The Free Internet Project

December 2014

Iran starts "smart filtering" of Instagram, may lead to unblocking Facebook, Twitter, YouTube in 2015

12/30/2014

According to The Guardian, Iran has started a trial of a "smart filtering" of Instagram photographs, allowing Iranians access to the site but selectively blocking certain posts, such as those by @RichKidsofTehran, which shows wealthy, young Iranians "flaunting their wealth."  If the smart filtering proves successful, Iran may deploy the system on other popular social media like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, which currently are blocked in Iran. 

“Presently, the smart-filtering plan is implemented only on one social network in its pilot study phase and this process will continue gradually until the plan is implemented on all networks,” Mahmoud Vaezi, the Iranian Communications Minister, said.

The goal is to have the system in place by June 2015.  Some Iranians expressed fear that the Iranian government would start cracking down on virtual private networks (VPNs), which already allow people in Iran to bypass the blocking of popular websites and social media.

China blocks Gmail

12/29/2014

Reports out of China indicate that Gmail service is being blocked since last Friday, the day after Christmas.  Google's own Transparency Report shows a steep decline--a virtual flatline--to Google Gmail service out of China as depicted in Figure 1 below.

Thus far, China's government denies blocking the Gmail service.  Users of Gmail in China may have to use a virtual private network (VPN) to get access to their emails in China. Google services have reportedly experienced major disruptions in China since the summer. 

 

Facebook, Google, Twitter won't comply with Russia's orders to remove info on opposition rally

12/28/2014

The Wall Street Journal reports that Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter appear to plan on defying Russia's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, which has ordered them to block information related to a January 15 rally for opposition leader Alexei Navalny posted on the U.S. social media sites accessible in Russia. Navalny is under house arrest under charges of fraud that his supporters claim are trumped up charges to silence the opposition. 

According to WSJ, Roskomnadzor issued its orders under a new law in Russia that authorizes prosecutors to issue such orders without court authorization or involvement.  

The Web Index Report 2014: Internet inequality and restrictions growing

12/12/2014

The World Wide Web Foundation, which was founded by Tim Berners-Lee, issued its Web Index Report for 2014.  The Report finds a large digital divide, with over 4.4 billion people--primarily from poor and developing countries--with no Internet access.  Even in developed countries, there is a digital divide with lower income people having less access to the Internet.  In terms of mass surveillance, 84% of the 86 countries analyzed lack privacy laws to protect people from government surveillance.  Likewise, 84% of the countries analyzed lack suffiicient protections for net neutrality.  74% of the countries analyzed "are not doing enough to stop online violence against women."

Blog Search

Blog Archive

Categories

view all