Stories about Digital Activism from November, 2015
Bangladesh Keeps Blocking Social Media, Threatens New Surveillance Tactics
With the lack of accountability shown by the government, a move towards more stringent controls of the Internet is worrying for the state of free expression in the country.
Are Russian News Media Getting a Boost from Retweet Bots on Twitter?
Analysis indicates the retweet and favorite counts of some of Russia's top news agencies are seemingly being artificially inflated by hundreds of Twitter bots.
Australians Unite to Tackle Family Violence on White Ribbon Day 2015
"More than needing sympathy, those experiencing family violence need well funded services, decent housing, strong social welfare"
With Messaging Apps Still Banned, Bangladeshis Turn to Tor (and Twitter)
It is not clear whether the government has blocked the Facebook portal or banned the use of Facebook altogether.
The Place to Be for African Web Activism Will Be Dakar, Senegal From November 26-28
On November 26, Senegalese and Guinean bloggers will launch a league of African bloggers and cyber-activists in Dakar known as Africtivistes.
How the Ruling Oligarchy Imperils Japanese Democracy
How committed is Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo to Japan's national defense, and what does that mean for the country's Constitution?
New Ukrainian Police Banned from Using Russian Social Networks
VKontakte and Odnoklassniki, the top Russian social network sites hugely popular in Ukraine, are now off limits for Ukrainian police officers.
Taiwanese Netizens Make the Most of Chinese Users’ Brief Facebook Visit
"This is so counterproductive I almost died laughing. This whole thing simply helps Tsai Ing-wen's campaign"
Ukrainian Men's Travel Ban News Debunked as Fake by Military
"Santa Claus will not be paying a visit to those who spread rumors and unverified information."
Netizen Report: Bangladesh Bans Facebook and Chat Apps on ‘Security Grounds’
Bangladesh accidentally shuts down the Internet, hip-hop gets the boot on Chinese streaming sites, and Twitter faces new data dilemmas in Russia.
Who's Afraid of Simone de Beauvoir? How a National Exam Had Millions of Brazilians Talking About Gender
Feminists celebrated the national university entrance exam as it asked people to write about the persistence of violence against women. It was a sad day for the trolls.
Mexico’s Cybercrime Bill is Dead. But What Will Lawmakers Think of Next?
A Mexican senator proposed legislation that many experts warned would have harmed privacy and free speech online in Mexico. A week later, after the public's backlash, he withdrew it.
Russian Lawmaker Suggests Banning Telegram Messenger ‘Because It's Used by ISIS’
Should Telegram be banned because it's used by extremist organizations such as ISIS? One Russian lawmaker believes it should, but plenty of others in Russia disagree.
Global Voices’ Hisham Almiraat Faces Trial in Morocco
Hisham Almiraat, a long-time author and community leader at Global Voices will face trial in Morocco this week on charges of "threatening the internal security of the State."
#FreeBassel: Death Sentence Rumored for Syrian Web Developer
Rumors are circulating that imprisoned Syrian-Palestinian software engineer Bassel Khartabil, also known as Bassel Safadi, has been secretly sentenced to death by the Syrian government.
A New Hashtag Battles the Hatred Between India and Pakistan With Love
"Let peace be spread everywhere...Long Live Peace...Long live peace lover of both countries...."
On French TV, Iran's President Plays Down Women's Facebook Protest Against Hijab
"...the law that made hijab mandatory in Iran is in part due to your own writings. You are responsible and now that you are in power you must be accountable."
Four Tanzanians Charged for Publishing Political Information on WhatsApp
Four other Tanzanians have been arrested and charged for political comments they made using the messaging service WhatsApp.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Crime-Solving Facebook Users Are Back, and So Is the Controversy of Policing Domestic Violence
Back in action are the crime-solving citizens of the so-called 'Facebook Division' of the police. This time, they're after a man who beat his partner with a steel pipe.
New Platform Provides Grassroots Organizing Opportunities for Ukraine's Urbanites
The online platform called "Zhyteli" (Dwellers) is aimed at arming urbanites with the tools to communicate with their neighbors more effectively about anything from utilities prices to major renovations.
Narcodata, an In-Depth Data Journalism Project That Contextualizes the Drug War in Mexico
Using easy-to-comprehend, interactive visualizations, Narcodata tells the story of how the cartels were born, who their leaders are, the conflicts among them, their geographic expansion and their known crimes.
