Governments ramp up efforts to control the online space in Myanmar, Brazil & Colombia
This week we have updates about governments controlling the online space and a report on a platform moderating certain terms. In Myanmar, the military is ramping up internet shutdowns and restricting people's access to the internet. In Brazil, the government is planning to limit actions taken by platforms to address disinformation. In this issue we also take a look at content moderation by platforms and a report that talks about Facebook's internal rules for moderating the term "Zionist". As we watch censorships and takedowns in several countries, we have a blogpost highlighting initiatives working to preserve the memory shared on social media in Colombia during the national strike.
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The latest top stories
Report says Myanmar internet a ‘virtual battlefield’ (Associated Press News)
A report by the International Crisis Group referred to the internet in Myanmar as a 'virtual battlefield' where the military is ramping up internet shutdowns. In order to narrow the scope for online dissent and opposition, the military seeks to develop an 'intranet' that allows access to only a few 'whitelisted' sites and applications.
The junta has ordered mobile operators and internet service providers to restrict access to certain websites and virtual private networks, or VPNs, that can skirt internet filtering. It is gradually ramping up shutdowns, limiting access to only fiber data connections which are available to only a fraction of the population.
"Many tech-savvy young people are involved in the civil disobedience movement against the coup and the military lacks the sort of capabilities that China has developed over the past several decades, enabling it to police the internet and ban access to certain sites." —International Crisis Group
Facebook's Secret Rules About The Word “Zionist” Impede Criticism Of Israel (The intercept)
The Intercept found that Facebook's internal rules for moderating the term "Zionist" has impeded any criticism of Israel and allowed for the systematic takedown of videos, posts, and pictures exposing its crimes.
Though none of Facebook and Instagram’s content removal has been tied conclusively to the term “Zionist,” users and pro-Palestinian advocates were alarmed by disappearing posts and notices of policy violations over the last week. Facebook said the sudden deletion of deeply disturbing content documenting Israeli state violence was, as the company so often claims, just a big accident.
“Facebook claims that their policy on the word ‘Zionist’ is about Jewish safety,” Dani Noble, an organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace who reviewed the rules, told The Intercept. “But, according to their content policy excerpt, it seems Facebook decision-makers are more concerned with shielding Zionist Israeli settlers and the Israeli government from accountability for these crimes.”
Bolsonaro prepares decree, considered illegal, to limit withdrawal of posts and profiles from social networks (Folha De S. Paulo)
In Brazil the government is planning to limit the removal of posts and profiles from social networks. The Secretariat of Culture is preparing a decree that limits action by platforms against disinformation, at a time when content published by authorities is being barred. To lawyers consulted by Folha de Sao Paulo, the decree is illegal and unconstitutional.
"The decree restricts the freedom of companies to manage their online environments. It will overwhelm the Judiciary system with trivial cases." — Carlos Affonso Souza, Professor of Law at UERJ (State University of Rio de Janeiro) and director of ITS (Institute of Technology and Society)
Meedan Updates
Censorship in Colombia's national strike #paronacional
Colombian protesters declared that they are being censored on social platforms when posting about the Paro Nacional (National Strike) that has been happening in recent days. There has also been internet disruption in Cali, one of the major sites of protest, according to NetBlocks. A few initiatives are working to preserve the memory shared on social media of this historic moment; this is crucial as it guarantees independence of the historical content from platforms’ servers and content moderation policies.