08Secrecy We must be empowered to challenge all limits to freedom of information justified on such grounds as national security. menuFind topics by keyword Abortion (5)Academia (10)Access (118)Accountability (1)Activism (1)Africa (44)Animal Rights (2)Anonymity (48)Antisemitism (8)Arab Spring (70)Art (72)Article 19 (12)Atheism (11)Australia (13)Blackwell's Panel (7)Blasphemy (105)Blogger (29)Books (6)Brazil (4)Buddhism (10)Burma (19)Canada (8)Catalonia (2)Catholicism (1)Celebrity (5)Censorship (215)Charlie Hebdo (16)Child abuse (4)China (52)Christianity (65)Citizen journalism (1)Civil liberties (1)Civility (181)Colonialism (16)Copyright (55)Corruption (11)Counter-speech (1)Debate (4)Defamation (122)Democracy (124)Denialism (15)Denmark (13)Discrimination (32)Diversity (2)Education (98)Egypt (26)Europe (24)Exclusion (6)Facebook (50)Film (5)Finland (4)France (17)Freedom (200)Gaza conflict (5)Gender (5)Genocide (28)Germany (35)Google (31)Governance (20)Hate speech (153)Hinduism (3)History (118)Homosexuality (10)Hong Kong (2)Human rights (1)Humour (14)Hungary (9)Hunger strike (7)India (79)Institutions (1)Intellectual Property (1)International law (1)Internet (307)Internet access (1)Internet companies (1)Iran (7)Islam (125)Israel (9)Italy (2)Japan (4)Journal (1)Journalism (144)Kenya (10)Knowledge (162)Language (56)Latin America (16)Law (291)Lese majesty (1)LGBT (1)Liberalism (27)Libya (11)Literature (39)Lord Ken MacDonald (4)Malaysia (1)Media (323)Memory (1)Memory laws (12)Middle East (75)Mijatović (1)Minorities (31)Money (53)Morality (45)Multiculturalism (52)National security (192)Nationalism (3)Net neutrality (101)Netherlands (3)New Zealand (4)Nigeria (1)No-platforming (11)Norway (4)Nudity (7)Occupy movement (1)Open source (9)Pakistan (25)Palestine (6)Philippines (4)Philosophy (4)Piracy (4)Poland (7)Politics (269)Pornography (45)Power (293)Privacy (135)Propaganda (1)Protest (115)Public Morality (96)Race (3)Radio (16)Regulation (30)Religion (193)Reputation (64)Right to information (277)Robust Civility (7)Russia (14)Russian interviews (5)Rwanda (5)Safe spaces (1)Satire (41)Saudi Arabia (12)Science (31)Scientology (1)Secrecy (4)Secularism (1)Self-Censorship (1)Singapore (7)Snowden (6)Social media (122)South Africa (12)Southeast Asia (8)Sport (7)Surveillance (31)Syria (8)Tanzania (1)Technology (150)Terrorism (16)Thailand (2)Tolerance (2)Tunisia (5)Turkey (49)Twitter (47)Ukraine (2)United Kingdom (94)United States (75)University (7)Violence (194)Whistleblowing (18)Wikileaks (13)Wikipedia (12)Yemen (2)YouTube (9) Orville Schell: What controls are beneficial to a free society? China’s attempt to both capitalise on and control the internet is “one of the greatest experiments” in the country’s history, says Orville Schell of the Asia Society. Orville Schell: An upside to state-controlled television? State control of media in China has certain benefits, including high quality television programmes, says Orville Schell of the Asia Society. Rede Globo & the 1989 Brazilian election Beyond Citizen Kane, a documentary on the 1989 Brazilian election, argues that broadcaster Rede Globo manipulated the montage in favour of one of the two remaining candidates, writes Felipe Correa. Can Europe and the Middle East agree on the terms of freedom of expression? A lecture by Timothy Garton Ash in Egypt at the AUC New Cairo. The Berlin Twitter Wall v the Great Firewall of China In 2009, the Chinese authorities blocked access to the Berlin Twitter Wall from within China following a flood of tweets calling for an end to internet censorship, writes Judith Bruhn. Khaled Fahmy: How the right to information can transform Egyptian politics (Arabic) Khaled Fahmy, Professor and Chair of the History Department at the American University in Cairo, discusses robust civility and the role of the army for free speech in Egypt. To watch an interview with Fahmy in English, click here. Khaled Fahmy: How the right to information can transform Egyptian politics Khaled Fahmy, Professor and Chair of the History Department at the American University in Cairo, discusses robust civility and the role of the army for free speech in Egypt. YouTube in Turkey YouTube was banned for three years in Turkey on the grounds that certain videos were insulting to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the modern republic’s founder, or to “Turkishness”, write Funda Ustek and Irem Kok. The private life of a national hero A documentary depicting the Turkish Republic’s founder, Kemal Atatürk, as a “drunken debaucher” was seen as an attack on “Turkishness”, write Irem Kok and Funda Ustek. How Turkish taboos perpetuate immaturity Professor Ayşe Kadıoğlu of Sabancı University speaks of her experience growing up in Turkey where taboos, many imposed by law, have trapped citizens “in a state of immaturity”. Turkish journalists: Şık and Şener In March 2011, two prominent investigative journalists were arrested in Turkey because of their alleged ties to a terrorist organisation. Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener faced 15 years’ imprisonment if they were convicted, write Funda Ustek and Irem Kok. Daniel Bell: What would Confucius make of free speech in the internet age? Confucianism’s defence of political speech does not necessarily apply to other forms of expression, says Bell. Wenzhou train collision On July 23, 2011, two high-speed trains traveling on the Yongtaiwen railway line collided near the eastern coastal city of Wenzhou killing 40 people and injuring 191. A week later, all traces of the train accident had disappeared from newspaper and television programmes, writes Amy Qin. Timothy Garton Ash at the Brandenburg Gate: Should we all become a bit more German, or not, when it comes to privacy? Speaking at the Brandenburg Gate on the 22nd anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Timothy Garton Ash, director of Free Speech Debate, discusses the new barriers to information and communication. Julian Assange: a journalist? In 2010, Wikileaks released its first tranche of classified US state department cables. If Julian Assange, founder of the whistle-blowing website, qualifies as a journalist then he would be protected under the first amendment, writes Katie Engelhart. Maldivian president was pathbreaker for freedom of expression Deposed president Mohamed Nasheed will always be remembered as the man who brought free speech to the Maldives, writes Maryam Omidi. Real names vs pseudonyms Are Google+ and Facebook right to ban pseudonyms? Voice your opinion here. The principles should affirm the public’s right to information held by public bodies Sandra Coliver, senior legal officer at the Open Society Justice Initiative, says the right to information is essential for freedom of expression. Aryeh Neier: Why more speech is the cure to bad speech The president of the Open Society Foundations talks about free speech as a universal aspiration, group libel and the Skokie controversy. Bioterrorism and bird flu In December 2011, the US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity asked the journals Science and Nature to redact details of a study about an easily transmitted form of the H5N1 virus for fear it could be misused by bioterrorists. Maryam Omidi considers whether the censorship request was valid. The human microphone The Occupy Wall Street movement adopted “the human microphone” in response to its lack of a permit for the use of amplified sound on public property in New York City. The human microphone embodies the pluralistic nature of the movement itself and serves to enhance its message, writes Casey Selwyn. The Israeli whistleblower Israeli whistleblower Anat Kamm leaked 2,000 classified military documents obtained during her service with the Israeli Defence Force. Maryam Omidi discusses the claims of national security versus public interest. What is privacy? All known human cultures have had some notion of privacy, but what is seen as private has varied enormously with time and place. South Africa’s secrecy bill In November 2011, South Africa’s lower house approved the protection of state information bill – legislation, which if passed can sentence those found guilty to up to 25 years’ imprisonment, writes Maryam Omidi. Han Han, the Chinese blogger With a readership of over 300 million, Han Han is one of China’s most influential online personalities. Judith Bruhn looks at his blog as an example of an individual citizen creating more open and diverse media in difficult circumstances. Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi: Should insults to religious beliefs be criminalised? The Iranian lawyer and Nobel peace prize winner talks to Free Speech Debate about freedom of expression in Iran and whether insults to religious and non-religious beliefs should be criminalised. Secrecy We must be empowered to challenge all limits to freedom of information justified on such grounds as national security. « Previous Page 1 … Page 3 Page 4 Page 5
Orville Schell: What controls are beneficial to a free society? China’s attempt to both capitalise on and control the internet is “one of the greatest experiments” in the country’s history, says Orville Schell of the Asia Society.
Orville Schell: An upside to state-controlled television? State control of media in China has certain benefits, including high quality television programmes, says Orville Schell of the Asia Society.
Rede Globo & the 1989 Brazilian election Beyond Citizen Kane, a documentary on the 1989 Brazilian election, argues that broadcaster Rede Globo manipulated the montage in favour of one of the two remaining candidates, writes Felipe Correa.
Can Europe and the Middle East agree on the terms of freedom of expression? A lecture by Timothy Garton Ash in Egypt at the AUC New Cairo.
The Berlin Twitter Wall v the Great Firewall of China In 2009, the Chinese authorities blocked access to the Berlin Twitter Wall from within China following a flood of tweets calling for an end to internet censorship, writes Judith Bruhn.
Khaled Fahmy: How the right to information can transform Egyptian politics (Arabic) Khaled Fahmy, Professor and Chair of the History Department at the American University in Cairo, discusses robust civility and the role of the army for free speech in Egypt. To watch an interview with Fahmy in English, click here.
Khaled Fahmy: How the right to information can transform Egyptian politics Khaled Fahmy, Professor and Chair of the History Department at the American University in Cairo, discusses robust civility and the role of the army for free speech in Egypt.
YouTube in Turkey YouTube was banned for three years in Turkey on the grounds that certain videos were insulting to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the modern republic’s founder, or to “Turkishness”, write Funda Ustek and Irem Kok.
The private life of a national hero A documentary depicting the Turkish Republic’s founder, Kemal Atatürk, as a “drunken debaucher” was seen as an attack on “Turkishness”, write Irem Kok and Funda Ustek.
How Turkish taboos perpetuate immaturity Professor Ayşe Kadıoğlu of Sabancı University speaks of her experience growing up in Turkey where taboos, many imposed by law, have trapped citizens “in a state of immaturity”.
Turkish journalists: Şık and Şener In March 2011, two prominent investigative journalists were arrested in Turkey because of their alleged ties to a terrorist organisation. Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener faced 15 years’ imprisonment if they were convicted, write Funda Ustek and Irem Kok.
Daniel Bell: What would Confucius make of free speech in the internet age? Confucianism’s defence of political speech does not necessarily apply to other forms of expression, says Bell.
Wenzhou train collision On July 23, 2011, two high-speed trains traveling on the Yongtaiwen railway line collided near the eastern coastal city of Wenzhou killing 40 people and injuring 191. A week later, all traces of the train accident had disappeared from newspaper and television programmes, writes Amy Qin.
Timothy Garton Ash at the Brandenburg Gate: Should we all become a bit more German, or not, when it comes to privacy? Speaking at the Brandenburg Gate on the 22nd anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Timothy Garton Ash, director of Free Speech Debate, discusses the new barriers to information and communication.
Julian Assange: a journalist? In 2010, Wikileaks released its first tranche of classified US state department cables. If Julian Assange, founder of the whistle-blowing website, qualifies as a journalist then he would be protected under the first amendment, writes Katie Engelhart.
Maldivian president was pathbreaker for freedom of expression Deposed president Mohamed Nasheed will always be remembered as the man who brought free speech to the Maldives, writes Maryam Omidi.
The principles should affirm the public’s right to information held by public bodies Sandra Coliver, senior legal officer at the Open Society Justice Initiative, says the right to information is essential for freedom of expression.
Aryeh Neier: Why more speech is the cure to bad speech The president of the Open Society Foundations talks about free speech as a universal aspiration, group libel and the Skokie controversy.
Bioterrorism and bird flu In December 2011, the US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity asked the journals Science and Nature to redact details of a study about an easily transmitted form of the H5N1 virus for fear it could be misused by bioterrorists. Maryam Omidi considers whether the censorship request was valid.
The human microphone The Occupy Wall Street movement adopted “the human microphone” in response to its lack of a permit for the use of amplified sound on public property in New York City. The human microphone embodies the pluralistic nature of the movement itself and serves to enhance its message, writes Casey Selwyn.
The Israeli whistleblower Israeli whistleblower Anat Kamm leaked 2,000 classified military documents obtained during her service with the Israeli Defence Force. Maryam Omidi discusses the claims of national security versus public interest.
What is privacy? All known human cultures have had some notion of privacy, but what is seen as private has varied enormously with time and place.
South Africa’s secrecy bill In November 2011, South Africa’s lower house approved the protection of state information bill – legislation, which if passed can sentence those found guilty to up to 25 years’ imprisonment, writes Maryam Omidi.
Han Han, the Chinese blogger With a readership of over 300 million, Han Han is one of China’s most influential online personalities. Judith Bruhn looks at his blog as an example of an individual citizen creating more open and diverse media in difficult circumstances.
Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi: Should insults to religious beliefs be criminalised? The Iranian lawyer and Nobel peace prize winner talks to Free Speech Debate about freedom of expression in Iran and whether insults to religious and non-religious beliefs should be criminalised.
Secrecy We must be empowered to challenge all limits to freedom of information justified on such grounds as national security.