Posts tagged freedom

Starting 1pm on Sunday 20 May, Twitter users in Pakistan suffered a total blanket censorship across all Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Pakistan. Some ISP received an email from Mohammed Ali, Deputy Director (Enforcement) at Pakistan Telcommunucation Authority at around noon to block Twitter.com immediately and ordering them to flush out the cache as soon as possible. Netizens fear that with this incident the PTA successfully tested their url filtering service which may threaten freedom of speech in the future.

Starting 1pm on Sunday 20 May, Twitter users in Pakistan suffered a total blanket censorship across all Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Pakistan.

Some ISP received an email from Mohammed Ali, Deputy Director (Enforcement) at Pakistan Telcommunucation Authority at around noon to block Twitter.com immediately and ordering them to flush out the cache as soon as possible.

Netizens fear that with this incident the PTA successfully tested their url filtering service which may threaten freedom of speech in the future.

penamerican: PEN International deeply saddened by the death of Thomas von Vegesack, publisher, writer and free speech activist. “Thomas von Vegesack, writer, intellectual and Vice President of PEN International, who died on 9th May 2012, will be remembered by all at PEN for his outstanding contribution to literature and the defence of free expression. A Swedish publisher and writer, he was Chair of Swedish PEN 1978-87 and Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee 1987-92. He was passionate about PEN and gave a huge amount to us both within Sweden and internationally. By his friends and colleagues, he was valued and esteemed for his unwaveringly loyal and courageous commitment to freedom of expression.” (via Pen International – PEN International deeply saddened by the death of Thomas von Vegesack, publisher, writer and free speech activist.)

penamerican:

PEN International deeply saddened by the death of Thomas von Vegesack, publisher, writer and free speech activist.

“Thomas von Vegesack, writer, intellectual and Vice President of PEN International, who died on 9th May 2012, will be remembered by all at PEN for his outstanding contribution to literature and the defence of free expression. A Swedish publisher and writer, he was Chair of Swedish PEN 1978-87 and Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee 1987-92. He was passionate about PEN and gave a huge amount to us both within Sweden and internationally. By his friends and colleagues, he was valued and esteemed for his unwaveringly loyal and courageous commitment to freedom of expression.”

(via Pen International – PEN International deeply saddened by the death of Thomas von Vegesack, publisher, writer and free speech activist.)

pen-international.org

What colour is your country?

caseymcdermott:

sometimes it’s easy to forget how lucky you are.

happy world press freedom day, and here’s hoping that map sees a day in the near future where it’s all-green.

caseymcdermott

It’s World Press Freedom Day

This World Press Freedom Day (#WPFD) why not check out our database of bloggers who have been threatened, arrested or killed for speaking out online?

threatened.globalvoicesonline.org

India has demanded that 20 major Internet companies, including Google, Facebook, and Twitter present plans to filter “anti-religious,” or “anti-social” material from the content available to Indian citizens. Cartoon by Bryant Arnold, CartoonADay.com. Used under a Creative Commons 2.5 license (BY-NC)

India has demanded that 20 major Internet companies, including Google, Facebook, and Twitter present plans to filter “anti-religious,” or “anti-social” material from the content available to Indian citizens.

Cartoon by Bryant Arnold, CartoonADay.com. Used under a Creative Commons 2.5 license (BY-NC)

A poster in the middle of the anti-ACTA rally in Sofia, Bulgaria. Photo by Ruslan Trad (CC-by-SA 3.0)

A poster in the middle of the anti-ACTA rally in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Photo by Ruslan Trad (CC-by-SA 3.0)

Check out the trailer for the 2011 human rights documentary festival FreedomFilmFest.

Find out more

globalvoicesonline.org

25% of exiled African journalists are from Ethiopia

In Consent of the Networked, Global Voices co-founder and internet policy specialist Rebecca MacKinnon argues that it’s time for us to demand that our rights and freedoms are respected and protected before they’re sold, legislated, programmed, and engineered away. Find out more and buy online

In Consent of the Networked, Global Voices co-founder and internet policy specialist Rebecca MacKinnon argues that it’s time for us to demand that our rights and freedoms are respected and protected before they’re sold, legislated, programmed, and engineered away.

Find out more and buy online

The ‘At Risk’ Blogger’s Contingency Plan

In 2011, we have witnessed the incredible power of bloggers and social media users capturing the world’s attention through their activism. At the same time, regimes appear to be quickening the pace of their cat-and-mouse game with netizens.

Aware of the threats to their safety, bloggers often devise contingency plans in the event they are detained. 

EFF together with Global Voices Advocacy have created a set of questions to consider. This list is by no means exhaustive, but should offer a starting point from which bloggers can develop their own contingency plans.

  • Consider providing someone outside the country with the following information:
    • Login credentials to your social media, email, and blog accounts
    • Contact information of family members
    • Information about any health conditions
  • Regularly back up their blog, Facebook, email, and other accounts
  • Consider mirroring your website if you want to ensure it remains up without your attention to it
  • Encrypt sensitive files and consider hiding them on a separate drive
  • Consider using tools like Identity Sweeper (for Android users) to secure/erase your mobile data
  • Consider preparing a statement for release in case of arrest– This can be helpful for international news outlets and human rights organizations
  • Consider recording a short video identifying yourself (biographical info, scope of work) and the risks that you face and share with trusted contacts
  • Develop contacts with human rights and free expression organizations*
  • Think about a strategy/contingency plan for what to do if you’re detained (see below)

Read the whole article and find out more tips and advice.

advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org