Futile censorship

Repressive regimes around the world are continually trying to block citizen’s access to the internet. But trust bloggers to fight back, designing proxies to allow anybody to freely access YouTube, Flickr, MySpace and many others.

It’s Mao, but not as he knew it

The Chinese government, announcing restrictions on the posting of videos online, explaining the “rules”: Those who provide internet video services should insist on serving the people, serve socialism … and abide by the moral code of socialism.

Checking the watchers

Following Google/YouTube’s recent clumsy attempt to remove (or censor, it’s still unclear) the account of a prominent Egyptian blogger who had posted videos of policemen torturing prisoners, things have now returned to supposed normality: It looks as though Wael’s YouTube account has been restored, after being blocked several days ago. The reason given for the…

Google avoids torture

Google’s YouTube has become an essential tool around the world in displaying unheralded truths. But the group has now removed many videos featuring Egyptian policemen torturing victims. The Egyptian blogsosphere has reacted with outrage. “This is by far the biggest blow to the anti-torture movement in Egypt,” one said.

Videos about fluffy dogs should stay

This is surely the right decision by YouTube: Video sharing website YouTube is refusing to filter out threatening material, despite calls for more restrictions in the wake of the school shooting in Finland. Pekka-Eric Auvinen, 18, used YouTube to publicise his plans to attack his high school in Tuusula, hours before he killed eight people…

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