Edward Snowden

Whistleblower

USA

National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden leaked thousands of documents detailing US government surveillance to the press, igniting a global debate on the ways authorities can and do currently watch citizen’s communications.

•BBC News – Profile: Edward Snowden
•Time Magazine – Edward Snowden, The Dark Prophet

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Journalist

India

Journalist Shubhranshu Choudhary is the brains behind CGNET SWARA (Voice of Chhattisgarh) a mobile-phone service that allows citizens to upload and listen to hyper-local reports in their local language, thus circumventing India’s strict radio licencing and creatively providing an outlet for overlooked people on the wrong side of the digital divide.

•The Hindu Magazine – The New Jungle Drums
•BBC News – Giving a voice to India’s villagers

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TAILS

Operating System

Global

The Incognoto Amnesiac Live Operating System (TAILS) is an open-source encryption tool that can help protect the free online communication of journalists and sources in any country, regardless of official limits on free expression.

•Lifehacker – Browse Like Bond: Use Any PC Without Leaving a Trace
•Youtube – Nixie Pixel: Protect your Privacy with TAILS

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Free Weibo

Social Network

China

Free Weibo is an uncensored version of China’s biggest social network, SinaWeibo. That site is heavily censored by the Chinese government, but Free Weibo keeps track of and publishes everything which has been censored and deleted by the government, providing a fascinating insight into the regime’s priorities and fears.

•Huffington Post – Freedom of Speech Can and Will Defeat Censorship in China
•Guardian – Google could end China’s web censorship in 10 days – why doesn’t it?

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