Writing for Index on Censorship magazine in 2007, the late Stan Cohen argued that child pornography and jihadi violence were testing the limits of tolerance
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Index on Censorship
Southern Weekly censorship causes nationwide condemnation
A propaganda chief has caused widespread outrage by censoring a Chinese newspaper's New Year editorial. Southern Weekly, one of the most daring media outlets in the country, has fought back and attracted the support of netizens as well as ordinary...
Free Speech Bites: Denis MacShane on Tom Paine
Denis MacShane is a politician and journalist. Previously a BBC reporter, he was Labour MP for Rotheram from 1994 until 2012, when he resigned after controversy over expense claims. Here, he talks to Nigel Warburton about the legacy of Enligtenment...
Leveson: The way ahead for a free press in the UK
A tough but voluntary regulator is the best way to ensure a free press and a fair society, Index says in a new policy note
Plus: Why Leveson’s recommendations are more worrying than you think
Digital frontiers
From Tunisia to China, activists and journalists are using technology to get vital news out and bring about change. As the battle to control information continues – from government surveillance, online blocking and big business to hacktivists and protesters – Index looks at the key players in the fight for digital freedom.
Includes articles by: Rebecca MacKinnon and Ethan Zuckerman; Gabriella Coleman; Jennifer Granick; Milton Mueller; Pranesh Prakash; Eric King; Hu Yong; Ahmed Mansoor; Alex MacGillivray; Heather Ford
Standing up to threats to digital freedom: Can we keep the internet free?
The future of the internet is at stake as major governance decisions are made. The battle lines are being drawn between those who see freedom of expression as a fundamental human right in the digital world as much as it is offline, and those that consider the control of information and ideas as a priority for the state.
Free Speech Bites: Natalia Kaliada on the arts in Belarus
Natalia Kaliada is co-founder of the Belarus Free Theatre. The group, formed in 2005, performs provocative political works in a country where it can be lethal to criticise the dictator Alexander Lukashenko. Natalia was forced into exile after the...
South African public broadcaster embraces censorship to protect President Zuma
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) promised to change its ways in an out-of-court settlement over a blacklisting scandal but hope of real change has been engulfed by a wave of censorship at the public broadcaster since the start of...
Leveson: The way ahead for a free press in the UK
The Leveson debate has been polarised and cast simply as a battle between those who “accept” the judge’s recommendations and those who “reject” them.
Free Speech Bites: Martin Rowson about humour, satire and offence
Martin Rowson is an award-winning cartoonist, writer and satirist in the tradition of Swift and Gillray. Here he talks to Nigel Warburton about humour, satire and offence saying: I think there are people crying out to be offended by things Read...
The UK Free Expression Scorecard
Index on Censorship launches its UK Free Expression Scorecard warning there is a worrying outlook for free speech in Britain today
Free Speech Bites: Irshad Manji on religion and free speech
Self-described “Muslim refusenik” Irshad Manji campaigns for reform in Islam. Here the feminist author and activist thrashes out the clashes between religion and free speech with Nigel Warburton Download transcript here | Download the mp3 here