Stories about Digital Activism from September, 2015
When Online Kremlin Propaganda Leaves the Web, It Looks Like This
"Material Evidence" is one of few pro-Putin Internet projects connected to Russia's "troll factories" with a significant offline trail. Because of this, we can trace its operations unusually well.
Pussy Riot Performance in Banksy's Dismaland Highlights Plight of Refugees
Russian punk musicians and political activists Pussy Riot raised awareness of the cause of refugees in Europe with a violent and loud performance at Banksy's Dismaland park in London.
#PinjraTod Gives Voice to Indian Women Fed Up With Draconian University Hostel Rules
"What is clear from all these stories is the need for an all-out rejection of these restrictive rules and the patriarchal protectionism they are built on."
Drowned Syrian Boy Awakens Peruvians to Their Own Dying Children
A photo of a drowned Syrian boy has generated international sympathy, while images of children freezing in the Peruvian Andes have provoked a different response.
The Arrest of Arash Zad, Iran's Start-Up Kid
A popular technology blogger and pioneer of Iran's start-up scene is quietly arrested at Tehran's international airport. A strange turn of events for someone not involved in an dissident activity.
Zone9 Bloggers Are Not Alone: More Ethiopian Netizens Face Terrorism Charges
Alongside the now-famous case of the Zone9 bloggers, there are so many detained Ethiopian bloggers, online activists and politicians, whose names are not yet on the map. Last year on July...
Haitian President's Sexist Comments Remind Caribbean Feminists They Still Have a Long Way to Go
From schoolboy raps to ministerial threats, women across the Caribbean continue to pay the price for speaking out, says the Code Red feminist blog.
New Mobile App Helps Belarusians to Keep an Eye on Violations in Presidential Election
The creators of "Vochy" hope the mobile app helps broaden Belarusian citizens' knowledge of their voter rights and provides an opportunity to quickly report election violations to independent observers.
Twitter Users from Around the World Show Off Ukrainian Foods in Their Local Grocery Stores
Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister asked his Twitter followers to post photos of products made in Ukraine from grocery stores around the world to show the scope of the country's agricultural exports.
Guinean Bloggers Battle the Digital Divide and Threats to Free Speech
Abdoulaye Bah reports Guinea's second blogcamp on how local bloggers are building the online community and opposing restrictions on free speech imposed before the elections.
#DearMrPresident: South Africans Write to President Zuma on Twitter
An open letter to South Africa's President Jacob Zuma about rising crime levels caused an outpouring of criticism from citizens on Twitter with the hashtag #DearMrPresident.
Truth Is Not a Crime: Ukraine Honors Fallen Journalist Gongadze
15 years after the murder of Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Gongadze, those who ordered his killing have still not been found by the investigators.
Resentment Against Hungary Grows After Serbia Border Clashes Injure Refugees and Journalists
Many expressed anger at Hungary and the European Union for their handling of the refugee crisis, including the closure of the Hungarian-Serbian border, without consulting their non-EU neighbors.
Unlivable Conditions in Macedonian Student Dorms Worsen
The Student Plenum, a grassroots movement fighting for the rights of university students in Macedonia, published new photos of the unlivable conditions that students in Macedonia's capital of Skopje live...
Shayloo-Jayloo: A Film Straight from the Heart of Kyrgyz Life
All politics is local, and a film about the very local politics of a Kyrgyz village has spurred a crowd-funding campaign ahead of elections on October 4.
#NoVatOnEducation Student Movement Is on the Rise in Bangladesh
“Constitution requires free universal education, but government proposes tax on education.” A new value-added tax on private university tuition meets with disapproval and mass protests in Bangladesh.
An Animated History of How the Cherokee Have Adapted Their Language for Technology
This is the video story of how the Cherokee language has adapted and evolved over time to be used with the newest communication technologies introduced to society.
Facebook Activist Details How She Received a Seven-Year Prison Sentence in Iran
One of the eight Facebook activists sentenced to long prison sentences in 2013 for social and political commentary posted on their Facebook pages, has asserted that she was denied access to a lawyer during her detention, interrogated about private matters, and charged with crimes she never committed.
Russian Activists Fight Municipal Corruption with ‘Mortal Kombat’-Style Website
Russian anti-corruption activists are pitching battles in courts and online against corrupt municipal officials, 'Mortal Kombat'-style.
Minority Women Communicators Conference Looks To ‘Occupy the Media and Internet’ in Mexico
The official announcement has been made for the Second Conference of Women Communicators of Indigenous and African Descent. The conference, whose slogan is “We occupy the media, we occupy the...
Malian Web Activists Finance Academic Support for Timbuktu Students
In Timbuktu, Malian activists are putting together a project that aims to help 200 students, of whom around 50 are girls, prepare for their end-of-year exams.