Stories about Digital Activism from May, 2010
Madagascar: The voice of a young blogger and translator
Meet Radifera Felana Candy, translator for Global Voices Lingua Malagasy. Only 15 years old, Candy is probably the youngest member in the Global Voices team.
The Balkans: Violent Treatment of Animals
Almost every day, dogs or cats are exposed to torture by cruel people who record their cruelties and publish the videos on the internet. Since the war, crime and various forms of violence have become a regular occurrence in the Balkans region.
Macedonia: Silly Songs Do Politics
The anthem published by the youth branch of the Socialist Party of Macedonia on YouTube was talk of the town on social networks and beyond as part of ridiculous advertising songs trend.
Russia: A Study of Local Discussion Boards
Online forums in Russian cities are in a certain sense a unique phenomenon. It's not blogs that became the major platforms for open discussion in the regions, but discussion boards (called more often forums). Alexey Sidorenko shares some of the results of his study of local forums in Russia.
Russian “Little Blue Buckets” Movement Reaches Ukraine
Ukraine-based feminist organization “FEMEN” [EN] conducted an action [ENG] in support of the Russian online movement “Little Blue Buckets” [ENG] and against the “unification of Russia and Ukraine under Kremlin...
Georgia: Online local election mapping
Transparency International Georgia, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, the National Democratic Institute and the Caucasus Resource Research Center have set up an...
Slovakia: The Fight for Nationalistic Voters
Tibor Blazko writes about the growing nationalistic sentiments driven by some Slovak and Hungarian politicians and translates a related satirical video.
Vietnam: Report on online censorship
Viet Tan has published a comprehensive report about online censorship and cyberattacks in Vietnam.
Russia: Blogger and Activist Arrested for Viral Video
Leonid Nikolaev (aka LJ-user nikolaevleo) the main actor in the recent viral video against cars using emergency vehicle lighting had been arrested, lj-user halfaman reported. The blogger suggests the arrest...
Iran: Two Bloggers and Student Leader on Hunger Strike in Prison
Two bloggers and one leading student activist - deprived of their pen and blogs in an Iranian prison - are now using a hunger strike to protest prison conditions and defend their rights.
Hungary: Facebook vs iWiW
Marietta Le reports on the competition between a popular Hungarian social networking site iWiW and Facebook in Hungary.
Hungary: Bloggers’ Photo and Video Reports on the Flood
The floods of the past weeks affecting Central and Eastern Europe are not over yet, and below are some of the photo and video reports by Hungarian bloggers from areas affected by the natural disaster.
Mauritania: Spotlight on Tunisian Cyberactivism
Mauritanian blogger Nasser Weddady sheds light on cyberactivism in Tunisia with this insightful post, dedicated to the memory of Tunisian dissident and internet activist Zouhair Yahyahoui.
Bahrain: Blocking of Sites Gains Momentum
Bahraini Mahmood Al Yousif comments on the blocking of sites around the world – and the excuses given for that.
[Report] Technology for Transparency
This report is the culmination of four months of research examining the objectives, challenges, successes, and effects of online technology projects that aim to promote transparency, political accountability, and civic engagement. It presents case studies, conclusions, and recommendations toward making the grassroots use of technology more effective in improving governance worldwide.
Iran: “Democracy is only the beginning”
“Democracy is only the beginning” is the name of a short film created by Franklin Pham and Arya Ghavamian. Several Iranian bloggers including Kamangir encouraged [fa] Iranians to vote for...
Russia: “Circassian Nationalism and the Internet”
At OpenDemocracy.net, Zeynel Abidin Besleney writes about “the role played by the internet as a lifeline linking otherwise isolated activists and communities and reinforcing the Circassian nationalist cause.”
Egypt: On Street Activists and Citizen Journalists
Between online activists, citizen journalists, and street demonstrators, it seems that the cause lost it's purpose and the Internet turned into a soundproof room for cursing and cussing. Marwa Rakha takes a closer look at online activism and its relationship to events on the ground.
Jamaica: Women of Tivoli Gardens
“If these women pass on this attitude of craven gratitude and dependence on a don to their children, how will the cycle ever be broken?”: Islandista looks at the role...
Egypt: Crackdown on the Egyptian Da Vinci Code
Dr Youssef Zidane's 2008 Azazeel created a stir, followed by resentment, when it was first published. Today, Dr Zidane is being accused of blasphemy and defaming Christianity and as insulting any of the 'heavenly faiths' is illegal in Egypt, he could face up to five years behind bars. Bloggers react to the development.
Russia: Video of a Man With a ‘Little Blue Bucket’ Attacking Government Car Raises Controversy
A viral video [RUS] of a man with a little blue bucket [EN] on his head attacking a government car near Kremlin has been distributed recently in the Russian blogosphere. The...
