to help children with cancer. This time, however, there has been strong criticism of the initiative's transparency by listeners of Radio Maryja, a Catholic radio station led by Father Rydzyk.
Poland: Discussions of TOR and Internet Filtering
The end of 2009 in Poland was marked with the beginning of a public discussion of on-line privacy, the government's potential attempts to restrict access to websites and a growing awareness of TOR software supporting on-line anonymity. Sylwia Presley reports.
Poland: Social Network's Logo “Raises Controversy”
Polish social network Nasza-Klasa seems to be doing a re-branding, but some of its users - and some in the Polish media, too - seem to see something of a conspiracy there. Sylwia Presley explains the situation.
