Who will rid Pakistan of the west’s Weapons of Mass Surveillance, asks Sana Saleem
An open letter from Pakistan to the chief of the NSA
read more
CATEGORY: Asia and Pacific
India: Right to information and privacy ‘two sides of the same coin’
India’s Right To Information act is being challenged by questions of privacy protection, Mahima Kaul reports
South Korea: Film raises questions about Cheonan sinking
A recently released documentary film in South Korea set out to spark a discussion on free speech in the country, and amid opposition and cancelled viewings, it has done just that. Steven Borowiec reports
Murder leads to a print news blackout in India
In the aftermath of a murder of a delivery driver and discovery of explosive devices in his van, a small underground group took responsibility, but news editors refused to carry the group’s statement, leading to a print blackout in Manipur. Mahima Kaul reports
India’s media watchdogs discuss need for universal regulation
In an unprecedented move, the heads of India’s three major media regulators, all retired judges, sat on a single platform with the current Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Manish Tewari, to discuss the way forward for media regulation. Mahima Kaul reports
Harvard study: Actions speak louder than words in China’s censorship machine
A new Harvard study for the first time provides an inside look at the complex system of Chinese social media censorship. The report confirms a little-known theory: while messages referencing direct political action are banned, criticism of the communist leadership is often allowed. Milana Knezevic writes
From Assange to Murdoch: Australia’s free speech landscape
As Australians go to the polls, how does their country shape up on free expression? Helen Clark reports
During show trial, China begins online crackdown
Bo Xilai, the ousted former Chinese politician, continues to capture headlines even as Chinese authorities begin a highly concerted campaign to stifle online expression, Vincent Chao reports.
Vietnam’s dysfunctional relationship with the web
Decree 72, due to come into force September 1, has caused friction as it essentially prohibits people from posting links to news stories, or sections of news articles, on social media sites such as Facebook or the equally popular, locally produced Zing Me, Helen Clark writes
In Taiwan, censorship quietly flourishes amid outrage
Taiwan’s once-famously freewheeling press is becoming more reliant on China as cross-strait cultural and media exchanges grow. Vincent Chao writes