Russia has become increasingly ruthless in its crackdown of anti-war dissent with more arrests, police barging into public events and even arresting people simply for talking to foreign outlets. 2:28
In the early days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Marat Grachev and his staff at his computer repair store in Moscow discussed how to voice their opposition in an environment where any dissent is silenced.
Grachev, 35, thought taking to the streets seemed futile, as demonstrators were being dragged away by the police moments after brandishing signs.
Read more at:
New laws aim to crush even mild forms of protest in Russia | CBC News
Showing posts with label Censorship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Censorship. Show all posts
3/6/22
Ukraine War -Russia: CNN, BBC, and others suspend broadcasting from Russia after Putin signs law limiting press - by Oliver Darcy,
Russian President Vladimir Putin's creeping authoritarianism got a lot more overt on Friday when he signed a censorship bill into law making it impossible for news organizations to accurately report the news in or from Russia.
The law, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, makes it a crime to disseminate "fake" information about the invasion of Ukraine, with a penalty of up to 15 years in prison for anyone convicted.
The definition of "fake" is, of course, left up to the Russian government. The New York Times reported that the law, which could take effect as soon as Saturday, could make it illegal to merely refer to the Ukraine war as a war.
The law prompted urgent meetings inside news outlets on Friday and pushed them to make difficult decisions.
Read more at: CNN, BBC, and others suspend broadcasting from Russia after Putin signs law limiting press - CNN
The law, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, makes it a crime to disseminate "fake" information about the invasion of Ukraine, with a penalty of up to 15 years in prison for anyone convicted.
The definition of "fake" is, of course, left up to the Russian government. The New York Times reported that the law, which could take effect as soon as Saturday, could make it illegal to merely refer to the Ukraine war as a war.
The law prompted urgent meetings inside news outlets on Friday and pushed them to make difficult decisions.
Read more at: CNN, BBC, and others suspend broadcasting from Russia after Putin signs law limiting press - CNN
7/2/20
USA: Status of Online Censorship in the States
In a sweeping victory for free speech rights in cyberspace, the Supreme Court struck down the Communications Decency Act in Reno
v. ACLU in June 1997. The Court granted the highest level of First
Amendment protection to the Internet, and cyber-activists are still
dancing in the streets.
But is cyberspace really safe from the censors?
Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, states are busy crafting censorship laws at home. At least thirteen states have passed legislation since 1995. This year, New Mexico has already passed a draconian censorship law, and bills are pending in 10 other states.
Read more at;
Online Censorship in the States | American Civil Liberties Union
But is cyberspace really safe from the censors?
Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, states are busy crafting censorship laws at home. At least thirteen states have passed legislation since 1995. This year, New Mexico has already passed a draconian censorship law, and bills are pending in 10 other states.
Read more at;
Online Censorship in the States | American Civil Liberties Union
4/21/20
Turkey′s Erdogan clamps down further on media amid corononavirus crises
The Turkish president seems to be using the coronavirus crisis as a pretext to get rid of the few critical media outlets left in his country. Opposition politicians and journalists fear a new spate of censorship.
Read more at;
https://www.dw.com/en/turkeys-erdogan-clamps-down-further-on-media-amid-coronavirus-crisis/a-53192898
Read more at;
https://www.dw.com/en/turkeys-erdogan-clamps-down-further-on-media-amid-coronavirus-crisis/a-53192898
6/23/18
Turkey -Turkish Presidential Elections: Mega Rally in Istanbul of opposition's democratic and charismatic Muharrem Ince attracts 5 million supporters - EU-Digest Editorial
 |
| Muharrem Ince fresh approach attracting many Turkish voters |
Even Istanbul Police estimated that over 5 million attended this rally, despite undemocratic obstructional measures taken by the Erdogan Government, including, halting ferry boats, which were bringing Ince supporters to the rally, censoring publications which wanted to report the event.
People who clicked on web pages which reported on Ince speeches and events found the following appearing on their screen.
THE PAGE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR
COULD NOT BE FOUND
The page you are looking for has been moved or does not exist.
 |
| Turkish voters are calling for end to corrupt Erdogan regime |
Mr Muharrem Ince repeated an accusation made by other opposition politicians of political bias by Turkey's state media, which has given Mr Erdogan and the AK Party heavy coverage, while often completely neglecting to broadcast opposition rallies.
 |
| Massive turnout for Ince in Istanbul on Saturday, June 23 |
"There are 5 million people in Maltepe right now but none of the TV channels can show it," Ince said in Istanbul this Saturday, June 23.
It is also remarkable and strange, that very few US and EU media outlets have provided hardly any coverage to the rallies of Muharrem Ince.
Instead, the international Press provides a lot of coverage to "President" Erdogan, who has locked up more journalists than the Peoples Republic of China.
Instead, the international Press provides a lot of coverage to "President" Erdogan, who has locked up more journalists than the Peoples Republic of China.
Extra security forces and more than half a million ballot monitors and volunteers will be deployed across Turkey during Sunday's election.
Unfortunately, large numbers of these security forces, monitors, and volunteers have been placed there by the Erdogan government, which, just like during the last referendum vote, makes fraud a major threat again during this Presidential election.
Unfortunately, large numbers of these security forces, monitors, and volunteers have been placed there by the Erdogan government, which, just like during the last referendum vote, makes fraud a major threat again during this Presidential election.
The winner of Sunday's June 24 presidential contest will acquire sweeping new executive powers under a constitutional overhaul backed by Mr Erdogan and endorsed last year by a narrow majority of Turks in a referendum.
EU-Digest-
No permission is required to re-publish the above report
as long as EU-Digest is mentioned as the source.
2/24/17
Censorship USA: White House bans certain news media from briefing
The White House has barred several major broadcasters and newspapers from attending an informal press briefing.
The BBC, CNN, the New York Times and others were excluded from an audience with Press Secretary Sean Spicer, with no reason given.
It came hours after President Donald Trump delivered another attack on the media in a speech, saying that "fake news" was the "enemy of the people".
He has previously singled out CNN and the New York Times for criticism.
Recent reports claiming his campaign aides had contact with Russian intelligence officials have particularly irked the president.
Shortly after Mr Trump's speech on Friday, a number of selected media organisations were invited into Mr Spicer's office for an informal briefing, or "gaggle".
Those allowed into the room included ABC, Fox News, Breitbart News, Reuters and the Washington Times.
When asked why some were excluded, Mr Spicer said it was his decision to "expand the pool" of reporters.
He also warned the White House was going to "aggressively push back" at "false narratives" in the news.
Read more: White House bans certain news media from briefing - BBC News
The BBC, CNN, the New York Times and others were excluded from an audience with Press Secretary Sean Spicer, with no reason given.
It came hours after President Donald Trump delivered another attack on the media in a speech, saying that "fake news" was the "enemy of the people".
He has previously singled out CNN and the New York Times for criticism.
Recent reports claiming his campaign aides had contact with Russian intelligence officials have particularly irked the president.
Shortly after Mr Trump's speech on Friday, a number of selected media organisations were invited into Mr Spicer's office for an informal briefing, or "gaggle".
Those allowed into the room included ABC, Fox News, Breitbart News, Reuters and the Washington Times.
When asked why some were excluded, Mr Spicer said it was his decision to "expand the pool" of reporters.
He also warned the White House was going to "aggressively push back" at "false narratives" in the news.
Read more: White House bans certain news media from briefing - BBC News
10/12/16
Propaganda: ′Divide Europe′: European lawmakers warn of Russian propaganda - what about propaganda from other sources?
"The Russian government is aggressively employing a wide-range of tools and instruments, such as think tanks […], multilingual TV stations (i.e. Russia Today), pseudo-news agencies […], social media and internet trolls, to challenge democratic values, divide Europe, gather domestic support and create the perception of failed states in the EU's eastern neighborhood," the resolution said.
European lawmakers called on media representatives in the EU to compile facts on the "consumption of propaganda," worrying that "with the limited awareness amongst some of its member states, that they are audiences and arenas of propaganda and disinformation."
The resolution urged European authorities to turn the EU's Strategic Communication Task Force, an initiative mandated by the European Council aimed at dispelling propaganda, into a "fully-fledged unit" within the bloc's diplomatic office, "with proper staffing and adequate budgetary resources."
MEP Anna Fotyga, the chief rapporteur for the resolution, told DW that more needs to be done to expose the "mechanism of propaganda" directed at the bloc's member states, and more broadly the EU and the West.
However, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT (formerly Russia Today), told DW that the resolution, in effect, targets free speech in the 28-nation bloc.
"This a rather interesting interpretation of the much-touted western values, particularly that of the freedom of speech - which in action apparently means attacking a rare voice of dissent amongst literally thousands of European media outlets," Simonyan said in an emailed statement.
"If anything is eroding public confidence in European institutions, it's that," she added.
Note EU-Digest: Good move by EU lawmakers, but propaganda is coming to the EU citizens and politicians from a variety of sources and directions - countries and industry, and the question should not only be focused on one potential culprit, but other sources as well, including, the US, China, multi- nationals, etc. If the EU lawmakers don't approach the issue in a far more broader and objective way, it unfortunately does start to smell like censorship, and that, one can only hope is not the purpose of this exercise ?
Read more: ′Divide Europe′: European lawmakers warn of Russian propaganda | Europe | DW.COM | 11.10.2016
3/28/16
Freedom of the Press: Turkey (Erdogan) 'protests over EU consuls attending journalists' trial'
Turkey has protested to
foreign missions over the presence of consuls from EU states at the
espionage trial of two journalists, and their comments online, a
diplomatic source said Monday.
"We have conveyed our discomfort to the concerned countries' representatives over the comments shared on social media which may constitute interference in the independent judicial process and which do not comply with impartiality," the source said.
The trial of two top journalists from the Cumhuriyet daily last week was attended by top diplomats including the British consul to Istanbul, who published pictures from the court on Twitter.
Read more: Flash - Turkey 'protests over EU consuls attending journalists' trial' - France 24
"We have conveyed our discomfort to the concerned countries' representatives over the comments shared on social media which may constitute interference in the independent judicial process and which do not comply with impartiality," the source said.
The trial of two top journalists from the Cumhuriyet daily last week was attended by top diplomats including the British consul to Istanbul, who published pictures from the court on Twitter.
Read more: Flash - Turkey 'protests over EU consuls attending journalists' trial' - France 24
8/23/15
Turkey: Erdogan Uses Censorship to Cling to Power - by Michael Rubin
As predicted,
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had absolutely no intention of abiding
by the results of the June 7, 2015 when, for the first time in more than
12 years, his Justice and Development lost its majority in parliament.
Joining a coalition means compromising with opposition parties rather than continuing his own tyranny of the plurality.
Hence, Erdoğan has called snap-elections for November 1. Erdoğan is no gambler, however, and he will not trust his fate to the voters determining their party pick on an even playing field.
While Turkish diplomats and perhaps their American counterparts as well seek to spin recent military operations as renewed Turkish seriousness in the fight against the Islamic State, they are anything but.
Turkey’s military disproportionately targeted the Kurds who have been fighting the Islamic State, and they have launched repeated airstrikes as well at the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) presence in northern Iraq, never mind the ceasefire to which Erdoğan had earlier agreed. Indeed, it’s all well and good to suggest that Turkey is fighting a renewed insurgency but the renewed outbreak of insurgency was largely Erdoğan’s political decision.
In reality, it would be just as accurate to say that Erdoğan’s regime has killed dozens if not hundreds of Turkish citizens since his party’s relatively poor showing in the June elections. Simply put, Erdoğan believes a crisis works in his favor and undercuts the electoral hopes of Turkey’s Kurds.
But fomenting crisis is only one mechanism by which Erdoğan will seek to cement his power. He has also taken censorship inside Turkey to new heights to prevent his opponents from pushing out their message online. “Radical Democrat” blogger Gürkan Özturan gives a chilling new report on Erdoğan crackdown on Internet news sites:
As predicted, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had absolutely no intention of abiding by the results of the June 7, 2015 when, for the first time in more than 12 years, his Justice and Development lost its majority in parliament. Joining a coalition means compromising with opposition parties rather than continuing his own tyranny of the plurality.
Hence, Erdoğan has called snap-elections for November 1. Erdoğan is no gambler, however, and he will not trust his fate to the voters determining their party pick on an even playing field.
While Turkish diplomats and perhaps their American counterparts as well seek to spin recent military operations as renewed Turkish seriousness in the fight against the Islamic State, they are anything but.
Turkey’s military disproportionately targeted the Kurds who have been fighting the Islamic State, and they have launched repeated airstrikes as well at the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) presence in northern Iraq, never mind the ceasefire to which Erdoğan had earlier agreed. Indeed, it’s all well and good to suggest that Turkey is fighting a renewed insurgency but the renewed outbreak of insurgency was largely Erdoğan’s political decision. In reality, it would be just as accurate to say that Erdoğan’s regime has killed dozens if not hundreds of Turkish citizens since his party’s relatively poor showing in the June elections.
Simply put, Erdoğan believes a crisis works in his favor and undercuts the electoral hopes of Turkey’s Kurds.
But fomenting crisis is only one mechanism by which Erdoğan will seek to cement his power.
He has also taken censorship inside Turkey to new heights to prevent his opponents from pushing out their message online. “Radical Democrat” blogger Gürkan Özturan gives a chilling new report on Erdoğan crackdown on Internet news sites:
Read more: Erdogan Uses Censorship to Cling to Power
Joining a coalition means compromising with opposition parties rather than continuing his own tyranny of the plurality.
Hence, Erdoğan has called snap-elections for November 1. Erdoğan is no gambler, however, and he will not trust his fate to the voters determining their party pick on an even playing field.
While Turkish diplomats and perhaps their American counterparts as well seek to spin recent military operations as renewed Turkish seriousness in the fight against the Islamic State, they are anything but.
Turkey’s military disproportionately targeted the Kurds who have been fighting the Islamic State, and they have launched repeated airstrikes as well at the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) presence in northern Iraq, never mind the ceasefire to which Erdoğan had earlier agreed. Indeed, it’s all well and good to suggest that Turkey is fighting a renewed insurgency but the renewed outbreak of insurgency was largely Erdoğan’s political decision.
In reality, it would be just as accurate to say that Erdoğan’s regime has killed dozens if not hundreds of Turkish citizens since his party’s relatively poor showing in the June elections. Simply put, Erdoğan believes a crisis works in his favor and undercuts the electoral hopes of Turkey’s Kurds.
But fomenting crisis is only one mechanism by which Erdoğan will seek to cement his power. He has also taken censorship inside Turkey to new heights to prevent his opponents from pushing out their message online. “Radical Democrat” blogger Gürkan Özturan gives a chilling new report on Erdoğan crackdown on Internet news sites:
As predicted, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had absolutely no intention of abiding by the results of the June 7, 2015 when, for the first time in more than 12 years, his Justice and Development lost its majority in parliament. Joining a coalition means compromising with opposition parties rather than continuing his own tyranny of the plurality.
Hence, Erdoğan has called snap-elections for November 1. Erdoğan is no gambler, however, and he will not trust his fate to the voters determining their party pick on an even playing field.
While Turkish diplomats and perhaps their American counterparts as well seek to spin recent military operations as renewed Turkish seriousness in the fight against the Islamic State, they are anything but.
Turkey’s military disproportionately targeted the Kurds who have been fighting the Islamic State, and they have launched repeated airstrikes as well at the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) presence in northern Iraq, never mind the ceasefire to which Erdoğan had earlier agreed. Indeed, it’s all well and good to suggest that Turkey is fighting a renewed insurgency but the renewed outbreak of insurgency was largely Erdoğan’s political decision. In reality, it would be just as accurate to say that Erdoğan’s regime has killed dozens if not hundreds of Turkish citizens since his party’s relatively poor showing in the June elections.
Simply put, Erdoğan believes a crisis works in his favor and undercuts the electoral hopes of Turkey’s Kurds.
But fomenting crisis is only one mechanism by which Erdoğan will seek to cement his power.
He has also taken censorship inside Turkey to new heights to prevent his opponents from pushing out their message online. “Radical Democrat” blogger Gürkan Özturan gives a chilling new report on Erdoğan crackdown on Internet news sites:
Read more: Erdogan Uses Censorship to Cling to Power
1/1/15
Censorship:: China seeks to export its vision of the Internet - by Nathan Vanderklippe
 |
| China Censors the Internet |
Many nations are also newly skeptical of U.S. leadership in cyberspace, following the Edward Snowden revelations of rampant spying. “The U.S. is no longer seen as a benevolent steward of the Internet system,” said Mr. Creemers.
“The whole idea that Cisco routers, which power the Chinese Internet, might have CIA backdoors installed is a huge concern in Chinese policy circles.” China appears to be taking swift action, saying it wants home-grown technology to supplant foreign-sourced goods in sensitive banking, military and other applications by 2020.
Nlote EU-Digest: it all boils down to Governments controlling what people can see and connect to on the Internet, or having the freedom of choice. To most people who believe in Democracy and Privacy Rights the latter is always preferable. China applies a censorship policy on many forms of expression which it can not disguise in any shape or form.
Read more: China seeks to export its vision of the Internet - The Globe and Mail
12/27/14
Freedom of Expression: Africa - Egypt, Morocco ban 'Zionist' Exodus film
Egypt and Morocco have banned Hollywood’s big screen biblical epic
"Exodus: Gods and Kings" because of what Egyptian censors described as
"historical inaccuracies".
Read more: Africa - Egypt, Morocco ban 'Zionist' Exodus film - France 24
Read more: Africa - Egypt, Morocco ban 'Zionist' Exodus film - France 24
6/6/14
Press: Alternative Resources: Browsers - Search Engines - E-Mail Servers - News: Print, Radio and TV Services - by RM
Following below is a listing of alternative on-line services which provide you with more freedom of choice and where your personal data and privacy rights are presently not compromised.
E-Mail Services
NEOMAILBOX
ECLIPSO
Search Engines
Ixquick
Browsers
Open source Tor Project
Alternative (unadulterated) News - Print, Radio, and TV
Aljazeera (also in languages other than English)
BBC (also in languages other than English)
Deutsche Welle
EuroNews (also in languages other than English)
France24 (also in languages other than English)
LinkTV
Most of the above mentioned resources can also be downloaded as an APP for your smart-phone or computer.
In some countries where there is censorship some of these services won't work. In that case it is recommended to try using the Tor Browser to connect with them.
EU-Digest
4/20/14
Turkey: Censorship - Leaving the Web: Will Turkey ditch 'www' for 'ttt'?
Turkish newspaper Hürriyet reported over the weekend that officials
are considering the establishment of their own "ttt" protocol, instead
of the conventional “www” of the World Wide Web.
According to the report, Communications Minister Lütfi Elvan made the groundbreaking suggestion during an informal meeting with journalists in Parliament on Friday.
Turkish Daily News, on the other hand, quoted officials who denied such intention.
The Turkish government is involved in a bitter struggle with social media sites such as Twitter and YouTube, which, it says, publish "malicious" information about the government in general and about Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in particular.
"Instead of www, a ttt system could be formed. Turkey and other countries could establish their own domains.
Such a move would detach the Internet systems from each other. This is a controversial issue," Elvan was quoted as saying by Hürriyet.
Read more: Leaving the Web: Will Turkey ditch 'www' for 'ttt'? - World Israel News | Haaretz
According to the report, Communications Minister Lütfi Elvan made the groundbreaking suggestion during an informal meeting with journalists in Parliament on Friday.
Turkish Daily News, on the other hand, quoted officials who denied such intention.
The Turkish government is involved in a bitter struggle with social media sites such as Twitter and YouTube, which, it says, publish "malicious" information about the government in general and about Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in particular.
"Instead of www, a ttt system could be formed. Turkey and other countries could establish their own domains.
Such a move would detach the Internet systems from each other. This is a controversial issue," Elvan was quoted as saying by Hürriyet.
Read more: Leaving the Web: Will Turkey ditch 'www' for 'ttt'? - World Israel News | Haaretz
3/29/14
Turkey: AKP faces tough test in Turkey's local polls - by Osman Kaytazoglu
Turkey is going to the polls in local elections on March 30. The vote
comes amid allegations of government corruption and bribery, debates
about a so-called "parallel state", and with government moves to block
Twitter and YouTube heavily criticized.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party [AKP] have come out of each general election since the party was first elected to power in 2002 with more votes than before, securing nearly 50 percent of the vote in 2011 general elections.
But this election may represent the AKP’s biggest challenge to date, and is being described as a litmus test for upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. The main parties fielding candidates are Erdogan’s AKP, the main opposition party Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the pro-Kurdish Justice and Development Party (BDP).
The local elections first garnered attention with anti-government Gezi Park protests in June 2013, when thousands of people descended on a park in central Istanbul against the municipality’s gentrification plans.
The elections have been dominated by a new scandal that began on December 17 last year, when three AKP cabinet ministers’ children were arrested on corruption charges, and several government figures were implicated in graft probes.
Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republic People’s Party (CHP), has tried to make sure the graft probe remains at the centre of the election process. "The state’s conscience woke up on December 17," CHP leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, said, referring to when the first arrests were made.
Erdogan blamed rival Fethullah Gulen, the US-based head of the Gulen movement, for the recent controversies, and their feud has dominated the headlines. Erdogan described the Gulen movement as "a threat to national security" and called the Gulen movement "a terrorist organisation".
Recent opinion polls show that people are confused about the public AKP-Gulen feud. While 60 percent of Turkish people believe the corruption allegations are true, 57 percent also think that the graft probe is a coup attempt targeting Erdogan.
Ahead of the polls, various audio recordings have also leaked, with the latest reportedly showing top government and security officials discussing launching military operations into Syria. The Turkish government banned Twitter and YouTube over these leaks.
Read more: AKP faces tough test in Turkey's local polls - Europe - Al Jazeera English
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party [AKP] have come out of each general election since the party was first elected to power in 2002 with more votes than before, securing nearly 50 percent of the vote in 2011 general elections.
But this election may represent the AKP’s biggest challenge to date, and is being described as a litmus test for upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. The main parties fielding candidates are Erdogan’s AKP, the main opposition party Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the pro-Kurdish Justice and Development Party (BDP).
The local elections first garnered attention with anti-government Gezi Park protests in June 2013, when thousands of people descended on a park in central Istanbul against the municipality’s gentrification plans.
The elections have been dominated by a new scandal that began on December 17 last year, when three AKP cabinet ministers’ children were arrested on corruption charges, and several government figures were implicated in graft probes.
Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republic People’s Party (CHP), has tried to make sure the graft probe remains at the centre of the election process. "The state’s conscience woke up on December 17," CHP leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, said, referring to when the first arrests were made.
Erdogan blamed rival Fethullah Gulen, the US-based head of the Gulen movement, for the recent controversies, and their feud has dominated the headlines. Erdogan described the Gulen movement as "a threat to national security" and called the Gulen movement "a terrorist organisation".
Recent opinion polls show that people are confused about the public AKP-Gulen feud. While 60 percent of Turkish people believe the corruption allegations are true, 57 percent also think that the graft probe is a coup attempt targeting Erdogan.
Ahead of the polls, various audio recordings have also leaked, with the latest reportedly showing top government and security officials discussing launching military operations into Syria. The Turkish government banned Twitter and YouTube over these leaks.
Read more: AKP faces tough test in Turkey's local polls - Europe - Al Jazeera English
3/28/14
Turkey: Move to block YouTube ahead of elections points to growing censorship
The Turkish authorities’ move today to block access to YouTube on the eve of Sunday’s elections, and not long after they restricted access to Twitter, smacks of a wider pre-meditated crackdown on freedom of expression, Amnesty International said.
According to media reports, Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited national security concerns when it sought an administrative order to block the video-sharing platform – allegedly to prevent further circulation of a taped recording of discussions between senior Turkish officials on Syria.
“The Turkish government appears to be itching for pretexts to close down websites because of their capacity to mobilize dissenting opinion and broadcast embarrassing material,” said Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International's researcher on Turkey.
“Coming just days before Turkey goes to the polls and in the wake of Prime Minister Erdoðan’s strident criticism of YouTube, this is clearly nothing more than a crude attempt at government censorship that will only generate deeper distrust and frustration.
“Even if the Turkish authorities have legitimate concerns about some of the content that might appear, it is completely disproportionate to enforce a blanket YouTube ban in the entire country. Access to YouTube must be restored immediately and the authorities must stop blocking sites that expose abuses and provide a platform for dissenting views.”
Read more: Turkey: Move to block YouTube ahead of elections points to growing censorship | Amnesty International
According to media reports, Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited national security concerns when it sought an administrative order to block the video-sharing platform – allegedly to prevent further circulation of a taped recording of discussions between senior Turkish officials on Syria.
“The Turkish government appears to be itching for pretexts to close down websites because of their capacity to mobilize dissenting opinion and broadcast embarrassing material,” said Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International's researcher on Turkey.
“Coming just days before Turkey goes to the polls and in the wake of Prime Minister Erdoðan’s strident criticism of YouTube, this is clearly nothing more than a crude attempt at government censorship that will only generate deeper distrust and frustration.
“Even if the Turkish authorities have legitimate concerns about some of the content that might appear, it is completely disproportionate to enforce a blanket YouTube ban in the entire country. Access to YouTube must be restored immediately and the authorities must stop blocking sites that expose abuses and provide a platform for dissenting views.”
Read more: Turkey: Move to block YouTube ahead of elections points to growing censorship | Amnesty International
2/9/14
Censorship: Turkey’s nightmarish adventures in censorship and surveillance on the internet - by Güneş Tavmen
In
the year 2011, Bulent Arinc, the Vice-Prime Minister declared that the
then President of Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD), Umit
Boyner, was a porn enthusiast. This was his considered reply to Mrs Boyner’s criticisms
of the internet filtering mechanism installed by the AKP government.
Despite many civic controversies, the government has defended its filtering system by claiming that it is designed to protect children from pornographic and violent content. So according to the government, whoever opposes that must be a porn enthusiast by default. However amongst all the ngo’s that have raised such criticism, it was only Mrs Boyner who came in for such lowlife humiliations.
It has always set me wondering about how much of this was directly due to the fact that Umit Boyner, as leaders go, is a very strong character and a beautiful woman. In any case, Mrs Boyner’s opposition to the content filtering system as it is controlled by governmental institutions then became only one of many smear campaigns which she has had to contend.
In the last 10 years, the government’s interventions in internet regulation have always been highly problematic in Turkey. Censorship and shutting down random websites have been a daily activity. In my article in September 2013, I wrote about Facebook shutting down the pages of Kurdish politicians, citizen journalism and LGBT groups. I suggested that it was a consequence of the heavy censorship in the country and Facebook just chose to be allies with the government without any resistance to keeping these pages open.
Turkey’s shaky reputation in internet censorship has been visible in every international report on free speech, web indexes, and press freedom. Lately in November 2013, the Web Index Report prepared by the World Wide Web Foundation ranked Turkey as 58th out of 81 countries in terms of indicators based on universal access, freedom and openness, relevant content, and empowerment. In the same report, Turkey appears to champion censoring politically sensitive content together with Russia, China and Saudi Arabia.
Yet, this bleak picture was in place before the recent attack on the internet. Now, a new Bill has been passed on Wednesday night, a draft Law prepared hastily and of course without any deliberation with NGO’s, legal authorities or the internet companies.
Last June, when social media channels were heavily used in communication during the Gezi resistance, rumour had it that the government was preparing for a far stronger censorship of the internet. Prime Minister Erdogan, calling Twitter a ‘menace’, gave the clearest signal of another attempt to make things tighter under his authoritarian rule.
Read more: Turkey’s nightmarish adventures in censorship and surveillance on the internet | openDemocracy
Despite many civic controversies, the government has defended its filtering system by claiming that it is designed to protect children from pornographic and violent content. So according to the government, whoever opposes that must be a porn enthusiast by default. However amongst all the ngo’s that have raised such criticism, it was only Mrs Boyner who came in for such lowlife humiliations.
It has always set me wondering about how much of this was directly due to the fact that Umit Boyner, as leaders go, is a very strong character and a beautiful woman. In any case, Mrs Boyner’s opposition to the content filtering system as it is controlled by governmental institutions then became only one of many smear campaigns which she has had to contend.
In the last 10 years, the government’s interventions in internet regulation have always been highly problematic in Turkey. Censorship and shutting down random websites have been a daily activity. In my article in September 2013, I wrote about Facebook shutting down the pages of Kurdish politicians, citizen journalism and LGBT groups. I suggested that it was a consequence of the heavy censorship in the country and Facebook just chose to be allies with the government without any resistance to keeping these pages open.
Turkey’s shaky reputation in internet censorship has been visible in every international report on free speech, web indexes, and press freedom. Lately in November 2013, the Web Index Report prepared by the World Wide Web Foundation ranked Turkey as 58th out of 81 countries in terms of indicators based on universal access, freedom and openness, relevant content, and empowerment. In the same report, Turkey appears to champion censoring politically sensitive content together with Russia, China and Saudi Arabia.
Yet, this bleak picture was in place before the recent attack on the internet. Now, a new Bill has been passed on Wednesday night, a draft Law prepared hastily and of course without any deliberation with NGO’s, legal authorities or the internet companies.
Last June, when social media channels were heavily used in communication during the Gezi resistance, rumour had it that the government was preparing for a far stronger censorship of the internet. Prime Minister Erdogan, calling Twitter a ‘menace’, gave the clearest signal of another attempt to make things tighter under his authoritarian rule.
Read more: Turkey’s nightmarish adventures in censorship and surveillance on the internet | openDemocracy
Middle East - Censorship: Saudis use Twitter to critique government and to avoid censorship- by Glen Carey and Deema Almashabi
When Saudi Arabia announced a program to provide people with
affordable homes last month, only a few hours passed before online
critics started attacking the performance of the Housing Ministry.
A man wrote on Twitter that the agency “is all promises but we have yet to see them implement anything”. Another said the ministry should solve problems with previous projects before starting new ones.
The ministry defended its plan the same day, in a rare government response to public discontent in an absolute monarchy.
In Saudi Arabia, which has the world’s largest proportion of internet users accessing Twitter, people are turning online to avoid the censorship of traditional media, and to question government in a way that’s transforming their relationship with the ruling Al Saud family.
While that might in the past have resulted in a jail sentence, the Saudi authorities are accepting greater online freedom since the Arab Spring uprisings started in 2011.
“Social media provides a space for interaction that isn’t permitted in public,” said Lori Plotkin Boghardt, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “Saudi leadership views the use of social media to express discontent as a fact of modern life that must be tolerated. Not allowing it might lead to further disgruntlement.”
A third of Saudi internet users access Twitter each month, the largest proportion in the world, according to data from PeerReach. YouTube and Instagram are the other two most popular social media sites in the kingdom.
Read more: Saudis use Twitter to critique government
A man wrote on Twitter that the agency “is all promises but we have yet to see them implement anything”. Another said the ministry should solve problems with previous projects before starting new ones.
The ministry defended its plan the same day, in a rare government response to public discontent in an absolute monarchy.
In Saudi Arabia, which has the world’s largest proportion of internet users accessing Twitter, people are turning online to avoid the censorship of traditional media, and to question government in a way that’s transforming their relationship with the ruling Al Saud family.
While that might in the past have resulted in a jail sentence, the Saudi authorities are accepting greater online freedom since the Arab Spring uprisings started in 2011.
“Social media provides a space for interaction that isn’t permitted in public,” said Lori Plotkin Boghardt, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “Saudi leadership views the use of social media to express discontent as a fact of modern life that must be tolerated. Not allowing it might lead to further disgruntlement.”
A third of Saudi internet users access Twitter each month, the largest proportion in the world, according to data from PeerReach. YouTube and Instagram are the other two most popular social media sites in the kingdom.
Read more: Saudis use Twitter to critique government
2/3/14
Middle East: Saudi Arabia to impose restrictions on online content production, including on YouTube - by Helmi Noman
The chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Commission for Audiovisual
Media, Dr. Riyad Najm, said his commission will start putting
restrictions on content produced online, including on YouTube. He said
Saudis wishing to post content to YouTube will have to get a license
that explains content production terms and conditions.
Dr. Najm announced the restrictions (AR) at a meeting with businessmen and the media at a local chamber of commerce, held on December 1, 2013. When asked by al-Hayat newspaper whether the commission will censor online audiovisual content, he said among his commission’s responsibilities is to monitor online content broadcast via the Internet on websites such as YouTube.
He said “no country in the world allows no censorship.” He added that the difference between one country and another is the extent of the terms and conditions in place; "they increase in one country, but are reduced in another depending on the traditions and norms in each society.” He said the aim behind these restrictions is to “contain the youth’s energy, which entered this field without knowing what the allowed ceiling is.” He noted that doing so is going to be very difficult, and efforts to circumvent the measures are expected.
Reuters reported that Saudis have been broadcasting content on YouTube that addresses “serious social issues through humor." The news agency noted that restrictions imposed by morality police on Saudi public spaces “have created a uniquely captive audience for web-based news and entertainment.” Saudi Arabia is now the biggest user of YouTube per capita in the world.
Read more: Saudi Arabia to impose restrictions on online content production, including on YouTube | OpenNet Initiative
Dr. Najm announced the restrictions (AR) at a meeting with businessmen and the media at a local chamber of commerce, held on December 1, 2013. When asked by al-Hayat newspaper whether the commission will censor online audiovisual content, he said among his commission’s responsibilities is to monitor online content broadcast via the Internet on websites such as YouTube.
He said “no country in the world allows no censorship.” He added that the difference between one country and another is the extent of the terms and conditions in place; "they increase in one country, but are reduced in another depending on the traditions and norms in each society.” He said the aim behind these restrictions is to “contain the youth’s energy, which entered this field without knowing what the allowed ceiling is.” He noted that doing so is going to be very difficult, and efforts to circumvent the measures are expected.
Reuters reported that Saudis have been broadcasting content on YouTube that addresses “serious social issues through humor." The news agency noted that restrictions imposed by morality police on Saudi public spaces “have created a uniquely captive audience for web-based news and entertainment.” Saudi Arabia is now the biggest user of YouTube per capita in the world.
Read more: Saudi Arabia to impose restrictions on online content production, including on YouTube | OpenNet Initiative
12/9/13
Russia - Censorship: Putin's state media shakeup aims to tighten his control over Russian news - by Laura Mills
President Vladimir Putin on Monday appointed a controversial news anchor to head a restructured state news agency, a move signaling the Kremlin's intention to tighten control over the media and use it increasingly for propaganda of ultraconservative views.
Dmitry Kiselyov, who spent much of his weekly news program on state Rossiya television maligning homosexuality and speculating about Western-led conspiracies, was put in charge of all the resources of the former RIA Novosti, which was renamed Rossiya Segodnya (Russia Today).
The agency has been known for news coverage that at times appeared too comprehensive for the government's comfort, including active reportage on the anti-Putin protest movement.
The appointment makes Kiselyov the chief executive in a company of 2,300 employees, removable only by Putin himself. That promotion has come as a shock to many who previously derided the pro-Kremlin pundit -- who controversially suggested that the internal organs of homosexuals should be burned and buried rather than donated -- as an irrelevant lackey.
Kiselyov's conspiratorial, almost coquettish grin and over enthusiastic hand gestures have made him a recognizable staple of Russian television. But it's his toxic cocktail of punditry and sensationalism that has gained him his reputation as one of Russia's most famous --and reviled-- news anchors.
Kiselyov has often led the attack in taking down the opposition movement, the West, homosexuals, and other groups that top the Kremlin agenda. His pugnacious punditry contrasts with that of some other anchors on state-owned channels, who often are more eager to censor issues out of the limelight than attack them head-on.
When Ukrainians flooded the streets last week to protest their president's shelving of a treaty with the European Union, Kiselyov lambasted Sweden and Poland, accusing them of encouraging massive protests in Kiev to take revenge for military defeats by czarist Russia centuries ago.
Kiselyov, who earned his degree in Scandinavian literature, rolled a clip of a Swedish children's program called "Poop and Pee," designed to teach children about their bodily functions. After the clip finished rolling,
Kiselyov turned to the camera to suggest that this was the kind of European decadence awaiting Ukraine, if it signed a deal with the EU.
Read more: Putin's state media shakeup aims to tighten his control over Russian news - San Jose Mercury News
The agency has been known for news coverage that at times appeared too comprehensive for the government's comfort, including active reportage on the anti-Putin protest movement.
The appointment makes Kiselyov the chief executive in a company of 2,300 employees, removable only by Putin himself. That promotion has come as a shock to many who previously derided the pro-Kremlin pundit -- who controversially suggested that the internal organs of homosexuals should be burned and buried rather than donated -- as an irrelevant lackey.
Kiselyov's conspiratorial, almost coquettish grin and over enthusiastic hand gestures have made him a recognizable staple of Russian television. But it's his toxic cocktail of punditry and sensationalism that has gained him his reputation as one of Russia's most famous --and reviled-- news anchors.
Kiselyov has often led the attack in taking down the opposition movement, the West, homosexuals, and other groups that top the Kremlin agenda. His pugnacious punditry contrasts with that of some other anchors on state-owned channels, who often are more eager to censor issues out of the limelight than attack them head-on.
When Ukrainians flooded the streets last week to protest their president's shelving of a treaty with the European Union, Kiselyov lambasted Sweden and Poland, accusing them of encouraging massive protests in Kiev to take revenge for military defeats by czarist Russia centuries ago.
Kiselyov, who earned his degree in Scandinavian literature, rolled a clip of a Swedish children's program called "Poop and Pee," designed to teach children about their bodily functions. After the clip finished rolling,
Kiselyov turned to the camera to suggest that this was the kind of European decadence awaiting Ukraine, if it signed a deal with the EU.
Read more: Putin's state media shakeup aims to tighten his control over Russian news - San Jose Mercury News
9/19/13
Censorship and the Internet: Saudi royals seek ban on .virgin, .sex, .catholic, .wtf and 159 more - by Kevin Murphy
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has objected to the proposed new top-level internet domains .virgin and .baby – applied for by Virgin Group and Johnson & Johnson respectively – on the grounds that they will encourage pornography.
The bizarre claims are among 163 complaints about new dot-word gTLD applications that the Saudi Communication and Information Technology Commission has filed with domain name gatekeeper ICANN over the last few days.
“We consider there is a risk that this string is used in the same way as .XXX to host pornographic websites,” the commission wrote in its objection to Johnson & Johnson's .baby application.
Read more: Saudi royals seek ban on .virgin, .sex, .catholic, .wtf and 159 MORE • The Regi
The bizarre claims are among 163 complaints about new dot-word gTLD applications that the Saudi Communication and Information Technology Commission has filed with domain name gatekeeper ICANN over the last few days.
Read more: Saudi royals seek ban on .virgin, .sex, .catholic, .wtf and 159 MORE • The Regi
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