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Mail & Guardian

Internet Censorship

latest news & developments
Faure Gnassingbe was seen as a malleable 38-year-old when the military installed him as president of Togo after the death of his strongman father in 2005.
FAURE GNASSINGBE

Faure Gnassingbe: Togo leader treads in father’s steps

  • Celia Lebur
Angry protesters barricade the main route to Zimbabwe’s capital Harare from Epworth township after the government announced a huge hike in fuel prices. (Jekesai Njikizana/AFP)
CONSTANTINE CHIWENGA

Vicious crackdown in Zimbabwe

Experts say the harsh reaction is a symptom of a bankrupt and desperate government

  • Kudzai Mashininga
  • Simon Allison
6 min read
Dmitry, a 21-year-old from the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, is one internet user who has changed his behaviour because of the steady drip of news of arrests. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)
CENSORSHIP

Russians on trial for sharing memes, networks ask for law change

The case against Eduard Nikitin is part of a wider trend that has seen Russian authorities bring charges against people for innocuous posts

  • Staff Reporter
4 min read
Governments are also increasingly trying to make the use of online services and social media more difficult generally. (Reuters)
INTERNET CENSORSHIP

Internet censorship in Africa threatens democracy, economy

Many African governments have taken to censoring a variety of apps and sites, especially around election time

  • Deutsche Welle 1
6 min read
In early 2010, Google shut down its search engine in mainland China after rows over censorship and hacking. (Reuters)
BEIJING

Google developing censor-friendly search engine for China

Google is crafting a search engine that would meet China’s draconian censorship rules

  • Pak Yiu
3 min read
A target of universal broadband access in South Africa by 2020 has been set
CENSORSHIP

What is net neutrality and why it matters

The US’s Federal Communications Commission looks to end the 2015 Open Internet Order on Thursday. Here’s a guide to net neutrality and why it matters.

  • Staff Reporter
8 min read
Mending cracks: Minister of State Security David Mahlobo says South Africa’s national security values have been undermined with the ‘purported’ leak of top secret cables.
ANC

ANC’s desire to control social media is simply undemocratic

Regulating the internet and social media, as the ANC would like to do, would be overreach and inconsistent with the characteristics of a democracy.

  • Glenda Daniels
4 min read
Recent comments by President Jacob Zuma and his new minister of energy David Mahlobo
DAVID MAHLOBO

Social media in SA could be regulated

Minister of State Security David Mahlobo sees intervention as a way to stop scams and fake news. He also sees "attempts at regime change".

  • Gemma Ritchie
2 min read
Internet speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second can be reached at South Africa’s universities and research institutions.
INTERNET

Hashish and Russia’s big HTTPS problem

Russia is trying strategies to circumvent the secure HTTPS internet protocol.

  • Shaun Walker
3 min read
Beyond the firewall: China’s latest censorship machine has been dubbed the Great Cannon and was set up in March.
ALEX HERN

China launches new cyber attack weapon

The Chinese government has developed a new tool to prevent its citizens from accessing the internet freely.

  • Alex Hern
2 min read
The proposed regulation could affect bloggers or individuals posting video clips online
FILM AND PUBLICATIONS BOARD

Spectre of an online content censor looms

The Film and Publications Board has selectively released a contentious draft policy for original content distributed online in South Africa.

  • Staff Reporter
9 min read
INTERNET CENSORSHIP

Online activist, Reddit co-founder Swartz dies in US

Aaron Swartz, co-founder of Reddit and activist who fought to make online content free to the public has been found dead, authorities confirmed.

  • Verena Dobnik
5 min read
“We know a lot about real-world criminology. We don’t know anything about cyber juvenile delinquency
INTERNET

Countries deeply divided on internet laws during UN talks

Talks over possible new UN regulations for the internet have been deeply divided.

  • Sapa Ap
3 min read
Iran hit by second internet disruption
INTERNET CENSORSHIP

Iran hit by second internet disruption

Concerns about state censorship ahead of elections have been raised in Iran as the country faced a second disruption in internet connectivity.

  • Staff Reporter
1 min read
INTERNET CENSORSHIP

Iran chokes online activity to launch ‘national internet’

In Iran, attempts to get onto foreign news pages have been met with a page saying, "Access to this page is a violation of computer crime laws."

  • Marc Burleigh
4 min read