Assisting repression

Following allegations that Western web majors such as Yahoo and Microsoft were assisting the Chinese regime in finding Tibetans after the recent violence, Yahoo has denied the allegations: “Contrary to media reports, Yahoo! Inc. is not displaying images on its web sites of individuals wanted by Chinese authorities in connection with the recent unrest in…

Money always trumps human rights?

This is how Western internet multinationals, such as Yahoo and Microsoft, are helping the Chinese regime in their hunt for Tibetans: Yahoo China pasted a “most wanted” poster across its homepage today in aid of the police’s witch-hunt for 24 Tibetans accused of taking part in the recent riots. MSN China made the same move,…

The YouTube dilemma

An attempt to curtail freedom of speech or legitimate complaint? Germany’s national Jewish body said Thursday it has filed suit against YouTube and its parent company Google, demanding a court order for the site to be permanently purged of anti-Semitic videos. Stephan Kramer, secretary general of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said in…

www.censorship.com

My following article appears in today’s ABC Unleashed: Fidel Castro controlled Cuba for nearly half a century. His rule was defined by defiance and dictatorship, brutal repression against dissidents and the management of an immoral American embargo. Free speech has always been the Achilles’ heel of the regime. During my visit to the island last…

The Tibetan word is getting out

China continues to restrict media access to its citizens over the brutal crackdown of Tibetan protesters, but a new international poll finds massive support for the Tibetan cause: A poll of three western and three Asian countries finds widespread criticism of Chinese policies toward Tibet. This critical view is held by large majorities in all…

How to attract the finest

While Chinese internet users moan about their regime’s heavy-handed censorship during the current crisis in Tibet, Israel’s domestic spies embrace the new technology: Israel’s domestic security agency, Shin Bet, has allowed some of its staff to blog in an attempt to win over hi-tech recruits. Four employees, none of whom appear to be frontline agents,…

The sound of freedom

As China tries to defend its aggressive behaviour against protesting Tibetans – calling them “criminals” and arresting hundreds of people – the regime’s battle against the internet is temporarily successful but ultimately futile. The Times London explains: YouTube, the video-sharing website which has become a home to amateur footage of news events, has been blocked…

Occupation breeds resistance

The protests in Tibet continue against Chinese rule . Scores are dead. China has blocked YouTube in an attempt to stop videos emerging from its brutality. Australia’s Prime Minister has been urged to use his “influence” with Beijing. Bloggers are transmitting news. The Dalai Lama is caught in the middle. The August Olympic Games could…

Text and images ©2024 Antony Loewenstein. All rights reserved.

Site by Common