Stories about Censorship
The great Pakistan firewall and use of religion as a tool for digital authoritarianism
Pakistan has implemented a national firewall to regulate online content and mandated the registration of lawful VPN usage, with a ban on unregistered VPNs set to take effect from December 1.
Reflections on youth-led movements against state repression in Bangladesh and Indonesia
Grassroots approaches not only ensure the continuity of the movement but could also strengthen solidarity and trust among protesters, deepening the connection to local communities, which is vital for sustained resistance.
Montenegrin civil society condemns initiative for Russia-style ‘Foreign Agents’ Law
Montenegro is the latest Balkan country trying to adopt a Foreign Agents Law, which would effectively cripple civil society and force any NGOs receiving foreign aid to be labeled "foreign agents."
Impunity continues to threaten the work of journalists across Southeast Asia
"While there is inherent risk in journalism and media work, attacks against journalists cannot be normalized."
Fresh threats to free press in Paraguay, Argentina, and Cuba
A round up of new laws, law proposals, and new forms of intimidation against journalists and civic organizations across the Americas.
What the Kremlin tells Russians about the West
All-gender restrooms have even been cited as one of the reasons for the war in Ukraine, as they represent Western values, thus clash with those that Russia is fighting for.
Chinese police ban ‘weird’ costumes and round up partygoers ahead of Halloween
Shanghai police were deployed in full force over the weekend to crack down on Halloween activities amid concerns that revelers might appear in politically sensitive costumes. They continued celebrating regardless.
In Azerbaijan, owning and operating drones is no easy feat
In Azerbaijan, drones are placed in the same category as weapons, explosive devices, and money-printing equipment, making it nearly impossible for citizens to access them.
#FreeMechDara: Journalist who reported on cyber scams arrested in Cambodia
“The arrest of Mech Dara is a clear attempt to intimidate and silence him and other journalists in a country where press freedoms are routinely curtailed.”
Brazil's Supreme Court lifts suspension of X after Musk backs down
After weeks of Musk challenging Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Moraes, X's Global Affairs account posted a statement saying they intended to act “within the boundaries of the law.”
French museums participate in Beijing’s erasure of Tibetan identity
Two Paris museums have stopped using the word “Tibet” to describe collections of Tibetan cultural artifacts, thereby bowing to Beijing’s political and diplomatic pressure.
Hong Kong police told a US tech firm to take down diaspora media site on national security grounds
Flow HK's editor said police suspected the media outlet of committing offences including secession, subversion, and collusion under the Beijing-imposed security law, as well as sedition under Article 23.
Song titled ‘Give birth to 1000 children for me’ was banned in Russia
It includes the lyrics: Give birth to 1000 children for me. Give each of them a name — soldier. Our president will send them to die — to shoot in Donbas.
Russia’s hybrid book censorship and propagandistic agenda
The Song of Achilles by Madeleine Miller and A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, among other books, are suspected of spreading “LGBT propaganda.”
Censorship in the modern world
Communication expert from Bosnia and Herzegovina warns that "censorship through noise" blurs the distinction between fact-based reporting and completely fabricated information.
GV webinar: The ABCs of digital repression in Venezuela
In this webinar, we explored the Venezuelan regime's "package" of digital repression instruments, how they have evolved, and analyze how they have been used after the last presidential.
Taiwan's ‘Iron Man of Asia’ is brought back into the limelight in a new documentary film
Taiwan's first silver medal at any Olympic Games remains an unknown figure, but a new documentary is shedding light on the 'Iron Man of Asia' of the 1960s.
Ecuador: Two journalists who revealed corruption and drug trafficking forced into exile
Journalists of the digital media platform La Posta accuse the National Police and the Attorney General's Office of planning to "assassinate" them while they receive criticism concerning their journalistic ethics.
‘Truth deserves to be seen’: Artists decry film censorship in the Philippines
Two Philippine films were given X-ratings, and therefore banned from airing in theaters, angering cinephiles and free-speech activists alike.
What does data governance mean to you? Join us for an online discussion on September 30
Connected Conversations is a series of informal, virtual discussion sessions focused on the principles of collective, democratic, participatory, and deliberative data governance.
How did a Hong Kong judge find media outlet Stand News a seditious ‘tool’ to smear Beijing?
The appointed judge said: The line [Stand News] took was to support and promote HK autonomy. It became a tool to smear and vilify the Central Authorities and HK Government.
