Index on Censorship » Twitter

South Korea: Photographer indicted over North Korea propaganda tweets

Marta Cooper — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:48:05 +0000

South Korean prosecutors indicted a social media and free speech activist on Tuesday for reposting tweets from a North Korean government website. Photographer Park Jung-geun was detained last month on charges of violating South Korea’s National Security Law, which broadly bans “acts that benefit the enemy”. Park was interrogated by detectives following a police raid on his photo studio last autumn. Park has said the tweets — which included reposting North Korean propaganda messages such as “long live Kim Jong-il!” and links to North Korean propaganda songs — were intended to mock the North Korean regime.

Twitter to restrict tweets in specific countries

Marta Cooper — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:01:30 +0000

Micro-blogging site Twitter last night [26 Jan] announced it would begin withholding tweets in certain countries, sparking claims of censorship. Prior to this move, Twitter had to remove a Tweet from its global network if it received a government takedown request from a government, but it will now be able to restrict content in a specific country while keeping it available in others. In the interests of transparency, Twitter has also expanded its partnership with the Chilling Effects website, making it easier to find Twitter takedown notices.

Venezuela: Journalist threatened via Twitter

Alice Purkiss — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:41:15 +0000

A Venezuelan journalist has received threatening messages via Twitter. Luis Carlos Díaz, Communication Networks Coordinator of the Gumilla Center, a Jesuit-run research institution, received a number of intimidating direct messages on Twitter. The attackers insisted Díaz was “going to be taught a lesson” for his remarks on previous cyber attacks which took place late last year, his activity on social networks, and “working with priests”. The so-called hacker group N33 are believed to be responsible for these latest threats.

Ecuador: Twitter user receives warning from government official

Alice Purkiss — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:12:19 +0000

A government official in Ecuador has issued a public warning against a Twitter user following posts on the micro-blogging site. Betty Escobar, an Ecuadorian citizen who lives in the United States was warned by Fernando Cordero, the President of the National Assembly, to ”change her language or she would soon regret her licentiousness.” The warning followed a critical tweet from Escobar to the official which said ”you are incompetent, you fail to comply with the law and you support the dictatorship! you and correa should go to prison for corruption! double standards. “

UK: Twitter vows to protect users from government

Alice Purkiss — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:46:18 +0000

Twitter CEO Dick Costolo has stressed the need to keep freedom of speech as a priority, even in times of civil unrest. Speaking at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco on Monday, Costolo stood by the decision not to suspend the service or reveal user identities to authorities in the wake of the UK riots this summer. Talks between representatives from Facebook, Twitter, BlackBerry Messenger and Home Secretary Theresa May during the riots caused speculation that the government would try to temporarily suspend the digital networks.

Venezuela: Pro-Chavez hackers target journalists

Alice Purkiss — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:04:27 +0000

Pro-Chavez Hackers in Venezuela have targeted the emails and social media accounts of journalists. Milagros Socorro, director of the site Código Venezuela, announced that hackers attacked her blog, Twitter and emails after criticising President Chavez’s communications ministry. Her Twitter profile image was changed to a bar of soap with the headline “wash your mouth out.” Socorro criticised Minister Andrés Izarra for accusing a foreign correspondent of being unethical and disrespectful to authorities at a press conference in Caracas. It is believed that the group N33, which have launched cyber attacks on critics of the Chavez administration, are responsible for the attack.

Kuwait: Man jailed for comments on Twitter

Sara Yasin — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:15:08 +0000

Sunni activist Mubarak al-Bathali has been sentenced to three months in jail by a Kuwaiti court for comments about Shiite Muslims made on his Twitter account. A few weeks ago, he was arrested by secret police, and charged with “undermining national unity” as well as “disparaging Shiites”.

“Twitter terrorists” freed in Mexico, charges dropped

Alice Purkiss — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:20:36 +0000

Two people jailed for making “alarmist” posts on Twitter were freed yesterday after four weeks in prison in Mexico. Maria de Jesus Bravo, a local journalist, and maths teacher Gilberto Martinez Vera, had the charges of terrorism and sabotage against them dropped, and they walked free from jail to cheering supporters. The pair sent out Twitter messages regarding an unconfirmed drug attack on a primary school last month, and were accused of terrifying frantic parents. The charges, which can carry prison sentences of up to 30 years imprisonment, were dropped following outrage from human rights activists and free speech advocates.

Joint letter to Home Secretary on social media blackouts

Marta Cooper — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:10:32 +0000

As Twitter, Facebook and Research in Motion prepare to meet the Home Secretary, Index on Censorship and other human and digital rights campaigners ask to be included in discussions on social media blackouts

Joint Letter to Home Secretary

Index on Censorship reaction to David Cameron comments on social media

Index on Censorship — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:36:29 +0000

Index on Censorship news editor Padraig Reidy said today: “David Cameron must not allow legitimate anger over the recent riots and looting in the UK to be used in an attack on free expression and free information. Too often, channels of communication, whether Twitter, Facebook or BlackBerry Messenger are seen as the culprits in acts of violence and anti-social behaviour, rather than merely the conduit. While police in investigations should be able to investigate relevant communications, there should be no power to pre-emptively monitor or suspend communications for ordinary social media users.” Contact Index on Censorship Tel + 44 (0) 20 7234 2522 enquiriesindexoncensorshiporg