The Global Fight Against Internet Censorship
From Japan to Canada to the US, there is a worldwide legislative battle taking place to clamp down on the internet and stifle alternative journalism. James t...
By: corbettreport
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The Global Fight Against Internet Censorship - Video
Regimes with weak foundations promote censorship
The recent controversy on the BBC film, India #39;s Daughter, on which a ban has been imposed by the Indian Government should trigger a wider debate on censorship in day-to-day life. The manner...
By: Kanwar Sandhu
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Regimes with weak foundations promote censorship - Video
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One Chinese government agency is so proud of how well they censor the Internet that they put their feelings to music.
One Chinese government agency is so proud of how well they censor the Internet that they put their feelings to music.
by Sisi Wei and Yue Qiu ProPublica, Feb. 12, 2015, 4:31 p.m.
ProPublica investigates the threats to privacy in an era of cellphones, data mining and cyberwar.
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Chinas Internet censorship agency now has its own choral anthem, a song titled The Mind and Spirit of Cyberspace Security. The New York Times reported Thursday that the lyrics to the song whichpraises the agencys commitment to the global village, evolving it into its most beautiful form were written by Wang Pingjiu, who also wrote the lyrics for the opening song to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
ProPublica watched, translated and subtitled the video.
Although the Times reported that copies of the video are being deleted quickly, ProPublica found copies easily via the popular Chinese social media site Sina Weibo.
In the song, employees proudly declare not only loyalty to their work, but that it is transforming the world into a better place. Lyrics include:
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Internet Censorship in China: Well Sing it for You
BEIRUT, LEBANON
State censorship has long played a role in guiding the arts in Lebanon, where a permissive culture and a delicate sectarian balance come head to head.
In the face of what they complain are arbitrary clampdowns, though, some activists and playwrights are taking the fight for free speech to the courts. MARCH is a civil rights organization that works with playwrights whose scripts, it says, failed to make it through governments required approval process.
Using content from articles, blog posts and TV shows already online and uncensored, it submitted four plays that tackled some of the most taboo topics in Lebanon: politics, the countrys civil war, Zionism, religion and homosexuality.
Lea Baroudi, co-founder of MARCH, said the plays never made it past the censors. Now the group is launching a court appeal, and is campaigning to ensure that any decisions to ban or censor content are formalized.
A lot of people think there is no censorship in Lebanon, or that the laws are pretty correct, she said. What we wanted to show and prove is that the laws on censorship are completely arbitrary. All they do is oppress arts and culture in Lebanon, as the only people who suffer are the artists and play directors.
"The censorship is not even efficient, as the content we used could be found elsewhere. So if you are trying to protect communities, it is not working, said Baroudi. Danger of offending The deadly attack on staff at French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, thought to have been a response to depictions of the Prophet Muhammad, sparked widespread debate about the limits of free speech.
In Lebanon, more than a hundred gathered in central Beirut's Samir Kassir square - named after a Lebanese journalist killed by a car bomb in 2005 - in an act of solidarity and support for free speech.
However, others defend the role of censorship, insisting that free speech can go too far, given Lebanon's sectarian diversity and, especially, at a time of regional upheaval.
Baroudi argued the very concept of censorship, however, is often a misplaced one. Art is very cathartic and in our point of view this strategy of making everything taboo in order to please and appease every group and community is not making things better. Its making them worse and its building up the tensions.
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Lebanese Artists Battle State Censorship
HONG KONG
In Hong Kong, where last years pro-democracy protests ended in a stalemate with the Beijing-backed government, there are signs of increasing state censorship.
A new report has found that Hong Kong police have requested more web posts to be taken down during the last four months than in the previous four years combined.
That data, plus recently revealed rules regarding Executive Council members interviews with the media, have added to the concerns of democracy activists, who say the citys history of freedom of expression is gradually eroding under Chinese rule.
Darcy Christ, a researcher with the Hong Kong Transparency Report at the University of Hong Kong, has seen an increase in the number of web sites being taken down.
"There is definitely a spike, but like I say, its mostly in the case of take down requests. That's not to discount that, but definitely user requests are one other important issue especially after the occupy protests," said Christ.
Since October, Hong Kong police have made 101 requests to websites and service providers to delete content. That figure compares with 29 requests in the preceding nine months of last year and a total of 65 requests in the previous three years combined. Last year police also made more than 4,000 requests for online user information, such as email and IP addresses.
Lawmaker and Internet entrepreneur Charles Mok has called for greater independent scrutiny and oversight of such police requests.
"My concern is that the police is stepping up and using its power whether or not it is invested in law, but at least they have the execution of power and they seem to be telling these social media sites to take down messages," said Mok.
Last month the PEN American Center, a New York-based writers group, wrote a report warning that Hong Kongs more open media was showing signs of increased self-censorship, and coverage more tailored toward the business interests of their financial backers.
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Concerns Grow Over Censorship in Hong Kong