Student Expelled for Tweeting - Garrett High School, Indiana
March
2012
An Indiana high school expels a student for a silly, profane tweet, even though it seems to have been sent at 2:30 a.m. The school suggests that it may track all of its students' tweets, regardless of what time or where they were sent.
Disturbing Images Are Now Illegal in Tennessee
June
2011
A new Tennessee law makes it a crime to "transmit or display an image" online that is likely to "frighten, intimidate or cause emotional distress" to someone who sees it. Violations can get you almost a year in jail time or up to $2500 in fines.
The Protect IP Act - Protecting you against yourself
May
2011
As expected, it appears that a new version of COICA is on its way, and it looks like those behind it have ramped up their efforts to make the positioning sound better. Rather than COICA, it's been renamed the "Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act" or the.... PROTECT IP Act (don't gag). And, rather than actually taking into account the concerns many had with COICA, this new bill is even more draconian, in that it has a private right of action. That is, beyond just letting the Justice Department declare that a site is "rogue" and then getting a court order that would require all sorts of third parties censor that site, this new law will also let rights holders take action. That is, unlike COICA, PROTECT IP has a "private right of action."
The Act similarly authorizes a rights holder who is the victim of the infringement to bring an action against the owner, registrant, or Internet site dedicated to infringement, whether domestic or foreign, and seek a court order against the domain name registrant, owner, or the domain name.
Five years in jail for linking to videos?
March
2011
You may want to think twice the next time you share a link to your favorite video.
In a case against a New York website owner, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is claiming that merely linking to copyrighted material is a crime.
DHS, along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), seized Brian McCarthy's domain, channelsurfing.net, in late January. The site has now been replaced with a government warning: "This domain has been seized by ICE - Homeland Security Investigations, Special Agent in Charge, New York Office."
Venezuela tightens restrictions on internet content
December
2010
CARACAS — The Venezuelan parliament passed a law banning for the first time Internet content that promotes social unrest, challenges authority or condones crime, fueling outrage by the opposition.
The law was pushed through the unicameral National Assembly in less than a week by President Hugo Chavez's ruling party. The vote came just 10 days before a new assembly in which the opposition has swelled its ranks takes seat on January 5, following September legislative elections.
The new law expands 2004 restrictions on content in radio, television and print media. In an unprecedented move, it now also includes content from the Internet and electronic subscription services, making webpage managers "responsible for the information and content" published on their websites."
It is meant to crack down on media content that "makes an apology of crime," "promotes unrest in the population" or "challenges legally established authorities."
Webpage managers must now "establish mechanisms to restrict, without delay, the diffusion of messages... that are included in the ban."
Assange arrested in London
December
2010
London (CNN) -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange handed himself over to police Tuesday, promptly appeared in court where he was denied bail, and left for jail in a police van.
A judge will now decide whether to extradite him to Sweden to face questioning over allegations he had sexual relations with two women without their consent. He has not been charged with a crime.
The judge at the City of Westminster Magistrate's Court ordered Assange jailed until December 14, despite several celebrities coming forward and offering to pay his surety, or bail. It was not immediately clear if the court would decide on that date whether to release him.
The judge repeatedly said the case is "not about WikiLeaks," but about serious sexual offenses that allegedly occurred on three occasions with two women.
Assange, who was in court with security guards on either side of him and his lawyer in front, initially proved reluctant to declare a home address.
The Serbian Film UK Release Most Censored in 16 Years
December
2010
Srdjan Spasojevic's A Serbian Film is due to open on December 10th in the UK, but it will not be seen the way the director had intended. The British Board of Film Classification has deemed 4 minutes and 11 seconds of material to be unsuitable for viewing by residents of the UK, making it the most censored film since the 1994 release of Nammavar. A spokesman for the BBFC stated "A number of cuts were required to remove elements of sexual violence that tend to eroticise or endorse sexual violence".
Tom Flanagan: Assange should be assassinated
December
2010
Tom Flanagan has called for the assassination of Julian Assange, Ecuador doesn’t want Assange either, and Assange’s lawyer says his client is being persecuted in Sweden.
Tom Flanagan is currently a Canadian political science professor at the University of Calgary. But this week, the former chief of staff to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that Assange should be assassinated by the U.S.
The remarks came during a CBC news program Tuesday evening. As transcribed by British news, Flanagan said: “I think Assange should be assassinated, actually. (laughs) I think Obama should put out a contract or use a drone or something…. I wouldn’t feel happy, uh, unhappy, if Assange disappeared.”
Woman jailed for getting pregnant
November
2010
Thrown in jail for getting pregnant? That seems like a particularly absurd violation of women's reproductive rights. But it's actually an established policy in Allegheny County, PA. Cara reports at the Curvature that, for Amy Lynn Gillespie, becoming pregnant meant violating the terms of her work release under probation, and getting thrown in jail. Yet this story comes to an even more tragic ending, because Gillespie died while in custody from advanced pneumonia.
Airport body scanners: will strip instead
November
2010
When a San Diego man opted out of security screening using the Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) at Lindbergh Field Friday, he stripped down to his underwear in an attempt to avoid the pat-down procedures.
Samuel Wolanyk took the protest started Nov. 13 by Oceanside's John Tyner to a whole new level.
While Tyner videotaped his refusal to be patted down, telling the agent "If you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested," Wolanyk decided to give TSA a look at his body down to his Calvin Klein's.
Internet blacklist
November
2010
When it really matters to them, Congressmembers can come together -- with a panache and wry wit you didn't know they had. As banned books week gets underway, and President Obama admonishes oppressive regimes for their censorship of the Internet, a group of powerful Senators -- Republicans and Democrats alike -- have signed onto a bill that would vastly expand the government's power to censor the Internet.
The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) was introduced just one week ago, but it's greased and ready to move, with a hearing in front of the Judiciary Committee this Thursday. If people don't speak out, US citizens could soon find themselves joining Iranians and Chinese in being blocked from accessing broad chunks of the public Internet.
Retweet gets bride labor camp
November
2010
A Chinese bride-to-be who wrote an anti-Japanese message on the microblogging service Twitter has been handed a one-year term in labor camp by local police, who detained her on the day of her wedding.
Authorities in Henan's Xinxiang city on Monday ordered Cheng Jianping, who posts online under the name Wang Yi, to undergo "re-education through labor" for "disturbing social order," a national security police officer confirmed.
OnlineNIC apology to Freedomradar
November
2010
Regarding the Carla Franklin incident, Freedomradar had the webhost deliver a complaint to the domain registrar, OnlineNIC. We received the following apology letter:
FreedomRadar.com does not try to generate complaints, nor avoid complaints. It collects and reports on freedom related news and articles.
Do not dare question the boob-job cream
November
2010
A prominent British plastic surgeon has been threatened with a libel action by the manufacturer of a cosmetic cream because she publicly questioned, in a newspaper article, whether it worked as the company claimed.
Rodial Limited claims that its £125 Boob Job cream can increase a woman's breast size, if applied regularly, by up to 8.4%. According to the company's website, Boob Job works "with your natural fat cells. As the fat cells move around the body after eating, boob job 'blocks' the fat into the area where the product has been applied, so the bust and décolleté areas. You will see a gradual increase in cup size within 56 days as well as gaining an instant lifting and firming effect."
Anti-police blog closed
November
2010
Scotland Yard last night forced the closure of an anti-police blog which was being used by disseminate advice to protesters pictured at the student fees demonstration.
The website Fitwatch was suspended after the its hosting company received contact from C011, the Metropolitan's public order branch, stating that the blog was "being used to undertake criminal activities".
The future of education
November
2010
"I can't teach you about safe sex because it might encourage you to become promiscuous."
"Science has been cancelled because your parents prefer to believe in magic."
Six Brits arrested over Quran burning Youtube video
November
2010
Police in Gateshead have arrested six people on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after a video appearing to show Qur'ans being burned appeared on the internet.
Officers from Northumbria police detained two men on 15 September and four more yesterday, a force spokesman said. All six have been bailed pending further inquiries.
Jailed for Facebook comments
November
2010
Facebook 'troll' was jailed for more than 4 months after targeting Jade Goody tribute page.
Details of his horrifying posts - which boasted of imaginary acts of paedophilia and necrophilia - were read out in sickening detail at Manchester Magistrates Court.
Colm Coss, 36, targeted sites including a Facebook page set up for the late reality TV star Jade Goody, who died of cancer last year.
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