Pakistan: YouTube blocked over anti-Islam film

September 17th, 2012

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has reportedly ordered the state-owned Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block YouTube after the video-sharing website failed to remove a controversial anti-Islam film, The Innocence of Muslims. ”Blasphemous content will not be accepted at any cost,” Prime Minister Ashraf is reported to have said. Earlier today officials said over 700 links to the film on YouTube were blocked following orders issued by the Supreme Court. The film has triggered anti-US protests across the Muslim world over the past week.

Index opposes ITU authority over the internet

September 10th, 2012

Index joins civil society groups in voicing concerns about proposals made by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) that would threaten the openness of the internet (more…)

Default web filtering is not the way forward

September 6th, 2012

Index on Censorship joins other rights groups in calling on British Prime Minister David Cameron to resist plans for default internet blocking

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ACTA voted down by European Parliament

July 4th, 2012

The European Parliament today voted to throw out the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The legislation, which was introduced to combat piracy, came under fire from activists who warned that its vague language threatened digital freedom. In December, the treaty was signed by all 27 government heads included in the European Union, but was not ratified. The treaty had support from countries outside of the EU, including the US, Singapore, and Canada.

Dynamics of digital freedom

June 28th, 2012

Last week we hosted a conference with the Global Network Initiative (GNI), where we had a heated debate around surveillance, security, and freedom of expression. Check out the conversation here.

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