Stories about Digital Activism from February, 2017
Indian Student Activist Faces Death Threats After Standing Up to Right Wing
Threats of violence, gang rape, and physical attacks are making news in India, after a 20-year-old student activist from New Delhi's Lady Shri Ram college launched the #StudentsAgainstABVP protest.
The Story of a Gay, Black Man From the Outskirts of São Paulo Who Became a Filmmaker
"I'm not ashamed of making my videos up here and showing the place I call home. This is my reality."
911 for Donbass: Meet the App That Will Keep Ukrainians Updated About Military Attacks
"Active Citizen" will inform users about military attacks in seconds and, the app's creators hope, help reduce casualties among civilians in the war-torn regions of eastern Ukraine.
Macedonia’s Ruling Party Is Draining Civil Society Groups’ Time—and Money
Ruling partly leaders are calling for the "de-Sorosization" of Macedonian civil society, arguing that the country's civil sector should rely on the Macedonian government for financial support.
Russian Government Youth Group Wants to Make Wikipedia More Patriotic
A clumsy new campaign called “Virtual Front” is coming to Russia next month, led by a government youth group that aims to make Wikipedia’s Russian edition more “truthful and patriotic.”
Netizen Report: How Private is Our Email? Riseup Users Want to Know.
New malware targets Iranian mac users, Facebook discloses some information about data-sharing with advertisers, and Cameroon’s regional Internet shutdown could cost the country millions.
Why Are Puerto Ricans Sharing Their Student Numbers on Social Media?
Higher education in Puerto Rico finds itself in crisis following major budget cutbacks and a wave of resignations at the University of Puerto Rico.
These Female Skateboarders Are Blazing a Trail in India
"I wanted to make it visible that there were girls skateboarding in India, even though the numbers could be counted on one hand at the time."
Islamist Groups Demand Removal of Sculpture in Front of Supreme Court in Bangladesh
Authorities have less than a week to respond to a request that top officials and social media users alike are arguing is unreasonable.
Hackers Target Iranian Activists’ Mac Devices With Revamped Malware
State-sponsored Iranian hackers targetting civil human rights users have a new virus targeting Apple computers.
Facebook Gives a Voice to Missing People in Mexico
Families in Mexico searching desperately for missing loved ones are turning to social media and other digital platforms as an effective way to get the word out.
Belgrade Mayor’s Ex-Wife Reignites Political Scandal With Bombshell Interview
The ex-wife of Belgrade's mayor gave a bombshell interview this week, making waves across Serbia, implicating her former husband in a political firestorm.
Award-Winning Hong Kong Political Cartoonist Refuses Self-Censorship
"You speculate that the government may sue the publisher, and so decide to censor the work. The whole incident goes against my principles."
Netizen Report: In Kenya and Mexico, Citizens Suspect State Manipulation on Twitter
As social manipulation abounds on Twitter, Venezuela blocks more news websites, and Facebook heads to France to fight fake news.
Battle of the Hashtags: Mapping the Online Conversation Surrounding Mexico's Gas Prices
In the wake of protests following Mexico's hike in gas prices, social media has become a battlefield over the propagation of false stories.
Mystery Oil-Like Substance Pollutes Macedonia and Albania's Lake Ohrid
It's just one of a long list of threats to Europe's oldest lake that are putting its World Heritage designation in jeopardy.
Kenyan Government Allegedly Pays Social Media Influencers to Promote “GreedyDoctors” Hashtag
As allegations of social media manipulation surfaced, seven Kenyan Doctor’s Union officials were jailed for failing to call off an ongoing strike.
Families in Sri Lanka Stand Up to the Soldiers Who Took Their Homes
Dozens of families in Sri Lanka have been protesting in front of an Air Force camp, demanding the return of their homes, which have been occupied since 2009.
Fake News to Be of Major Concern in French Presidential Election Campaign
Distinguishing between real and fabricated news will be challenge during the french election campaign.
Online Documentary Tells Stories of Adolescent Mothers From Bulgaria
"Often, they are given no chance of making their life choice themselves and they are left in the closed loop of illiteracy, un-employment, and poverty."
A New Audio Uploading Tool for Crowdsourced Wiktionary Project in Odia Language
One Global Voices contributor who's passionate about the Odia language has created an open-source solution for recording and uploading words under open licenses for projects like Wiktionary.
