Seizure of Internet by repressive government must be prevented

A global seizure of Internet by repressive governments must be prevented, writes John Kampfner for The Financial Times. According to his point of view the democracy should secure the most important freedom.



The author of the note refers to a recent study by the U.S. NGO Freedom House, according to which freedom of speech around the world is going through a serious crisis during last ten years.

The Freedom House list included such countries as Mali, Russia, China, Venezuela, Ukraine, South Africa, Ecuador and Thailand. “The economic crisis instead of leading to greater transparency, brought the rich and powerful people to a censorship ", - said Kampfner and stated Greece as an example, where journalist was arrested for publishing information about the higher ranks, hiding from taxes.

Concerning the observer’s words, censorship can be introduced for different aims – for example to force those who do not agree to keep silent or to stop investigations of corruption. Authorities consider Internet as the most dangerous tool. “The more technology gives us a possibility to speak –the more governments are afraid”, - said Kampfner. “"Democracies play a key role in the prevention of global Internet seizure by such authorities", - he added.



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Victims of censorship in South Korea

Liberal especially if to compare with its Northern neighbor, South Korea has shown a musical giant, a rapper PSY who wins the tops of videos in YouTube with his new song «Gentleman».

Millions of people around the world love so much his frivolous dancing movements. However, as it turned out, not all Koreans appreciate his work. We are going to tell you about popular South Korean music videos that are prohibited for the strangest reasons.

South Korea took 44th place of 179 on the freedom of the press and the Internet for the year 2012. State regulation within reasonable limits ever-present in the lives of Koreans. When trying to visit prohibited for gambling or pornography sites Korean see a note "this site is blocked by the state law." Korean authorities are especially attentive to extremism and promotion of alcohol and sexual violence among young people.

As it is known the previous Pak Jae-Sana known as PSY song, , «Right Now» was banned for the promotion of alcohol among Koreans under 19 years. In particular, the rejection of the guardians of morality has caused the words "life is toxic as alcohol." As stated, this line of the song encourages crime and drinking of alcoholic beverages to minors.

However the logic of Korean censors in this case is more or less clear for Western viewer. However, not all the rules by which acts Korean censorship, are transparent to the Europeans. Thus, five of the strangest cases when popular music videos of Korean pop stars have been banned or have age restrictions:

1) «Love Song» by Rain. The reason for the ban is simple. The main hero ran along the middle of the road violating traffic rules.

2) «How Dare You» by «Sistar». The group consists of four good looking girls. In the video, they dance on stage with stripper poles (pylons). That was the cause of the ban.

3) «Chitty Chitty Bang Bang» by Lee Hyori. To make the video better, it was decided to involve the choreography: a group of girls to dance in the bus. During the whole video they are moving along the cabin and do not use seat belts, which also violates rules of the road.

4) «Knock Out» by G.D ft. T.O.P was banned because of the slang words. The song was banned twice because of incorrect, according to the Korean moralists’ phrases in the text: "Send all your friends back home" and "I'm waiting for you right here."

5) And finally, one of the most controversial cases - a composition «Freeze» hip-hop group «Block B. 

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Putin signed the “Kabaeva’s law” that introduces the new bans in the Internet

Vladimir Putin proved Kabaeva’s amendment to act that prohibits leaks about children in the Internet.




The president of Russian Federation signed the law that prohibits publications in Media of any personal information about under-aged victims of crimes. Earlier this law was going to concerne only victims of pedophiles. The law was initiated by deputies Alina Kabaeva, Valentina Tereshlova and Marina Mukabenova. Internet-community took it as one more attempt to sensor the Internet.

The amendment to law “About Media” had been accepted by the government on March 22 and approved by the Federation Council on March 27. Law prohibits the spread of information bout under aged victims of crimes, including surnames, names, middle names, photos and videos of the child and his parents, date and place of birth and study or work or another information that can help to determine their personality.

If the publication of such information can occur as a protection of victim’s interest then journalists have to get the permission from parents or even a child (if he/she is 14) to public personal data. Without their permission journalists can act only when "it is impossible to obtain their permission, or if the legal representative of the minor is suspected or accused of committing these illegal acts."

Initially it was planned that the law would only create "a serious obstacle to the unwitting" promotion "through the media of pedophilia and other crimes committed against the sexual integrity of minors", but in the final version the law sounds more extensively and for the "victims of the unlawful action (or inaction).

"It made lawyers criticize Kabaeva and other members of the legal illiteracy, and the online community has suggested the bill about another taboo subject, censorship and expanding the "registry of banned sites."




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“We do not work with censors”

American Jimmy Wales, the one who founded Wikipedia commented in not a very good way the Russian Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Telecom, Information Technologies and Mass Communications (ROSKOMNADZOR) actions that included the Internet encyclopedia in the blacklist of sites and demand to change or delete more than 10 articles on Russian and English languages. Earlier Wales not only refused to change something in these articles but he also announced that “it is better to block than to let someone to censor”.

In the response to “Moskovskie Novosti” question “Doesn’t it better to delete one article instead of depriving millions of people from access to information?” Wales said: “Maybe it is be better for government to stop its foolish campaign that blocks the access to articles from the encyclopedia for people who love it”.

The founder of the Wikipedia is doubt, that his encyclopedia will be closed in Russia. “No one can be so silly to block the whole encyclopedia, introducing by such actions censorship on the fundamental information”, - answered Wales.

If talking about Russian version of Wikipedia, where there is information about Cannabis in one of publications, and that became the reason for Roscomnadzor decision, Jimmy Wales noted that “the better way to fight with drugs using is to spread the information about how it is dangerous”.

He told about “main principle” of his brainchild – not to work with censors. And made an example: “We were blocked in China during several years until they understand everything and started to block only certain pages, instead of the whole site. We still do not help them in such actions, but we cannot prohibit them to infringe interests of their own nation”.

He also noted that the Wikipedia policy is based on the fact that all the articles should be neutral, and Russian Wikipedia is not exclusion. “By the way, concerning placing of disputable materials, Wikipedia is guided only by laws of Florida, USA where our servers are situated.

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Russia follows Syria and Iran in tightening Internet censorship

Authorities of many eastern countries are trying to introduce a very tough censorship and block Internet sites as soon as they publish opposition content. The last country in this list is Russia. The authorities of this country introduce a law that allows government to block certain pages in the Internet.

Russia is the last country that joined the list of countries that block access to sites. This “campaign” is seemingly aimed at protection of under ages. Earlier Russian parliament approved the law concerning with the Internet. It allows government to block websites that contain prohibited in the country information. In addition, there is a "blacklist" of sites that can be harmful for under ages.

Now this law is in the force and started to be used in practice. As a result, some of the social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, have been forced to delete from their pages all the material that is concerned as illegal. While YouTube is still continue to oppose this decision, referring to the Russian court with a counter suit against the government.

Before Russia, some countries have introduced Internet censorship supposedly for fighting with Internet crimes. These countries are Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. Authorities of these countries try to limit the freedom of expression.

Iran takes the second place in the world after North Korea in the ranking of countries with the most severe censorship on the Internet. The Islamic Republic censor all western and anti-Islamic contents in the Internet.

As for Syria, earlier the country took the sixth place in the world among countries with the most tough Internet control. However, that was before the Syrian revolution. Recently, the Assad regime aims at introducing even more severe censorship and closing more and more sites, the goal is to prevent the spread of news about the actions of the rebels and the Free Syrian Army.


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North Korea blocked the access to the Internet for tourists

Despite the fact that about a month ago the authorities of North have allowed foreigners to use Skype and send photos on the Instagram they made a decision to prohibit mobile Internet for tourists once again.


According to the words of one of local tour operators the access to the 3G for the Korea visitors is now unavailable. It is still possible to buy SIM-card for making international calls but still it is prohibited to connect the Internet from the smartphone.

We remind that leaders of North Korea where the Internet is strongly controlled by the government, several weeks ago have made these restrictions easier for foreigners and have opened the access to the 3G-nets.

According to the North Korea Tech it was strongly prohibited and tourists had to leave their electronic devices on the state frontier.

It should be noted that even citizens of Korea can use only simple services like MMS messages or the subscription on the state newspaper Rodong Sinmun.

Experts think that North Korean authorities are likely decided to block access because they do not like the increased interest concerning the inner life of the country. Besides it became known about 3G blocking at the same day when North Korea declared about the provocation of the United States and brought their artillery and missile units to full readiness.



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Putin demands to block a radicals’ propaganda in the Internet

The president Vladimir Putin demand to act decisively when neutralizing of different kind of extremists and to block any attempts of radicals to use the Internet possibilities for their propaganda.

Vladimir Putin
“When neutralizing of any kind of extremist structure it is necessary to act maximum decisively and block attempts of radicals to use informational technologies, Internet and social networks’ resources for their propaganda”, - said Vladimir Putin on the enlarged session of the Federal Security Service collegium.

At the same time he noted that effective opposition demands not only carefully planned special meetings but also legal and juridical cleanness.
Earlier “Yugopolis” reported that the State Duma is going to make a law of Internet regulation.

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