Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has renewed her support for a controversial new web filter, saying the measure was driven by a "moral question". The proposed filter will block access to material such as rape, drug use, bestiality and child...
In a recent visit to the Pope, President of France Nicolas Sarkozy remarked that greater regulation of the internet was needed. President Sarkozy stated that "regulating the internet to correct the excesses and abuses that arise from the total...
Two men, a reporter and a photographer said to be from Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper, have been arrested by Iranian officials. They were detained whilst interviewing the son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani in the city of Tabriz. Mrs Ashtiani’s...
Woeser, author of “Notes on Tibet”, was one of many signatories of a letter to the Chinese government calling for the release of Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo. Writing for Index on Censorship magazine, she celebrates Tibetan singer Tashi Dhondup
On Friday Bolivian President Evo Morales signed a bill into law which gives the government the ability to shut down or fine newspapers which are racist. This bill was passed amidst protesting last week by media sources, who were concerned the bill...
The Information Commissioner's office in the UK announced on Friday that it was opening a consultation period on the first UK code of practice on data sharing. The 40 page code details good practice for organizations in private, public and third...
State-owned Libya Telecom and Technology has forced the shutdown of vb.ly, a “link shortening” website run from San Francisco. It claimed that the content of the site was“against Sharia law". Domain names with the suffix “.ly”, which are owned by...
A breakfast show anchor for Television New Zealand has resigned after being accused of racist behaviour. Paul Henry was shown laughing at the mispronunciation of the name of the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, which should sound more like...
Turkish journalist Ismail Saymez could be jailed for 79 years if convicted of charges related to newspaper articles he has written. He has been charged with "violating the secrecy of an investigation" for his reporting on the Ergenekon trials. He...
State censors in Lebanon have asked Beirut International Film Festival not to show an Iranian opposition film during a visit from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Originally scheduled for screening on 13 October, the day of Ahmadinejad's arrival, the...