Bahrain and Belarus have been added to Reporters Without Borders' annual list of "enemies of the internet".
They join 10 other nations on the campaign group's register of states that restrict net access, filter content and imprison bloggers.
India and Kazakhstan have also joined RWB's list of "countries under surveillance" because of concerns that they are becoming more repressive.
The body says 2011 was the "deadliest year" yet for so-called "netizens".
It says at least 199 arrests of internet campaigners were recorded over the year - a 31% increase on 2010.
It adds that China, followed by Vietnam and Iran currently hold the largest number of netizens in jail.
Read more here.
Showing posts with label the Net. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the Net. Show all posts
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
China's heavy hand on the Net delights governments everywhere
Governments everywhere are watching, jealous they can't control the Net to this extent.
More than one million websites closed down in China last year, a state-run think tank has said.
The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said there were were 41% fewer websites at the end of 2010 than a year earlier.
Chinese officials have tightened regulations on the internet in recent years, and they launched a crackdown on pornography websites in 2009.
The academy's researcher said there was no link, insisting China had a "high level of freedom of online speech".
Compared to none, I guess anything would seem "high"
Read more here.
More than one million websites closed down in China last year, a state-run think tank has said.
The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said there were were 41% fewer websites at the end of 2010 than a year earlier.
Chinese officials have tightened regulations on the internet in recent years, and they launched a crackdown on pornography websites in 2009.
The academy's researcher said there was no link, insisting China had a "high level of freedom of online speech".
Compared to none, I guess anything would seem "high"
Read more here.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Entertainment industry chalks up another victory in its drive to rule the Net
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved a measure today that would make illegal streaming of video over the Internet a felony offense in some cases, sending the proposed legislation to the full Senate.
The bill, S. 978, would make illegal video streaming for commercial purposes a felony punishable by as much as five years in prison if it involves 10 or more instances of streaming copyrighted works over a 180-day period. The retail value of the video must exceed $2,500, or the licenses to the material must be worth more than $5,000.
Read more here.
The bill, S. 978, would make illegal video streaming for commercial purposes a felony punishable by as much as five years in prison if it involves 10 or more instances of streaming copyrighted works over a 180-day period. The retail value of the video must exceed $2,500, or the licenses to the material must be worth more than $5,000.
Read more here.
Monday, June 06, 2011
U.N. Report Declares Internet Access a Human Right
A United Nations report said Friday that disconnecting people from the internet is a human rights violation and against international law.
The report railed against France and the United Kingdom, which have passed laws to remove accused copyright scofflaws from the internet. It also protested blocking internet access to quell political unrest.
Read more here.
The report railed against France and the United Kingdom, which have passed laws to remove accused copyright scofflaws from the internet. It also protested blocking internet access to quell political unrest.
Read more here.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Yet another government attempts to control the Net. Today, France
For some time, French Pres. Nicolas Sarkozy has talked about his dream of a “civilized” Internet, but this dream has long been a nightmare for those who worry that “civilization” is really a code for “regulations favorable to big business and the national security state.” To make his vision a reality, Sarkozy helped to create this week's e-G8 meeting currently underway in the Tuileries Gardens next door to the Louvre—and the critics are fuming.
"I was invited to the e-G8 and declined," said author and activist Cory Doctorow recently. "I believe it's a whitewash, an attempt to get people who care about the Internet to lend credibility to regimes that are in all-out war with the free, open 'Net. On the other hand, I now have a dandy handwriting sample from Sarkozy should I ever need to establish a graphological baseline for narcissistic sociopathy."
The core of what he's getting at:
President Sarkozy claimed that countries could not remain neutral and allow completely unchecked internet use.
Tell him to go fuck himself...while you still can.
Read more here and here.
"I was invited to the e-G8 and declined," said author and activist Cory Doctorow recently. "I believe it's a whitewash, an attempt to get people who care about the Internet to lend credibility to regimes that are in all-out war with the free, open 'Net. On the other hand, I now have a dandy handwriting sample from Sarkozy should I ever need to establish a graphological baseline for narcissistic sociopathy."
The core of what he's getting at:
President Sarkozy claimed that countries could not remain neutral and allow completely unchecked internet use.
Tell him to go fuck himself...while you still can.
Read more here and here.
Monday, December 20, 2010
UK Culture Minister Ed Vaizey: Idiot of the Day
Yet another attempt by governments to control the Net, using the tired but still effective "... it's very important...to protect children."
This Ed Vaizey is also behind other Net destroying ideas Culture minister Ed Vaizey has backed a "two-speed" internet, letting service providers charge content makers and customers for "fast lane" access.
The man's a menace.
Government plans to block pornography "at source" are unlikely to prove effective, say ISPs.
The proposal to cut off access to pornographic material was floated by Culture Minister Ed Vaizey in an interview with the Sunday Times.
The government is talking to ISPs to set up a meeting at which the proposal will be discussed.
But, say experts, technical challenges mean any large scale filtering system is doomed to failure.
A spokesman for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, confirmed Mr Vaizey's plan to talk to ISPs about setting up an age verification scheme to govern access to pornographic sites.
"This is a very serious matter," said Mr Vaizey. "I think it's very important that it's the ISPs that come up with solutions to protect children."
Beware if your government starts saying things like that. It's not children, but you they are trying to control.
Read more here.
This Ed Vaizey is also behind other Net destroying ideas Culture minister Ed Vaizey has backed a "two-speed" internet, letting service providers charge content makers and customers for "fast lane" access.
The man's a menace.
Government plans to block pornography "at source" are unlikely to prove effective, say ISPs.
The proposal to cut off access to pornographic material was floated by Culture Minister Ed Vaizey in an interview with the Sunday Times.
The government is talking to ISPs to set up a meeting at which the proposal will be discussed.
But, say experts, technical challenges mean any large scale filtering system is doomed to failure.
A spokesman for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, confirmed Mr Vaizey's plan to talk to ISPs about setting up an age verification scheme to govern access to pornographic sites.
"This is a very serious matter," said Mr Vaizey. "I think it's very important that it's the ISPs that come up with solutions to protect children."
Beware if your government starts saying things like that. It's not children, but you they are trying to control.
Read more here.
Monday, November 29, 2010
British police drool at the possibility of controlling the Net
The police are seeking powers to shut down websites deemed to be engaged in "criminal" activity.
The Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) has tabled a plan for Nominet, which oversees .uk web addresses, to be given the domain closing power.
Nominet said the idea was only a proposal and invited people to join the debate on the form of the final policy.
People: Well, we thin..
SOCA: Thank you, that will be all.
Read more here.
The Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) has tabled a plan for Nominet, which oversees .uk web addresses, to be given the domain closing power.
Nominet said the idea was only a proposal and invited people to join the debate on the form of the final policy.
People: Well, we thin..
SOCA: Thank you, that will be all.
Read more here.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Irish Republic overreacts on net piracy
Talk about killing a butterfly with a sledgehammer.
The Irish Republic has begun a piracy crackdown which could see customers cut off from the net for a year.
The country's biggest net firm Eircom has begun sending letters to those identified as illegal file-sharers.
It is the first nation to implement such a system. France is also planning to introduce a similar policy.
It's fairly clear from this:
"The European Parliament has been talking about internet access as a basic human right. It absolutely is not. Intellectual property protection is a right," he said.
where the actual power lies. Copyright is more important than net access.
Bullshit, but those with the money call the shots.
Read more here.
The Irish Republic has begun a piracy crackdown which could see customers cut off from the net for a year.
The country's biggest net firm Eircom has begun sending letters to those identified as illegal file-sharers.
It is the first nation to implement such a system. France is also planning to introduce a similar policy.
It's fairly clear from this:
"The European Parliament has been talking about internet access as a basic human right. It absolutely is not. Intellectual property protection is a right," he said.
where the actual power lies. Copyright is more important than net access.
Bullshit, but those with the money call the shots.
Read more here.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Australia the Net Nanny State under attack
An activist group that temporarily blocked access to key Australian government websites plans to continue its cyber attacks, the BBC has learned.
The group, known as Anonymous, was protesting against the Australian government's proposals to apply filters to the internet in the country...
...Anonymous is protesting against Australia's plan to apply a country-wide filter to block certain content in 2011.
The Australian government has said that trials have shown the filtering technology to be 100% effective in preventing access to designated sites.
The banned sites would be selected by an independent classifications body guided by public complaints, Senator Conroy has said.
He said the aim of the filter is to make the internet a safer place for Australian children.
For "children" here read "citizens"...
The group, known as Anonymous, was protesting against the Australian government's proposals to apply filters to the internet in the country...
...Anonymous is protesting against Australia's plan to apply a country-wide filter to block certain content in 2011.
The Australian government has said that trials have shown the filtering technology to be 100% effective in preventing access to designated sites.
The banned sites would be selected by an independent classifications body guided by public complaints, Senator Conroy has said.
He said the aim of the filter is to make the internet a safer place for Australian children.
For "children" here read "citizens"...
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Australia the Net Nanny State does something right
In the first case of its kind, an Australian court has ruled that an internet service provider cannot be responsible for illegal downloading.
Read more here.
Read more here.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Hadopi: Idiots of the Day
Hadopi, the French agency charged with handling file-sharers’ copyright digressions, has just made a huge infringement faux pas of its own. Last week the group unveiled the logo which is set to represent this bastion of copyright righteousness, but embarrassingly it was designed with unlicensed fonts...
...Numerama contacted Plan Créatif, the agency which created the Hadopi logo, and they confirmed that ‘their’ font indeed violated the rights for the Bienvenue font, but that it was a mere “error of manipulation.”
Read more here.
...Numerama contacted Plan Créatif, the agency which created the Hadopi logo, and they confirmed that ‘their’ font indeed violated the rights for the Bienvenue font, but that it was a mere “error of manipulation.”
Read more here.
Monday, January 04, 2010
Rich fuck Bono suggests ISPs "track content"
Don't you wish he'd STFU, go back to U2 and keep recording the same song, over and over again?
We’re the post office, they tell us; who knows what’s in the brown-paper packages? But we know from America’s noble effort to stop child pornography, not to mention China’s ignoble effort to suppress online dissent, that it’s perfectly possible to track content.
Read more here.
"Bono has missed that even a totalitarian government...can't effectively control net-content," tweeted Cory Doctorow, a blogger and journalist noted for his study of file-sharing policy.
"If only greed and ignorance could sequester carbon, Bono could FINALLY save the planet," he added.
We’re the post office, they tell us; who knows what’s in the brown-paper packages? But we know from America’s noble effort to stop child pornography, not to mention China’s ignoble effort to suppress online dissent, that it’s perfectly possible to track content.
Read more here.
"Bono has missed that even a totalitarian government...can't effectively control net-content," tweeted Cory Doctorow, a blogger and journalist noted for his study of file-sharing policy.
"If only greed and ignorance could sequester carbon, Bono could FINALLY save the planet," he added.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Australia becomes Net Nanny State
Congratulations Australia, you've allowed your government to begin controlling the Net, and buying their line that you're just not mature enough to make your own decisions about what you see and hear.
Now back to the nursery with you, it's nap time!
Australia intends to introduce filters which will ban access to websites containing criminal content.
The banned sites will be selected by an independent classification body guided by complaints from the public, said Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
A seven month trial in conjunction with internet service providers found the technology behind the filter to be 100% effective.
Now back to the nursery with you, it's nap time!
Australia intends to introduce filters which will ban access to websites containing criminal content.
The banned sites will be selected by an independent classification body guided by complaints from the public, said Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
A seven month trial in conjunction with internet service providers found the technology behind the filter to be 100% effective.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
llegal downloaders 'face UK ban'
People in the UK who go online and illegally download music and films may have their internet access cut under plans the government is considering.
A draft consultation suggests internet service providers would be required to take action over users who access pirated material.
But the government is stressing that plans are at an early stage and it is still working on final proposals.
Yeah whatever, I hope people in England fight this one tooth and nail. Leave the net alone motherfuckers.
as a commenter says: Isn't it strange that when corporations start loosing money the Government acts quickly to stamp it out
Read more here.
A draft consultation suggests internet service providers would be required to take action over users who access pirated material.
But the government is stressing that plans are at an early stage and it is still working on final proposals.
Yeah whatever, I hope people in England fight this one tooth and nail. Leave the net alone motherfuckers.
as a commenter says: Isn't it strange that when corporations start loosing money the Government acts quickly to stamp it out
Read more here.
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