RYAN LIPPERT WRITES – When the state controls the media, what viewers get out of each story depends heavily on whether they live in the country or not. There is no better example of this than North Korea. Earlier this month, North Korea celebrated the 70th anniversary of the ruling Korean…
Tag: censorship
QATAR: Keeping FIFA Happy
ALEXIS CRUZ WRITES – FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), the governing body for international soccer, continues to face hard times; Qatar is still dealing with controversy over the World Cup, and it continues to do what it can to defend its bid. The problem is that Qatar cannot control…
NORTH KOREA: A New Hope for Refugees
RYAN LIPPERT WRITES – How is it that a North Korean refugee, who just five years ago did not know what the Internet was, is now learning how to code? Thanks to a new partnership between Coding Dojo and Link (Liberty in North Korea), there is renewed hope that North…
QATAR: Posting vs. Privacy
ALEXIS CRUZ WRITES – Qatar reinforced their cybercrime law when the government approved an amendment that criminalizes photographing those who are injured or killed in accidents and posting them on social media. The amendment was added to the 2004 penal law code, and according to the state-run organization Qatar News agency, it…
JAPAN: The Pen is Mightier than the Government
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – Stop to think about what it means to live in a democracy and freedom of the press will likely come to mind. Journalists being able to speak out about societal wrongs is vital to improving society and expanding the minds of the people they serve. But…
MALAYSIA: Fifty Shades of No Way
ALEX PARK WRITES – There are five groups of people that will not be watching the movie adaptation of E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey. People who loved the book but know that the movie will disappoint, those who were intensely uncomfortable with the material, women activists who stand against…
UAE: Fifty Shades Gets Whipped by Censors
ALESSANDRA DALY-JOHNSON WRITES – The highly anticipated film adaptation of the novel Fifty Shades of Grey was deemed inappropriate by the United Arab Emirates’ National Media Council (NMC) this past week. While the infamous book series, written by E. L. James, is available in stores in the UAE, the NMC has…
PHILIPPINES: Isn’t It All the Same Love?
MARY GRACE COSTA WRITES – A defaced billboard featuring a same-sex couple in the Philippines has the LGBTQ community in an uproar. Meanwhile, online supporters rush to save the ad with a hashtag and a bit of creativity. Filipino retail giant Bench released a new ad campaign entitled “Love All…
HONG KONG: Hope for the Media
MIRANDA PAK WRITES- With all the tension and protests in Hong Kong, it’s not surprising that media censorship is on the rise. Two recent reports show the decline of Hong Kong’s press freedom. The PEN American Center, a literary society and human rights organization, released a report stating that media self-censorship…
THAILAND: Orwellian Dystopia at its Finest
ELIZABETH NA’AI WRITES – Thailand’s military junta is crafting an Orwellian state. Junta leader and self-imposed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha declared those who cross the lèse majesté line, or espouse anti-junta political dissent will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)…
HONG KONG: China Press Still Oppressed
MIRANDA PAK WRITES- An annual report on the state of press freedom in China offers little to cheer about for fans of Western style journalism and media openness. The report “China’s Media War: Censorship, Corruption & Control” outlines dozens of instances of direct censorship, Internet surveillance, abuse of legal processes,…
THAILAND: History is ‘Rewritten’ by the Victors
ELIZABETH NAAI WRITES – The famed Land of Smiles could be mistaken for the Land of Scowls as the color-coded political strife continues. On November 3, junta leader and present Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha prescribed a Thaksin-detox for the media to remedy Thailand’s conflict. […]
HONG KONG: Thumbs Down for Leung Chun-ying
ANNIE LUNDGREN WRITES – The recent pro-democracy uprising in Hong Kong has highlighted Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s growing unpopularity among protesters and their supporters. Since the uprising began in September, the CE has become no fan of electoral reform in Hong Kong. Currently, chief executive candidates are nominated by a…
NORTH KOREA: How the Other 90% Lives
RYAN LIPPERT WRITES – When two Associated Press journalists visited North Korea over the summer, they saw things few, if any, foreigners have ever seen. No, they did not see concentration camps or nuclear weapons. But they did get to see what life is like for North Koreans from all…
SINGAPORE: Tightening the Grip on Online Content
ASIA MEDIA STAFF WRITES – In a recent article, Human Rights Watch labeled moves by Singapore’s censorship body as “a serious setback for freedom of expression on the Internet.” These criticisms arose after the Media Development Authority (MDA) asked a few notable alternative news websites to apply for licensing to keep…
SINGAPORE: Party Poopers Censor Birthday Bash
ASIA MEDIA STAFF WRITES – Even as Singapore’s National Day came and went Aug. 9, planning for the island city-state’s 50th birthday bash is already in full gear. The special committee set up to plan and implement this celebration has been dubbed SG50, or singapore50. A big point of departure for this year’s…