Web Of Restriction: China Will Now Require Internet Users To Register Real Names In Order To Stifle Free Speech

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254142/China-forces-internet-browser-register-real-new-free-speech-crackdown.html China forces EVERY internet user to register their real name in new free speech crackdown New rules follow use of popular microblogs to expose official corruption Regulations could restrict access to Western sites By Daily Mail Reporter PUBLISHED: 06:27 EST, 28 December 2012 | UPDATED: 11:11 EST, 28 December 2012 The Chinese government launched […]

‘Internet blackout’ set for 9 July: FBI to ‘pull plug’ on 350,000 virus-infected machines – cutting off Web for users in U.S. and UK

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2134853/Internet-blackout-set-9-July-FBI-pull-plug-350-000-virus-infected-machines.html Machines infected with virus being ‘kept alive’ by FBI Operation costing so much FBI will ‘pull plug’ on 9 July 350,000 PCs infected, mostly private individuals 80,000 victims in U.S., 20,000 in UK By Rob Waugh UPDATED: 06:50 EST, 25 April 2012 On 9 July this year, the internet will suddenly ‘turn off’ for […]

Tim Berners-Lee urges government to stop the snooping bill

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/apr/17/tim-berners-lee-monitoring-internet Exclusive: Extension of surveillance powers ‘a destruction of human rights’ Ian Katz guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 17 April 2012 16.34 EDT   Sir Tim Berners-Lee said that it was moves by governments to control or spy on the internet that ‘keep him up most at night’. Photograph: Sarah Lee for the Guardian The government’s controversial plans […]

Iran government cuts off internet access as hardline regime makes a stand

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2099549/Iran-government-cuts-internet-access-hardline-regime-makes-stand.html By John Hutchinson Last updated at 9:01 PM on 10th February 2012 Iran has demonstrated further evidence of its strict regime after the government cut internet links leaving millions without email and social networks. Interestingly, the shutdown comes at a time when inhabitants are preparing to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, […]

Twitter to restrict user content in some countries

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/27/us-twitter-idUSTRE80P28920120127 By Gerry Shih SAN FRANCISCO | Fri Jan 27, 2012 5:24am EST (Reuters) – Twitter announced Thursday that it would begin restricting Tweets in specific countries, renewing questions about how the social media platform will handle issues of free speech as it rapidly expands its global user base. Until now, Twitter had to remove […]

Wikipedia protest hits home: U.S. senators withdraw support for anti-piracy bills as 4.5 million sign petition

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2087673/Wikipedia-blackout-SOPA-protest-US-senators-withdraw-support-anti-piracy-bills.html Wikipedia back online at 5am today after 24 hour blackout 18 senators withdraw support for controversial bills Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg opposes censorship law And says internet is ‘powerful tool for creating open and connected world’ 7,000 sites across the net joined protest Founder Jimmy Wales calls the strike an ‘extraordinary action’ Hollywood movie […]

Americans Won’t Welcome Web-Piracy Crackdown: Joe Karaganis

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-19/americans-won-t-welcome-online-piracy-crackdown-joe-karaganis.html By Joe Karaganis Jan 18, 2012 7:37 PM ET This month, Congress is expected to move forward on controversial legislation, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) in the Senate, both aimed at halting online copyright infringement. The shorthand version of the controversy pits Hollywood […]

U.S. online piracy bill headed for major makeover

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/16/us-usa-internet-piracy-idUSTRE80F1Q320120116 By Sarah McBride Mon Jan 16, 2012 5:23pm EST (Reuters) – U.S. legislation aimed at curbing online piracy, which had appeared to be on a fast track for approval by Congress, appears likely to be scaled back or jettisoned entirely in the wake of critical comments over the weekend from the White House, people […]

SOPA’s Architect Is Finally Starting to Back Down

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/01/sopas-architect-finally-starting-back-down/47425/ Flickr / ryanjreilly Adam Clark Estes 3,695 Views Jan 13, 2012 Less than 24-hours after promising not to yield, the Texas congressman and author of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) Lamar Smith is yielding on the bill’s controversial language that would allow the government to censor the Internet — for now. “After consultation with […]

40 Hard Questions That The American People Should Be Asking Right Now

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/40-hard-questions-that-the-american-people-should-be-asking-right-now If you spend much time watching the mainstream news, then you know how incredibly vapid it can be.  It is amazing how they can spend so much time saying next to nothing.  There seems to be a huge reluctance to tackle the tough issues and the hard questions.  Perhaps I should be thankful for […]