Stories about East Asia from January, 2018
Myanmar Digital Activists Come Together to Protect People's Rights Online at #DigitalRightsMM
Myanmar's mobile penetration rate has soared from 2.5 percent to more than 90 percent, bringing a wave of developments and difficulties in the digital rights realm.
A Victim of Police Brutality in Myanmar Seeks Justice While Confronting Racist Comments on Social Media
Hate speech comments attacking the complainant based on his facial appearance, skin color, and ethnic identity became more prominent than the original issue of police brutality.
Since 2016, Myanmar Courts Have Convicted 100% of People Charged Under Telecom Law 66 (d)
"Every court has given a prison sentence and none has given a fine."
Rejected by Australia and Condemned to Detention in Indonesia, Refugees Protest Life in Limbo
"Australian NGOs have denounced this 'Indonesian Solution', arguing that their government is paying Jakarta “hundreds of millions of dollars to detain and warehouse asylum seekers."
#MeToo Has Hit China's Universities, Despite Efforts of Internet Censors
After months of censorship, a student's viral account of sexual misconduct by a renowned university professor has forced the discussion into the open.
Chaos in the Capital: Photos of Record Snowfall in Tokyo
Heavy snow shuts down Tokyo and provides a chance to snap stunning pictures.
In Indonesian Papua, Dozens of Children Have Died From Measles and Chickenpox While Awaiting Medical Care
"Does anyone want to go there and get real data about their condition? And why do we only now say this is a problem?"
Filipino Bloggers Rally to Defend Rappler News Site
"We stand against moves to silence and scare journalists, bloggers and media practitioners just because the President and his ardent supporters dislike their news and views."
Does a New Japanese Robotic Wheelchair Offer “Answers to Problems Disabled People Don't Have”?
"Instead of developing new technologies that might prove unsuitable, why not at the very least also train more professional carers?"
Ocean Mapping Expedition Tracing Magellan’s Voyage Reaches the Philippines
A sailing ship following Ferdinand Magellan’s voyage around the globe is also an ocean mapping expedition that explores humanity’s impact on the oceans and the environment.
Reuters Journalists Covering Rohingya Conflict in Myanmar Detained for ‘Illegally Acquiring Information’
"If Myanmar is serious about democratic reforms, it must accept the right of journalists to work freely and report on topics that make those in power uncomfortable."
Is Taiwan a Country? What About Tibet? China Says They Aren't—and Wants Foreign Companies to Fall in Line
Multinational corporations have faced pressure to apologize for listing Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Tibet as countries on their websites, even if in reality it's a common practice.
Philippine Authorities Order Shutdown of Rappler News Site, Bringing a Blow to Press Freedom
"If this revocation stands, Rappler will effectively be shut down —the first time a news organization will be closed by government since the dictator Marcos declared martial law in 1972."
How Will Macau's New Cybersecurity Legislation Impact Freedom of Speech?
The Macau Civil Servants Association (MCSA) called the proposal to monitor online data through binary code “arbitrary, disproportionate and illegal."
Japanese Media Struggles to Translate Trump's “Shithole”
"Fascinating that media outlets find it easier to print "shithole" than 'racist' or 'racism'."
‘We Have Entered the World of Adulthood, so We'll Do Our Best!’ Japan Marks Coming of Age Day
Reunions, revelry and motorized mischief mark Coming of Age Day in Japan.
‘If I Don't Oppose Dictatorship, Am I Still a Man?': Chinese Activist Gets Eight Years in Prison
Wu Gan, better known by his nickname “Super Vulgar Butcher”, has been active in Chinese human rights circles since 2008.
Singapore Authorities Ban Documentary on Palestinian Teen Activists for ‘Skewed Narrative’
"...did you even consider that this documentary...exists to provide a balance, a corrective to the kinds of propaganda that Israel state television and the US-centric media produce..."
Under Pressure From Cyberspace Administration, China's Top News App Will Hire 2,000 More Content Reviewers
Last week, the country’s top internet regulator accused the news app of spreading pornographic content.
Many Japanese Don’t See the Problem With Blackface on New Year’s Eve TV
"Note to japanese performing in #BlackFace: #Blackness is not a punchline nor a prop. Need jokes? Get better writers. Need a black character, get a black actor that speaks Japanese."
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