The rapid spread of cell phones in the Middle East over the past decade has created a new space for young people in closed societies to interact and express themselves while providing activists with more efficient ways to organize massive political campaigns. In so doing, mobile technology is reshaping the region’s cultural landscape. VOA’s Aida […]
Mobile Phones and Modern War
Mobile phone use around the world is expanding, and nowhere is that more true than Afghanistan. It’s estimated 150,000 new subscribers are added every month, with ‘no end in sight’ according to that country’s communication minister. The proliferation of mobile technology is changing how people live, work and, increasingly, fight. VOA’s Catherine Maddux has much […]
The Growing Dangers of Blogging
Media advocacy groups say the Internet is becoming the new battleground for press freedom as authoritarian governments around the world crack down on growing expressions of dissent on the web. From China to Iran, bloggers have provided voices of dissent in places where few, if any, were heard before. But a group of U.S. congressmen […]
Democracy Advocates and Digital Challenges
The power of digital devices, such as mobile phones equipped with cameras, was seen in protests that followed the disputed Iranian election in June, 2009. Postings on such websites as Facebook and Twitter brought thousands to the streets, and digital images from Tehran fueled sympathetic protests around the world. A recent conference in Dallas looked […]
Blogs As Journalism In Iran
Iran is home to one of the most vibrant and active blogging cultures in all the Islamic world. This in a nation whose government has an ambivalent relationship with bloggers – at best. VOA’s Doug Bernard has this look at how the Internet is changing the way Iranians learn about the world – and how […]
Enemies of the Internet
The Internet…we’ve been jumping on and off the information super-highway now for almost 20 years. But is every lane of this cyber-roadway open to all? No – in a number of countries, access to and use of the Internet is heavily restricted. And in many more, the ‘net isn’t as free as you might think. […]
Cyber-Slander and Online Libel
In the digital age, anyone with a connection to the Internet can make themselves a writer, a poet, a commenter…or a critic. The language can be harsh, and the treatment rough. And writers can do all of this cloaked in anonymity. Is that a good thing, or a bad thing…or more likely, some combination of […]
Breaking Down The “Virtual Berlin Wall”
The U.S. government is making free speech in cyber space a key part of American foreign policy in a fresh bid to reach out to Internet users around the world. Experts say the push not only highlights the growing influence of the Internet and its power to pressure even the most tightly controlled governments, but […]
Google Attacks and Cyber Threats
Google’s recent disclosure that it was the target of a highly sophisticated cyber attack has brought renewed attention to the growing problem of cyber security threats. Officials and security experts say that while past cyber attacks focused largely on national secrets and defense technologies, that focus is changing. VOA’s William Ide has much more here.