My following essay appears in the Guardian today: During the recent war between Georgia and Russia, bloggers on both sides of the conflict provided searing accounts of atrocities and manoeuvres unseen by western journalists. In a country such as Russia the space for alternative and critical views are rare. The war showed an authoritarian regime’s…
Showing all posts tagged censorship
Holidays in blogging hell
The following post is by Phil Gomes on one of Australia’s most popular blog sites Larvatus Prodeo: In The Blogging Revolution Antony Loewenstein takes us on a personal journey through some of the more difficult places in the world to blog. Iran, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and China. It’s a timely book on the…
What really is terrorism?
On the face of it, Google’s attempts to purge “terrorist” material from YouTube sounds reasonable, but ultimately who makes the decisions which videos are problematic? The popular video-sharing site YouTube has moved to purge terrorists training films and other videos that extremist groups might use to attract new members, an imperfect process that will rely…
I’m a Communist (by the way)
One blogger, Notional Misconduct, discovers the truth about yours truly: I believe Mr Loewenstein is a West-hating socialist (note the revolution themed book cover [on The Blogging Revolution]…I doubt red was coincidental choice), who despite his travels to really repressive countries, can’t help viewing the world through Bush-hating glasses (probably because all the ills in…
The “state secrets” myth
The price for speaking out politically in China. Bloggers are on the front line of dissent.
Literary Minded on blogging
My extended interview with the great Melbourne-based book-related blog, Literary Minded, about The Blogging Revolution, its ideas and how to find alternative voices online: Democracy can never be imported. Never. In a place such as Cuba, where the web community is tiny, partly due to the absurd US embargo and Castro’s fear of free speech,…
Inside an African hell
The Los Angeles Times examines the ways in which bloggers are shining a light on Mugabe’s Zimbabwe.
Another blogger is silenced
Yet another authoritarian regime imprisons a blogger for expressing his opinion: A blogger who accused Morocco’s monarchy of encouraging a culture of dependency where loyalty is rewarded with favors has been jailed for showing disrespect for King Mohammed, his family and rights groups said on Tuesday. Mohamed Erraji, 29, wrote in online newspaper Hespress that…
Bloggers lead revolution
The following article by Matthew Ricketson appears in today’s Melbourne Age: Blogging is an inelegant term for an often inelegant activity. It is easy to be turned off by bloggers for whom civil discourse equates to personal insult — anonymously delivered — but this undersells the vast range of blogging swirling through cyberspace. Antony Loewenstein…
Byte Into It on blogging
Byte Into It is the computer and new technology program on Melbourne’s leading independent radio station, 3RRR. Last week’s program (positively) reviewed The Blogging Revolution and discussed the ways in which internet censorship affects citizen’s views on democracy.