Internet censorship: Tajikistan issued an ultimatum for Zuckerberg after blocking of Facebook

On Wednesday, November 27, it became known that Tajikistan authorities are serious about unblocking Facebook, subject to the fulfillment of their conditions.

For negotiations in Dushanbe about unbanning the largest social net in the world by the mobile networks operators and Internet providers in Tajikistan the Head of the State Communication Service Bek Zukhurov insists on Mark Zukerberg presence. « Does this Facebook net have an owner?”- said Zukhurov in a rage.

Also authority announced that he can meet with Zukerberg only during his business hours. During negotiations Tajikistan authorities want to ban negative comments about their policy, which appear in Facebook constantly.” There are too many outrages against heads of states which are written by some strange people- said Zukhurov - they might get money for that.

The Head of the Comunication Service suggests that Facebook users get nearly from $5 to 10 th. for each negative comment. How Mark Zukenberg commented such an attack and wether he’s going to negotiate in Tajikistan is unknown. However Russian bloggers laughed at Zukhurov and quote him for free.


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Censorship on the Internet - a new global trend?

"Today, Internet freedom is in danger as never before", - said Vinton Cerf who is one of the founders of the World Wide Web ( WWW). Forcing American science to sound the alarm? Of course, numbers.

In 2002, the governments of only four states were subjected to regular Internet censorship, today there are more than 40 states. Often the bad newa are coming from Asia. In August in India, a new wave of religious conflicts began, that is why the government decided to block web pages and social network profiles of people whom the authorities suspected in rumor’s spreading.

Even in Ethiopia, where internet access has only 1% of the population, who actively used internet filter and remote monitoring of the user's connection. This year, according to the international organization called "Reporters without Borders" in the world 29 bloggers were killed, more than 127 have been imprisoned because of their positions in the Internet.

Slow censorship introducing
The stare favorite censorship excuse is - "for national security reasons."
"The world has nearly a couple of Internet providers and states that do not filter the contents of the Web. Just when those countries are democracies, they discuss about what content must be censored, "- says Jermyn Brooks, the Chairman of the Global Network Initiative (GNI).
The most striking example is the controversial film "Innocent of Muslims", which caused a wave of protests in the Islamic world. What to do? Prohibit it from running to prevent the violence and people death? For example in Russia this film was announced by the Prosecutor General's Office and the court of first instance as extremist and then was blocked.
Even a country like Sweden, where 90% of households have web access, cannot ignore the censorship issues. For example, the government decided to do obvious thing - block sites with child pornography, a blacklist of prohibited Internet sites. But the choice of pages was illogical, said critics. "But it does not mean that the Swedish state system is as bad as in some non-democratic countries" - the Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank Belfrage justifies the actions of the Swedish authorities. According to him, the Swedes support democracy, while authoritarian and dictatorial regimes are anti-democrats.

Another problem - the fact that not all Western companies involved in the development of technologies to spy on users in the network, and filtering of Internet content, adhere high ethical standards when it comes to a bargain, even with questionable clients. "Western governments practically do not have control over such technology sailing and do not choose to whom they can sell, and to whom - not", - complains Eric King,the member of Human Rights Group Privacy International.
However, the good news is that none of the censorship control systems is strong enough yet. In China, about 10% of users know how to avoid the public lock system "Golden Shield" (security provider), by using proxies and anonymizers networks - is software that enable anonymous network connection that protected from eavesdropping.

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In Russia a law on Internet censorship is in action from now on

Ukrainian experts are concerned that the ASE can adopt the "experience" of colleagues

On the first of November in Russia a controversial law on Internet censorship came into force. Experts say that in fact, it is now to have a blacklist of sites with controversial content. According to the authority’s instructions, providers need to block these sites. The Russian State Duma officially declared that it is important to monitor the work of sites to protect children from inappropriate information. However, experts have already dubbed the new law as an attempt to control a speech freedom. According to Die Presse, currently in Russia the main opposition websites are locked and regarded as extremist.

According to this publication, the law is fraught with the possibility of potential control over all traffic data of users registered in Russia. "Mail, websites, chat rooms - in the future the authorities will be able to record easily all the data and manipulate it", according to "Media News" referring to Die Presse. Using advanced software, service after the call "from authorities" can not only be control the data turnover on the Internet, but also filter the information to block certain services. And yet it is legally.

Interestingly, not the best legislative initiative of Russia State Duma deputies, seem willing to find a support from their Ukrainian counterparts. According to the Facebook page of the MP Lesya Orobets the "majority" of the Ukraine Verkhovna Rada again try to "push through" the bill number 6523, which will cover the sites for seven days without trial.
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Censorship on the Internet: It is known to house where the "black list" of sites

Finally it became known where Roskomnadzor will post the list of banned web sites in Russia. As the representative office, the zapret-info.gov.ru portal can find not only the "black list" of prohibited Internet sites. The portal will control calls receiving. To complain of illegal information on zapret-info.gov.ru will be elaborated in the electronic form. And, users can leave their complaint anonymously, without registration.

In the registry on zapret-info.gov.ru a copy of pages of banned sites will be attached, and have a page of the site with illegal domain name, as well as the basis on which the site was recognized as "illegal."
Roskomnadzor will post a list of banned sites on zapret-info.gov.ru resource.

With the fighting and disturbances in social networks. It became known that the "Odnoklassniki" is ready to ban all pedophiles.

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In the 40 countries of the world are subjected to Internet censorship

In 2002, the government only four states were subjected to regular Internet censorship.Today, these countries - over forty. Certain restrictions on the web today introduced practically all states

"Today, freedom of the Internet is in danger as never before", - one of the founders of the World Wide Web Vinton Cerf. Forcing American science to sound the alarm? Of course, numbers.

In 2002, the government only four states were subjected to regular Internet censorship, today there are more than 40 states. Particularly common in recent disturbing news coming from Asia. So, when in August in India began a new wave of religious conflicts, the government decided to just block web pages and social network profiles of those people whom the authorities suspected of spreading rumors. In recent months, the court had to be brought bloggers in Vietnam, and South Korea accounts regime opponents were simply block writes BFM.ru .

Even in Ethiopia, where internet access is only 1% of the population is already actively used internet filter and remote monitoring of the user's connection. Just this year, according to the international organization "Reporters without Borders" in the world killed 29 bloggers, 127 more people have been imprisoned for their positions in the Internet.

Slowly introduce censorship all

My favorite excuse State giving censorship - "for reasons of national security." In this case, the web content filtering in one degree or another, practically all of the country. "In the world there, maybe a couple of Internet providers and states that do not filter the contents of the Web. Just when those involved are democracies, they are detailed discussions about what content and on what to censor," - said Jermyn Brooks , Chairman, Global Network Initiative (GNI).

The most striking example - the controversial film "innocent Muslims", which caused a wave of protests in the Islamic world. What to do - prohibit it from running to escape the violence and loss of life? In Russia, for example, that have done so, first Prosecutor General's Office, and then the court of first instance found extremist film and decided to block.

Even a country like Sweden, where 90% of households have access to the web, can not ignore the issues of censorship.For example, the government decided to do obvious thing - block sites with child pornography, a blacklist of prohibited Internet sites. But the choice of pages are not transparent and was illogical, critics say. "But that does not mean that the Swedish system is as bad as in some non-democratic country," - justifies the actions of the Swedish authorities Deputy Foreign Minister Frank Belfrage. According to him, the Swedes defend democracy, while authoritarian and dictatorial regimes - anti-democrats.

West helps East ...

Another problem - the fact that not all Western companies involved in the development of technologies to spy on users in the network, and filtering of Internet content, adhere to high ethical standards when it comes to a bargain, even with questionable clients. "Western governments have practically no control over sale of such technology and do not indicate to whom they can sell, and to whom - not", - complains Eric King, of human rights group Privacy International, investigation, in which countries go the Western system of computer surveillance.

However, the good news we can assume that none of the systems of control and censorship is not yet strong enough. In China, about 10% of users have learned to bypass the public system lock "Golden Shield" ("China's great firewall"), using proxies and anonymizers networks - that is, software that enable anonymous network connection is protected from eavesdropping.

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Twitter was used in practice introduced in January censorship rules

It is for the first time the social network Twitter used censorship rules. At the request of the German authorities the account of a Hannover neo-Nazi group Besserer was blocked. Her account will not be available for German IP users, all other users around the world can continue to read fascist micro blog. New censoring rules were adopted this year in January.
Social network Twitter used in practice the adoption of right censoring content of its user’s accounts in January. On Thursday, the world's largest micro blogging network blocked the account @ hannoverticker, belonging to the Hannover neo-Nazi group Besseres, for its users from Germany.

On request of the minister of foreign affairs of Lower Saxony the access on Twitter and micro blogging Besseres in Hannover was blocked. In Germany, the group assets are frozen by court order, all accounts on social networks have to be closed.

Hannover Police Department, following the instructions of the public prosecutor of Lower Saxony, September 25, addressed to the leadership of Twitter with a request "to close your account and not to open any subsequent accounts organization Besseres Hannover». Neo-Nazi group, whose members are accused of creating a criminal association and incitement to racial hatred, is suspected of distributing racist leaflets in schools and threats against immigrants. She was also accused activist to create a video with threats to Aygul Ezkan, minister for Social Affairs in the government of Lower Saxony.

In late September, the German police raided headquarters of several neo-Nazi organizations and seized Hitler's attributes (its illegal acquisition in Germany) and weapons.

According to the accepted rules Twitter may block access to the content of its users if they violate the laws of any country. Restrictions apply only to readers entering the IP relevant national zones.

As Twitter explains on its website, "many countries, including the United States, have laws that may apply to tweets or content twitter accounts. We continue to strive to make our service available for users worldwide. If we receive a valid and duly justified request from the authorities it may sometimes be necessary to block access to certain content in certain countrie”.

List of potentially violating the laws of topics published on the website Chilling Effects, includes more than 5400 cases of conflict. But before that Twitter has never blocked access to the entire accounts.

Twitter has repeatedly refused to state requests for blocking accounts, stressing that one of its goals considers the provision of free access to information and freedom of expression. «The account @ hannovertricker, as noted by Financial Times, is complaining about other users of the service receiving threats from its leading activists Besserer Hannover. Specialized blog The Atlantic Wire wrote: "As explained Twitter, they first used their new rules of censorship and it happened almost a year after they announced them. Is it really so important if Twitter censors will close one account per year "- and put at the end of a meaningful question mark.
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Iran began testing the national Internet

The Iranian authorities began testing their Internet. If necessary, it will be easier to isolate users from the global Internet, experts say. Today there are 5,000,000 URLs locked.

Iran has entered the testing the Internet national project, also known as "Halal Internet"." It was reported by the Tehran authorities. The first step, according to the minister of information and communication technologies Iran Reza Tagipur, began on September 21 in 29 of 31 provinces. All government agencies connected to the state inner computer network without connection to the global Internet. By March 2013, the second step of the project, a "national Internet" that is supposed to be available to all Iranian universities, as well as to ordinary citizens, writes BFM.ru.

Whether the plan is possible
The Iranian Government has stressed that "national Internet" must co-exist with the global Internet, but the transfer of data within the national network will be faster and more reliable. The Tehran authorities deny the intention to isolate the Iranian Internet users from the rest of the world, in which many foreign observers suspect the Iranian government. "Isolation of the world's Internet will impose sanctions on Iran for themselves. It would be illogical," - said former Minister Mohammad Soleimani in an interview with the Iranian student news agency ISNA.

"I do not think that the Iranian government has necessary resources to implement such a complex project as a long-term and complete isolation of the Internet and turn it into an intranet," - said user Ali in the interview with DW Tehran Internet. Because of strict sanctions adopted by the international community against Iran, Tehran will be difficult to acquire appropriate software, said Ali. At the same time, he acknowledged that the Iranian leadership is concerned about the plans.

In turn, a London Iranian online activist Amin Sabet said: «Iran’s national Internet does not have the exact data. I do not believe in the fact that the Iranian government has the necessary infrastructure to create a national Internet or in the ability to close the World Wide Web access for users of this country. «However, the State is fully capable of quickly interring  in the work of the Internet and disabling certain pages, as happened with the services of YouTube and Gmail American company Google, Sabet said.

Following the model of China and Myanmar

In July 2012 the Iranian minister of information and communication technologies Tagipur Reza said that "for the 95% of the use of the Internet in Iran the international access is not required."

Representatives of the Tehran government insist that "Halal Internet" is the best way to "protect the religious and national values" of the country. However, experts are still critical about Iranian project "National Internet".

Member of the organization "Reporters without Borders" Reza Moeini believes that the Iranian project is not the same as Chinese "Golden Shield" (known as the "Great Chinese firewall"), which for today is considered to be the most developed system of state Internet censorship. There's a military dictatorship responded to her unwanted information by disabling the Web or decrease the speed of Internet connection. "According to Iranian authorities the main purpose is to leave access to the global Internet only for industry and the banking sector, and close it for normal users," - says Moeini.

One of the reasons that Tehran wants to turn off the computer from the state of the global Internet is quite understandable: the fear of cyber-attacks. Thus, in May 2012, a large number of office and business computers were affected by the virus Iran Flame - according to experts, the most dangerous in the world at the moment. Earlier Iranian computers attacked another virus - Stuxnet.

E-mail as a risk factor
After the "National Internet" started in government appeared the first information about what it is like. "This is an intranet, which is much faster than normal Internet, but without the access to e-mail and those foreign sites that are allowed by the Government," - told DW young Iranian Negara.

According to experts Iran blocked about five million Web addresses, including such well-known as Facebook. However, many users circumvent the ban by using proxy servers and network access VPN. This way you can check your mail and, for example, Gmail. But these people have  a "great risk" because there is evidence that some of the sites that offer services VPN, connected with the Iranian intelligence services.

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