Rappler's latest stories on censorship
Shuttered Zoom accounts raise China free speech fears
Zoom is the latest in a long line of western social media and tech companies which have found themselves struggling to deal with the demands of authoritarian governments in lucrative overseas markets
Hong Kong Tiananmen activist says locked out of Zoom
Lee Cheuk-yan, chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance, says he has been locked out of Zoom since May 22 when his group tried to host an online discussion on China's influence around the world
U.N. accuses Asian nations of censorship during pandemic
UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet says arrests 'for expressing discontent or allegedly spreading false information through the press and social media' have been reported in the Philippines and 11 other countries
Chinese citizens fight coronavirus censorship with emojis and ancient languages
After an article about a Wuhan doctor was blocked, thousands of people have used a variety of innovative means to keep sharing it
China blocks almost a quarter of accredited foreign news sites – watchdog
Some 31% of news organizations publishing primarily in English, the most widely-spoken foreign language in China, are blocked, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China says
10 countries cited for extreme media censorship – watchdog
The report by the Committee to Protect Journalists says the worst regimes have media serving 'as a mouthpiece of the state, and any independent journalism is conducted from exile'
Australia plans to censor extremist online content
The livestreamed murder of 51 worshippers 'demonstrated how digital platforms and websites can be exploited to host extreme violent and terrorist content,' Prime Minister Scott Morrison says
Facebook on trial for 'censorship' in Poland
'We'd like to know what mechanisms Facebook uses to moderate content,' says historian Maciej Swirski
Singapore fake-news bill raises fears of censorship
According to Singapore’s draft law, ministers get to decide without any judicial review what online content is true or false simply if it offends them. Other countries may do the same
Egypt president approves law tightening Internet controls
The new legislation allows authorities, through a judge, to order the blocking of websites that 'constitute a threat' to Egypt's national security or economy
Googlers bristle at censoring search for China – report
Google withdrew its search engine from China 8 years ago due to censorship and hacking but it is now working on a project for the country codenamed 'Dragonfly,' according to Google employees
Google developing censor-friendly search engine for China – source
'It will be a dark day for internet freedom if Google has acquiesced to China's extreme censorship rules to gain market access,' says an Amnesty International researcher
Facebook blocking fake news is censorship? Hell yeah!
We all aspire for the truth and we are all benefited if people can agree on the facts and the truth. We don’t need fake news to identify real news.
Thai magazine sued for 'blasphemous' painting of ancient kings
The painting, which was the work of a local high school student, was posted on Citylife Chiang Mai's Facebook page to promote a rally urging authorities to tackle a toxic haze that plagues the northern city annually
Muzzled China feminist group to sue over online censorship
Feminist Voices has 'already begun legal procedures and is preparing to sue Weibo and WeChat,' says the group's founder
Sereno to go on leave, Roque UN special rapporteur, Senate on Jason Aquino | Evening wRap
Watch the evening newscast with Marguerite de Leon
Facebook denies 'censoring' 19th-century vagina painting
This comes after Facebook fought for 5 years to avoid being taken to court in France over the case
Myanmar university students expelled after education protest
"We... were given a letter saying that we were expelled for breaking regulations," says Kyaw Thiha Ye Kyaw, a 22-year-old law student at Yadanabon.
Iran removes block on Telegram
Iranian officials confirm the app can now be used again after the lifting of restrictions imposed during recent protests
China has shut down 13,000 websites since 2015 – Xinhua
The news comes as the Communist country continues to strengthen its already tight regulation of the internet
China disrupts WhatsApp ahead of Communist meeting
WhatsApp provides message encryption technology that likely does not please Chinese authorities, which closely monitor and restrict cyberspace through their 'Great Firewall'
China probes social media platforms for 'obscenity'
WeChat the Twitter like Weibo as well as the Tieba discussion forum are being investigated according to an announcement from the Cyberspace Administration of China on Friday August 11
In China, writers earn money posting stories on apps
One popular Chinese writer on WeChat Mi Meng earns as much as 500 000 yuan P3 8M for ad postings on her account Another Qiao Mu receives around 1 000 yuan P7 500 in app enabled tips for each short essay
China orders tech firms to ramp up censorship
The Cyberspace Administration of China says it held a meeting this week with representatives from domestic tech giants Baidu Sohu Tencent Netease and Phoenix to inform them of multiple violations in content published on their platforms
China bans online videos showing homosexuality, affairs
Violent and pornographic content as well as those depicting extramarital affairs prostitution drug addiction or superstitious behaviour such as conjuring spirits are also banned
Martial law, Marawi clash, Lebron James | Evening wRap
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AFP to 'exercise right to censure' under martial law
[Kapag] alam ninyo na ito y nakakasama at hindi nakakatulong ‘wag nyo na ho i post Baka minsan na lang kakatukin na lang kayo ng pulis at aarestuhin kayo says AFP spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla
Leaked Facebook files: Crucial numbers to know
These figures show you the enormity of the task that the house that Zuckerberg built now faces
Uncovered moderation guidelines show Facebook in quagmire
The Guardian shows the complexity Facebook faces in moderating sensitive content
Myanmar's army sues journalists for satirical article
The article takes aim at senior leaders for sitting around holding peace talks and drinking wine while low rank soldiers are being killed
'Beauty and the Beast' to be shown uncut in Malaysia
The film will be released in Malaysia on the 30th March rated PG13 with no cuts a spokeswoman for Disney in Southeast Asia says
Disney scraps Malaysia 'Beauty and the Beast' release over censorship
Disney says the film has not been and will not be cut for Malaysia effectively shelving plans to release it in the Southeast Asian country
Disney shelves 'Beauty and the Beast' in Malaysia after cuts
UPDATED Censors in the Muslim majority nation reportedly cut out a gay moment in the movie
China cracks down on bids to bypass online censorship
The announcement comes days after President Xi Jinping extolled globalization and denounced protectionism in a keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos where he insisted that China was committed to opening up
Facebook suspends anti-Marcos journalist's account
UPDATED As of 11:46 pm on November 28 Inday Varona says her Facebook account was resurrected and thanked the people who helped restore her account
Censorship tool built as Facebook eyes China – report
The tool is part of the social network s attempt to reenter China where it has been banned since 2009
Facebook to allow more graphic news
The social network says it will begin allowing more items that people find newsworthy even if these violate site standards
Vietnam media told: No story about Duterte drug war before visit
Vietnamese journalists are reportedly told by their country s government officials to help ensure a good atmosphere for Duterte s visit
Somalia pressed over media freedom, journalist death toll
A United Nations report says a total of 30 journalists were killed in Somalia between August 2012 and June 2016
Facebook makes changes to avoid political bias
These changes include clearer guidelines refresher training and more oversight
Zuckerberg to meet with conservatives on bias claims
Political commentator Glenn Beck and talk show host Dana Perino are among those invited to the meeting with Facebook s Mark Zuckerberg
Facebook denies anti-conservative bias, censorship
We take these reports extremely seriously and have found no evidence that the anonymous allegations are true says Facebook executive Tom Stocky
Philippines inches up in World Press Freedom Index
The Philippines jumps to rank 138 from its 2015 rank of 141 in the survey but its score declined Reporters Without Borders says
Official news agency neglected after EDSA 1
A lot of people who worked under the Marcos regime were unceremoniously branded as undesirable and cast aside by the conquering heroes and heroines
Russia's Internet censorship grew nine-fold in 2015 – rights group
The group Agora finds incidents of Internet censorship increased from 1 019 in 2014 to 9 022 in 2015
Netflix is latest victim: 5 things censored in Indonesia
Indonesia has had a tumultuous relationship with internet censorship Here s a look at 5 other companies censored by Indonesia
Taiwan's new leader disappears from Chinese social network
Searches for Tsai Ing wen and Taiwan elections on the Twitter like Weibo network turn up this message: According to relevant laws regulations and policies the results for this search cannot be shown
Journalist facing expulsion a 'flagrant champion' of terrorism – China
China says French journalist Ursula Gauthier flagrantly championed acts of terrorism and acts of cruelly killing innocents triggering the Chinese people’s outrage
Cries of 'inquisition' as Vatican puts journalists in dock over leaks
Two journalists and three Vatican officials go on trial over the publication of classified documents in a case critics have attacked as having a whiff of the inquisition
Bangladesh bans Facebook, chat apps for security reasons
Bangladesh authorities insist an almost week long ban on Facebook and mobile messaging services would remain until security in the tense country improved
