Results matching “enemies of the intern”

The Citizen Lab, based at the Munk Centre for International Studies at the University of Toronto, is about to release a free program supposedly capable of bypassing Web censorship. The project called Psiphon has been Beta tested since this summer, and will be launched on December 1st.

Paris based organization Reporters Sans Frontières, or Reporters Without Borders, recently released its annual list of countries deemed “enemies of the Internet”. This years’ document counts 13 entries, including China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and North Korea. Compared to last year Reporters Without Borders removed Libya, Maldives and Nepal, but added Egypt due to the recent imprisonments of bloggers.

Iranian dissidents who wish to have a public voice to criticise the current regime and make calls for democratic rule have been creating blogs (see previous posting) in a bid to fill the void left by the closure of most independent newspapers. (see previous posting)

Interesting editorial in Saudi paper Asharq al-Awsat, published in London. The article talks of the 'ugly face' of the internet in Arab countries and states that a paradox exisits; while the internet is heavily censored in certain areas it can simultaneously become a tool to spread hatred and incite violence.

The editorial states that it is regrettable that the internet, which should be used to foster development in Arab countries, has become a digital preaching ground for racial and religious intolerance.