How Industry, Congress and the FCC Hope to Shape the Internet In the occasional rough-and-tumble where business, politics and the Internet meet, the phrase ‘net neutrality’ has become the equivalent of fighting words. This despite the fact that most people have no idea what ‘net neutrality’ means – let alone what the fight’s all about. […]
Wiki-Wars
“The first serious infowar is now engaged. The field of battle is Wikileaks.” – John Perry Barlow, Electronic Frontier Foundation
Drip, Drip, Drip…
How Wikileaks Exploits Technological, and Human, Weaknesses Kate Woodsome |Washington DC Historians, anti-war activists and armchair observers of human nature will have plenty to mull over in the coming years, thanks to the online group WikiLeaks. The website has published hundreds of thousands of previously unreleased U.S. military and diplomatic documents, dating from February of […]
Freedom of “Cyber-Speech”
When Is Virtual Speech Not Like Real Speech? Pop quiz: what do Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Bugs Bunny, and the destruction of the US Capitol have in common? Arguably nothing except this: they all played a part in oral arguments this week before the US Supreme Court in a case that could have a major implications […]
Digital Frontiers: BlackBerry in a Jam
The BlackBerry smart phone’s unique data encryption standards have made it a must-have by business executives, government officials, and others concerned about just who might be monitoring their communications. But those standards are putting BlackBerry’s manufacturer, Research in Motion, into hot water with governments around the world. VOA’s Doug Bernard has this look.
Censoring Korea’s Internet
North Korean propaganda is emerging on popular Internet social media sites. Not for domestic consumption – as virtually no North Korean has Internet access – but targeted to other countries, especially South Korea. But in the democratic South, considered the world’s most connected country, the government censors such content. South Korea’s Internet censors are working […]
Thai Political Battle Moves Online
The Internet is the latest battleground in Thailand’s stormy political climate as the government attempts to shut down Web sites critical of it and the monarchy. The government is using tough laws to silence online criticism, but net users are finding ways to be heard. During months of political protests earlier this year, the Thai […]
Repression 2.0
A media watchdog group called Reporters Without Borders has accused the United Arab Emirates of arresting people who used the popular BlackBerry device to organize a street protest against petrol price increases. The incident highlighted how governments around the world are increasingly using internet and mobile technology to undermine civil liberties. Internet freedom activists say […]
Opening Up the Middle Eastern Internet
For millions around the world, the Internet is less a super-highway and more an obstacle course – complete with virtual hazards, roadblocks and detours. As more and more governments start filtering content – or blocking access outright – users are left with an Internet full of holes. Now there’s a new anti-censorship tool – called […]
Russian Bloggers Go Where Traditional Media Won’t
The Russian Internet community is widely discussing a recent encounter between one of Russia’s best known rock musicians, Yuri Shevchuk, and the country’s powerful prime minister, Vladimir Putin. During a meeting in St. Petersburg, the singer confronted the politician with bold questions about the future of democracy in Russia. Russian rock star Yuri Shevchuk was […]