Category Archives: Censorship

San Francisco: Government censorship of the Internet is a cat-and-mouse game. And despite more aggressive tactics in recent months, the cats have been largely frustrated while the mice wriggle away.

But this year, the challenges for Silicon Valley will mount, with Russia and Turkey in particular trying to tighten controls on foreign-based Internet companies. Major U.S. companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google are increasingly being put in the tricky position of figuring out which laws and orders to comply with around the world - and which to ignore or contest.

On Wednesday, Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, signed the latest version of a personal data law that will require companies to store data about Russian users on computers inside the country, where it will be easier for the government to get access to it. With few companies expected to comply with the law, which goes into effect Sept. 1, a confrontation may well erupt.

The clumsiness of current censorship efforts was apparent in mid-December, when Russia's Internet regulator demanded that Facebook remove a page that was promoting an anti-government rally. After Facebook blocked the page for its 10 million or so Russian users, dozens of copycat pages popped up and the word spread on other social networks like Twitter. That created even more publicity for the planned Jan. 15 event, intended to protest the sentencing of Aleksei A. Navalny, a leading opposition figure.

Anton Nosik, a prominent Russian blogger whose work has been censored by regulators, said it was absurd for a government to think it could easily stamp out an article or video when it can be copied or found elsewhere with a few clicks. "The reader wants to see what he was prevented from seeing," Nosik said in an interview. "All that blocking doesn't work."

Instead, that prompted the government to switch tactics, moving Navalny's sentencing to Dec. 30 with little notice in an attempt to diminish protests.

The Turkish government faced similar embarrassment when it tried to stop the dissemination of leaked documents and audio recordings on Twitter in March. The administration of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was then prime minister and is now president, ordered the shutdown of Twitter within Turkey after the company refused to block the posts, which implicated government officials in a corruption investigation.

Not only did the government lose a court fight on the issue, but while Twitter was blocked, legions of Turkish users also taught one another technical tricks to evade the ban, even spray-painting the instructions on the walls of buildings.

"We all became hackers," Asli Tunc, a professor of communication at Istanbul Bilgi University, said in a phone interview. "And we all got on Twitter."

Despite such victories for free-speech advocates, governments around the world are stepping up their efforts to control the Internet, escalating the confrontation.

Originally posted here:
Web Freedom Is Seen as a Growing Global Issue in 2015

Pokemon Red/Blue CENSORED - Thunderbolt/100,000 Volts Move - Video Game Censorship
Did you know non-Japanese versions of Pokemon Red/Blue censor the Thunderbolt/100000 Volts move to prevent seizures? In the JP versions of Pokemon Red/Blue the screen actually flashes much...

By: Censored Gaming

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Pokemon Red/Blue CENSORED - Thunderbolt/100,000 Volts Move - Video Game Censorship - Video

China Blocks Gmail After Years Of Sparring Over Censorship
Gmail is down in China, and everybody seems to be pointing the finger at the country #39;s "Great Firewall." Follow Sebastian Martinez: http://www.twitter.com/se...

By: NewsyTech

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China Blocks Gmail After Years Of Sparring Over Censorship - Video

Zelda 2 The Adventure of Link CENSORED - Death Screen - Video Game Censorship
Did you know the later releases of Zelda 2 The Adventure of Link censor the screen that appears after dying to prevent seizures? In the NES/FC version of Zelda 2, the screen actually actually...

By: Censored Gaming

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Zelda 2 The Adventure of Link CENSORED - Death Screen - Video Game Censorship - Video

Mega Man Legends CENSORED - Shooting Kicking Animals - Video Game Censorship
Did you know non-Japanese versions of Mega Man Legends censor possible interactions with the world #39;s animals? In the JP version of Mega Man Legends 1, you are actually able to kick the dogs...

By: Censored Gaming

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Mega Man Legends CENSORED - Shooting & Kicking Animals - Video Game Censorship - Video

The decision of the government to block 32 URLs has become a subject matter of debate and the question being asked is blocking the right way to go.

Should the government be taking down websites or web pages? Should the government be acting against the intermediaries or should it block websites as a whole? These are a few points that need to be debated and to speak with oneindia is Cyber Law expert, Pawan Duggal.

India cannot replicate China:

Internet censorship in China is the most rigid and is known as the Great Firewall of China. However can India replicate this? The answer is no as India by and large represents two models of government. The vibrant constitution of India does not let the internet laws be that rigid.

Part (3) of the Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all citizens. It includes freedom of speech and expression. The right to have a website and say something is an intergral part of the Fundamental Right enshrined under Article 19(1) of the Constitiution.

Rights subject to reasonable restrictions:

However unlike the other fundamental rights, the right on the internet is not absolute and is subject to certain reasonable restrictions. This is in the interest of sovereignty, friendly relations, intergirty and public order to prevent a commission of offence.

Blocking is done part of the reasonable restrictions which are enshrined under Section 69 (A) of the Information Technology Act of 2000.

Why were the 32 URLs blocked?

I have no idea why this notification blocking the 32 URLs were issued in the first place. There are two sites in particular which draw my attention. The blocking of archive.org in particular and Vimeo. The circular does not give a rationale for blocking but makes the blocking blanket in nature.

See the original post here:
Internet censorship- Is blocking the right approach?

Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire CENSORED - Sailor Trainers - Video Game Censorship
Did you know the non-Japanese versions of Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire censor the appearance of the sailor trainers? In the JP versions of Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire the...

By: Censored Gaming

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Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire CENSORED - Sailor Trainers - Video Game Censorship - Video

Super Mario Kart CENSORED - Princess Peach #39;s Ending - Video Game Censorship
Did you know the non-Japanese versions of Super Mario Kart censor Princess Peach #39;s ending? In the JP version of SMK Peach actually drinks the bottle of alcoh...

By: Censored Gaming

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Super Mario Kart CENSORED - Princess Peach's Ending - Video Game Censorship - Video

Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time CENSORED - Ganondorf Boss Battle - Video Game Censorship
Did you know the N64 NTSC-U/J V. 1.2, N64 PAL GC versions of Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time censor the boss battle against Ganondorf? In the N64 NTSC-U/J ...

By: Censored Gaming

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Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time CENSORED - Ganondorf Boss Battle - Video Game Censorship - Video

Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire CENSORED - Female Psychic Trainers - Video Game Censorship
Did you know the non-Japanese versions of Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire censor the appearance of the female psychic trainers? In the JP versions of Pokemon Ruby/Sapp...

By: Censored Gaming

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Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire CENSORED - Female Psychic Trainers - Video Game Censorship - Video