Archive for the ‘Pornography’ Category
China censorship busters-p2pNet
p2pNet: May 14, 2009
http://www.p2pnet.net/story/21687
Circumvention software: http://www.dit-inc.us/
Software such as Bill Xia’s Dynamic Web, written to penetrate China’s internet wall of silence, have largely rendered censorship ineffective.
Politically sensitive words monitored or censored by China search engine Baidu.com, as well as internal documents governing Baidu censorship operations, have been listed by New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV), a Chinese language TV broadcaster based in New York City, says the Epoch Times.
Censored are phrases such as ‘Chinese Communist Party,’ ‘withdrawing from the Communist Party’ and ‘disintegrating the Communist Party’ are also censored, as are ‘Nine Commentaries,’ ‘The Epoch Times,’ and ‘Gao Zhisheng,’ says the story, going on
On May 4, NTDTV reported 13 categories of politically sensitive words, including those related to “counterrevolutionary” activities, human rights and appeals, the Tiananmen Square Massacre, Falun Gong, ethnic and race relations, military secrets, and organ harvesting.
Under the category of counterrevolutionary activities, censored phrases include “end the rule of the Communist Party,” “dictatorship,” “one-party system,” “human rights in China,” “tyranny,” “ruling government,” and “brainwashing.”
In the Falun Gong category, all words directly related to the practice are on the list. Words related to the Chinese regime’s persecution of the practice, such as “kidney harvesting from live people” are included.
There is a special category for words related to the sale of harvested organs. This category shows the Communist Party’s fear of the consequences of harvesting Falun Gong practitioners’ organs while they are still alive.
But Epoch Times has Xia, who first reported Google’s efforts to help Chinese police authorities maintain an online censorship matrix, saying he believes despite the regime’s effort, it hasn’t been able to achieve its goals.
“Due to the large quantity of software like Dynamic Web on the Internet it is possible to circumvent the blockades,” says the story adding:
“Falun Gong practitioners living outside of China have also written software, such as the Golden Shield program, that can penetrate the regime’s Internet firewall. This allows Internet users in mainland China to break through the Communist Party’s Internet monitoring and see a free flow of information from the rest of the world.”
No orgasms in China-Bruce Humes
China Censorship Primer: Just Say “No” to Female Orgasms
Bruce Humes: May 17, 2009
http://www.bruce-humes.com/?p=982
Don’t let media in the West fool you—talking about sex in China is not taboo. But apparently references to female genitalia and orgasms are still big no-nos.
To see how such touchy subjects are handled in Chinese media, let’s take a look at what happened to the Guardian’s “China to Open First Sex Theme Park” (May 15, 2009) when it was translated and published in Cankao Xiaoxi.
As noted in my earlier updates on Cankao Xiaoxi, this daily newspaper is a respected Chinese-language digest of the world press with a long history, and in many cities across China it sells out every day before noon. Virtually no English is used and no content is added. But references deemed unbecoming to China’s image are often deleted.
To show you how censorship/repackaging works in the People’s Republic, the Guardian’s original news item is fully reproduced below. Note that both uses of “genitalia” in the original, which are gender-neutral, have for some reason been rendered in Chinese as “phallus” (男根). Words that have been crossed out are those that did not appear in the Chinese translation (Cankao Xiaoxi, March 17, 2009, p 8):
China to Open First Sex Theme Park
Maybe it was the giant revolving model of a woman’s legs and lower torso, clad only in an unflattering crimson thong, or perhaps it was the oversized replica of a set of genitals. Either way, many residents in the south-west city of Chongqing are not happy about the development of China’s first sex theme park, which has been described as “vulgar” and inappropriate.
The park manager, Lu Xiaoqing, who was inspired by South Korea’s popular sex theme park in Jeju, says that Love Land, due to open in October, will improve sex education and help adults enjoy a harmonious sex life. Inside, visitors will be able to view naked human sculptures, giant replicas of genitals and an exhibition about the history of sex and sexual practices in other countries.
The park will also offer sex technique workshops and advise on anti-Aids measures and using condoms properly.
“Sex is a taboo subject in China but people really need to have more access to information about it,” Lu told the state newspaper China Daily.
“We are building the park for the good of the public. I have found that the majority of people support my idea, but I have to pay attention and not make the park look vulgar and nasty.”
But Liu Daiwei, a female police officer in Chongqing, complained: “These things are too exposed. I will feel uncomfortable looking at them when other people are around.”
A commenter on the popular Sina website said Chinese people did not treat sex as boldly as foreigners, adding: “These vulgar sex installations will only make people sick.” Li Yinhe, an expert on sexual attitudes at the Chinese academy of Social Sciences, said
But another commenter said Chinese people needed sex education, promising: I will visit the park when I go to Chongqing.
Li Yinhe, an expert on sexual attitudes at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that in ancient times Chinese people had more positive attitudes toward sex. They became more ascetic during the Song and Ming dynasties, but this trend peaked at the end of the Cultural Revolution.
Since the 1980s that had reversed, she said, adding: ”The fact that the park has been built shows the change and that open attitudes to sex are now mainstream.” One of her research projects showed that in Beijing the percentage of people having pre-marital sex rose from under 16% in 1989 to over 60% in 2004.
Li said that while disapproval of sex stemmed from religion in the West, in China it was largely rooted in a traditional focus on the family instead of individual enjoyment, leading people to deplore premarital and extramarital sex.
“But people will become more tolerant and have positive attitudes towards sex; for exampl, people [already] care more about female orgasm. I read a report saying in the West about 90% of women have experienced orgasm, but in China the number is only 28%,” she said.
RELATED STORIES
- December 6, 2008 | Survey: 47 Million Rural Women Sexually Deprived
- October 15, 2008 | Chinese Youth Conflicted About Sex, Survey Finds
- April 18, 2008 | Quiet Sexual Revolution Forces Beijing to Admit Dangers of Aids
- March 4, 2008 | China Discovers the Permissive Society
- February 28, 2008 | Parents Too Shy to Talk About Sex
- February 11, 2008 | Sexology Association Gets Six-Month Ban
- November 30, 2007 | Sex Now the Main Cause of HIV in China – Henry Sanderson
- November 16, 2007 | Video: China Sex Workers – Current.com
- November 7, 2007 | TV: China’s Sexual Revolution – CBC
- October 10, 2007 | 2,000 Sex-related Ads Dropped from Chinese Television and Radio – Xinhua
- September 26, 2007 | China Bans “Sexual Sounds” On Airwaves – Reuters
- September 20, 2007 | Abortions Increase As School Starts – Liang Qiwen
- September 4, 2007 | Tighter Rules on Bath Houses, Massage Parlors – Wu Jiao
- August 6, 2007 | The Personal Affairs of 6,000 Chinese Citizens – Ma Jun
- August 5, 2007 | Oldest Profession Flourishes in China – Maureen Fan
Saudi cracks down on websites-Asharq Alawsat
Saudi Arabia to Regulate Kingdom-Based Websites
Khaled al Oweigan
Asharq Alawsat: May 13, 2009
http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=5&id=16714
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat- Minister of Culture and Information, Dr. Abdulaziz Khoja revealed Saudi Arabia’s intention to enact laws, regulation, and legislation for newspapers and internet websites. The most important of the proposed legislation is for websites to require official licenses to be granted by a special agency under the purview of the Ministry of Information.
Saudi Arabia will hold its first International Media Conference in Riyadh under the Patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.. During a press conference Dr. Khoja confirmed the need for clear regulation and legislation with regards to websites and online journals as such controls will ensure that everything is run in the correct way. Khoja said “We hope to deter any dangerous [writing] that may be published in these newspapers and websites via this regulation. These issues have forced us to think seriously about enacting laws to regulate publishing and the media in this way.”
The Minster did not hide his concern at some of the things published under aliases or by organizations whose writers have found a fertile ground to writer whatever they wish due to the lack of strict and deterrent regulation and legislation.
The Saudi Minister of information also confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat the formation of an official committee comprised of members of the Ministry of Information and others to study the draft privatization project of Saudi television and the Saudi News Agency, following in the example of some other Arab countries. The Minister said “There is an official committee that is studying the project of privatizing some braches of the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information such as the television and the Saudi News Agency. This committee will complete its study soon…within a few months.”
The Saudi Minister of Information also disclosed that his Ministry was considering granting a number of radio license, and he also revealed Saudi’s non-objection to granting [publishing] licenses to newspapers that wished to set up offices in Saudi Arabia. However he linked the approval [of licenses] to studies conducted by the Saudi Journalist Association [SJA], as the SJA had asked the Ministry to carefully consider the granting of licenses whilst its studies were ongoing.
Khoja also confirmed that the first Saud Arabian International Media Conference would seek to take advantage of any studies and research into all branches of the media, as that due to technical developments the media now falls under the umbrella of information.
How to unblock your website in Thailand
How to unblock your website in Thailand
[Note: The ICT ministry has just moved offices on May 11. All of these phone numbers have changed. We shall keep the numbers in this article updated as we verify them. Please check back.]
We have never before been privy to the mechanism of censorship in Thailand. If your website is blocked, here are some steps to follow.
Chances are, your website has been blocked by order of the Royal Thai Police High-Tech Crimes Centre. First contact HTCC’s chief, Yanaphon Yungyuen 02-913-6699 <htcc@police.go.th> and <yanaphon@dsi.go.th>. Your primary questions here are when and why your site was blocked.
The order to block a website then passes to the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology’s IT Regulation Bureau. The Bureau’s chief is Aree Jivorarak 02-505-6213 <aree.mict@yahoo.co.th>. Aree actually sends the blocklists to the ISPs.
Under the requirements of the Computer Crimes Act 2007, there must be a court order to block a website, unless government has declared martial law or is under the provisions of an emergency decree issued by the prime minister. Therefore, you may request a copy of this court order and the reasons for blocking. Court orders must be public. Be polite but firm. Remember, these are civil servants and you pay for their kids’ school and wife’s hair perm–you are the boss here.
If Khun Aree is unresponsive, his superior is Deputy Permanent Secretary Angsuman Sunarai <angsumal@mictmail.go.th>
02-505-0588. If the deputy permanent secretary does not offer you satisfaction, his superior at MICT is Su Lo-utai, Permanent Secretary 02-568-2521 <sue.l@mict.mail.go.th>. If you still have no success with the permanent secretary, you must appeal directly to the ICT Minister, Ranongruk Suwanachee <bowbo43@gmail.com> tel. 02-505-8888, 02-505-7370
The Ministry also has a handy complaint form for you to fill out: http://www.mict.go.th/main.php?filename=index_complaint
Internet censorship is only made possible with the cooperation of Thailand’s more than 100 ISPs. Your business is important to your ISP. Remember that many of the ISPs are publicly traded companies on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET); some are even subsidiaries of foreign companies trading on international stock exchanges. They will be inclined toward not offending their shareholders if you start to make a fuss. Use this as leverage when dealing with them. You only need buy a single share to be a shareholder; this is your ticket to ISPs’ annual general meetings to fight censorship policy. Private companies are also more easily sued for damages than government.
Always talk to the top person, someone who is capable of making decisions. CEOs and executive vice-presidents. Hassling office workers makes them feel bad because they can’t help, are afraid of losing their jobs, and a waste of your time. you pay these people’s salaries with your custom so remember who is in charge. Use these phone calls for patient education and consciousness-raising.
You will notice that some of the ISP censors are mobile telephone services, which provide access to GPRS and WiFi. Mobile phone companies are even more responsive than ISPs to losing your business.
Every ISP also has a helpdesk or other phone contact for technical support. Open a complaint with them, too. If your ISP is a university or other academic institution, call its computer centre and talk to the administrators.
Follows a list of the contacts MICT uses at each ISP to effect blocking. Your ISP should have a copy of the court order blocking your website to ensure it is acting legally, know the reasons for the block, and be able to tell you the exact date and time of MICT’s order and the precise date and time the ISP blocked.
101 Global Co. Ltd. <support@101g.com>;
Advanced Datanetwork Communications [Buddy Broadband] <noc@adc.co.th>, <ktnrg@adc.co.th>, <nattapong@adc.co.th>, top kab <top.kab@hotmail.com>;
Advanced Info Service [AIS] <naruepoi@ais.co.th>, <krits@ais.co.th>;
Alltelecom Co. <cindy@alltelecom.co.th>, <BIOICE1981@hotmail.com>, <nocworldweb@hotmail.com>;
ANET Internet <psanti@anet.net.th>, <system@anet.net.th>, <uaichai@anet.net.th>, <premchai@anet.net.th>;
BB Broadband Co. Ltd. [Beenet Broadband Internet] <apinan_k@beenets.com>;
CAT Telecom (CAT Public Co. Ltd., CAT Internet Data Center) “kittipong m” <kittipong.m@cattelecom.com>, <admin-thix@cat.net.th>, <schaka@cat.net.th>, varin c <varin.c@cattelecom.com>, <noc@cat.net.th>, <bkriengsak@cat.net.th>, <suchok@cat.net.th>, <suchok@bulbul.cat.net.th>, suttiporn y <suttiporn.y@cattelecom.com>, wasan s <wasan.s@cattelecom.com>, <support@idc.cattelecom.com>;
CS Loxinfo <webblacklist@csloxinfo.net>, <phup@csloxinfo.net>;
Far East Internet Co. Ltd. <admin@fareast.net.th>, <surasak@fareast.net.th>;
Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia Ltd. [formerly Tawan Mobile Telephone Co.] <sariya.s@hcwml.com>, rommuk p <rommuk.p@hcwml.com>;
Infonet Thailand <sarayuth@infonetthailand.com>;
Internet Thailand <chakrit@inet.co.th>, <noc@inet.co.th>;
Inter University Network [UniNet–are these the people responsible for the censorship at Kasetsart University, Mahidol University and others?] <noc@uni.net.th>;
ISP-Thailand (Internet Solution & Service Provider Co. Ltd.) <thaweesak@isp-thailand.com>, <support@isp-thailand.com>, <csupport@isp-thailand.com>, admin issp <admin_issp@isp-thailand.com>, <helpdesk@isp-thailand.com>, <chatree@isp-thailand.com>, <EAK@ISP-THAILAND.COM>;
IT.co.th <kung@it.co.th>;
Jasmine International Net [JI-net] (Jasmine International Public Co. Ltd.) <sathinut@ji-net.com>, <boonma1222@yahoo.com>, <nprattha@jasmine.com>, <noc@ji-net.com>, <taewa.k@jasmine.com>, duangjai s <duangjai.s@jasmine.com>, jirawan c <jirawan.c@jasmine.com>, Nongluck p <Nongluck.p@jasmine.com>, <tsutee@jasmine.com>, <uraiporn.s@jasmine.com>, <mubooh@gmail.com>;
Kirz Communications <thana@kirz.com>, <sarayut@kirz.com>;
KSC Commercial Internet <ictcensor@ksc.net>;
Milcom Systems [WLANNet] <patcharabuls@milcom.co.th>, <tomesiam@hotmail.com>;
NTT Communications (Thailand) Co. Ltd. <channira.no@ntt.co.th>, <kalant@ntt.co.th>, <uthai@ntt.co.th>, <jaroonchai@ntt.co.th>;
Otaro Internet [you may remember they were the first company to delete the website of Same Sky Books/Fah Diew Kan] <noc@otaro.com>;
Pacnet Thailand <noc@pacific.net.th>, <noc.th@pacnet.com>, neeyada sirisampandh <neeyada.sirisampandh@pacnet.com>;
Proen Internet <noc@proen.co.th>, <suvinit@proen.co.th>, <mars2551@yahoo.com>;
Samart Infonet Co. Ltd. [Samtel] prasitchai v <prasitchai.v@samtel.samartcorp.com>, <se@samart.co.th>;
SIPphone Unlimited Communication <info@sipphone.co.th>;
Telephone Organisation of Thailand [TOT] Public Co. Ltd. (TOT ISP, TOT International Gateway) <boonmak@tot.co.th>, <totnoc@tot.co.th>, <noc@totisp.net>, <blockweb@totisp.net>, sittiraj tot <sittiraj.tot@gmail.com>, <noc@totiig.net>;
Total Access [DTAC] <Parinyar@dtac.co.th>;
True Internet ictcensor@trueinternet.co.th, network@trueinternet.co.th, watanyu chu <watanyu_chu@trueinternet.co.th>, Surparsorn Run <Surparsorn_Run@truecorp.co.th>;
TT&T Public Co. Ltd. [Maxnet] narits ss <narits_ss@ttt.co.th>, ekkarachu ss <ekkarachu_ss@ttt.co.th>, surachaiji ss <surachaiji_ss@ttt.co.th>, <matisa@ttt.co.th>, issn ss <issn_ss@ttt.co.th>, <ict@tttmaxnet.com>;
Upload Today, True Corporation Public Co. Ltd. <info@uploadtoday.com>,
World Internetwork Co. Ltd. [INTERNET Thai] <support@internetthai.com>;
Be patient–jai yen yen! But be persistent. Expect this process to take some time.
FIGHT BACK! Take back the power! Freedom NOW!
Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)
FACT has further questions for MICT over censorship
Follows my email to MICT below, updates in brackets. FACT readers will find my questions and suggestions eminently sensible, reasonable and non-confrontational. MICT is not the enemy.
What is the enemy is the concept adopted by Thai government that censorship serves the public good. Censorship does not create good citizens, a thinking, questioning public. Quite the opposite.
Censorship tells Thai people “You’re too stupid to look at this. Let us do your thinking for you.”
There can never be real democracy in Thailand under the shadow of government censorship.
———————————————————————————————
Most of my earlier questions have been resolved by the ISPs themselves so there is no need for you to reply to my last email. However, more concerns and questions have come to my attention.
Have you yourself looked at FACT’s website? If so, you can see that our goals are not at odds with MICT’s.
One can readily see that FACT is completely non-partisan and non-political. All we try to do is raise public awareness of censorship issues worldwide and in Thailand but viewed from the Thai context, making things better for everyone in a truly democratic society.
Unlike many Thai websites, FACT has never been anonymous. I am the registered owner of FACT’s website. Accordingly, it would far better serve both citizens and government were MICT to request websites, including mine, to simply remove illegal content first, rather than immediately blocking or, worse, arresting website owners. A lot of these problems could be solved by prompt discussion between government and citizens.
I am scrupulously careful not to host or post illegal content or comments, including lese majeste. However, in two and a half years, I have only had to edit three comments and one post! [Obviously, the problem of illegal opinion is not as severe as government would have us believe!] FACT does not promote censored content but simply defends citizens’ rights to express their opinions.
I can accept that there may be a need for some level of censorship. But Internet censorship always overblocks. The censorship of FACT’s website is a perfect example.
FACT wants to encourage transparency and accountability in the censorship process. Censorship should not be kept secret because, for one thing, this makes censored information far more attractive.
One of FACT’s goals is publication of Thailand’s blocklists of banned websites. Were this to happen, I think initially a lot of people would try to access these sites out of curiosity not out of malice. But that initial curiosity would die down quickly and Thailand would take the moral high ground with transparency in government, a novel concept!
MICT should redirect Internet users trying to access a blocked website to a blockpage telling the user who ordered the blocking, why the site is blocked and containing clear and easy instructions for requesting unblocking, anonymously so citizens don’t feel threatened with repercussions. After all, if MICT thinks it’s doing the right thing, a public service, by censorship, it should be open about it.
FACT’s goal was not merely to have MICT unblock our website. The goal is to understand the whole process of Internet censorship.
I have some pertinent questions regarding Internet censorship in Thailand.
1) Do the block orders always come from the Police High-Tech Crimes Centre or does MICT also compile its own lists?
2) Why do the Police not send the block orders to ISPs themselves but forward them to MICT to send to the ISPs?
3) In fact, why does MICT involve the ISPs at all? Why does MICT not order direct blocking at the international Internet gateways?
4) Are the block emails from MICT to the ISPs, government to private companies, official documents, even though they are sent from free, cloudmail services like Yahoo or Hotmail? Are they secret or confidential? (See 9 below).
5) Does MICT review the block orders from Police before sending them to ISPs to ensure that all sites really contain illegal content? This is a crucial point which MICT should implement. If this were done, FACT’s website would never have been blocked.
6) Will you please tell me the precise dates and times of the recent Emergency Decree? If FACT’s website was blocked under the Decree, MICT did not need to seek a court order under the Computer Crimes Act.
7) Why does MICT not make the court orders public, removing the list of blocked websites, if they desire?
8) May an Internet user contact MICT to inquire if a website is blocked?
9) Lastly, why do Thai government email addresses never function? There was some talk of government banning civil servants using cloud email but almost everyone in government uses Hotmail or Yahoo (even to send out block orders, which is extremely insecure, to say the least!) I think MICT might make it a goal making government computers, servers and email actually work.
I have opposed Internet censorship in Thailand since 1997 when the first such law was proposed by Dr. Charmonman Srisakdi. The proposal was quietly dropped.
[UPDATE: Dr. Charmonman did not come up with this idea on his own. He was advised by an international charity, ECPAT International (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) <http://www.ecpat.net/EI/index.asp>, which raised the spectre of child pornography on the Internet. ECPAT, of course, owes its budget to the public purse and support of governments in many countries.
At this time, there was much media discussion over the trafficking of women and children, underage prostitution and the sale of Thai village girls, particularly in the North, to brothels.
Economist and former senator Mechai Viravaidya, “The Condom King”, singlehandedly and at great personal risk in stratified Thai society, taught AIDS awareness to sex workers and their customers in Thailand.
The practical result was that poor farmers became aware of the dangers to their daughters and the waiting “AIDS explosion” never materialised here.
Dr. Charmonman styles himself the “Father of the Thai Internet”. FACT readers will enjoy his homepages at <http://www.charm.au.edu/index.htm>, especially the photos of his home <http://www.charm.au.edu/PhotoRes/picture.asp>.]
I am making MICT an offer. I would like to consult with MICT officially to develop a process by which Internet users could request unblocking of MICT. I would also be eager to help MICT make the censorship process more equitable and transparent to serve everyone’s best interests.
Please forward me a copy of the email MICT sent to the ISPs to order UNblocking of FACT’s website.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Best wishes,
CJ Hinke
087-976-1880
How Thailand Censors the Internet
How Thailand Censors the Internet
No. 72 – Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)
The details of FACT’s website censorship have finally become clear as Thai ISPs have provided FACT with concrete data, including the email requests from both Royal Thai Police and the ICT Ministry. This is the Thai public’s first real look at the implementation of Internet censorship in Thailand which is usually accomplished by government-in-secret.
On April 22, 2009 at 16:45:47 from IP address 124.108.115.147 (ESMTP id 25FD7274C64F) email was sent from the Royal Thai Police High-Tech Crime Center <htcc@police.go.th> to Aree Jivorarak, Chief of MICT’s IT Regulation Bureau <aree.mict@yahoo.co.th>. It is certain that a blocklist of banned websites was attached to this email.
On April 23, 2009 06:49:43 Aree forwarded the Police email to 94 ICT contacts at 38 of Thailand’s more than 100 ISPs and mobile telephone providers–CAT Telecom, Pacnet Thailand, ISP-Thailand, Internet Thailand, Advanced Datanetwork Communications [Buddy Broadband], KSC Commercial Internet, True Internet, CS Loxinfo, Telephone Organisation of Thailand [TOT] Public Co. Ltd., Jasmine International Net [JI-net], ANET Internet, Far East Internet Co. Ltd., Milcom Systems [WLANNet], World Internetwork Co. Ltd. [INTERNET Thai], Otaro [you may remember they were the first company to delete the website of Same Sky Books/Fah Diew Kan], 101 Global Co. Ltd., Kirz Communications, TT&T Public Co. Ltd. [Maxnet], Proen Internet, Jasmine International Public Co. Ltd., IT.co.th, Infonet Thailand, Inter University Network [UniNet–are these the people responsible for the censorship at Kasetsart University, Mahidol University and others?], Alltelecom Co., SIPphone Unlimited Communication, TOT ISP, TOT International Gateway, Internet Solution & Service Provider Co. Ltd. [ISP-Thailand], NTT Communications (Thailand) Co., Ltd., BB Broadband Co. Ltd. [Beenet Broadband Internet], CAT Public Co. Ltd., Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia Ltd. [formerly Tawan Mobile Telephone Co.], Upload Today, True Corporation Public Co. Ltd., Samart Infonet Co. Ltd. [Samtel], Total Access [DTAC], Advanced Info Service [AIS], CAT Internet Data Center–with a the subject “ส่งต่อ: ขอส่งรายชื่อเว็บไซต์ที่มีผลกระทบต่อความมั่นคง” (” Fwd: We send a list of sites that affect security”). The email’s message was ”เรียนผู้ isp และผู้เกี่ยวข้อง เพื่อโปรดดำเนินการ อารีย์ จิวรรักษ์ ” (“to ISPs and whom it may concern to take action”) followed by ”หมายเหตุ: แนบจดหมายที่จะส่งต่อแล้ว” (“Remarks: Forwarded mail attached”) which is obviously the original Police email. (Full details below.) This message may well have been truncated before it was sent to FACT. Why did Aree send this email before seven a.m.? To take advantage of the government’s Emergency Decree?
Although FACT was not made privy to the ICT Ministry’s blocklist itself, as FACT’s website started to be blocked by some ISPs around noon April 25, 2009 and diverted to MICT’s blockpage at http://w3.mict.go.th, it is safe to assume we were on it!
Further information from another ISP states that FACT’s website was included on the list of 71-plus alleged “Red-shirt” websites blocked.
Of course, FACT is not a Red-shirt (nor any-shirt) front nor do we play partisan politics. One can readily see how easily any website can be swept up by government paranoia. This is the first time FACT’s website has been blocked since our inception on November 15, 2006. We are proud to join the ranks of our colleagues at Midnight University, Sept19,org, Same Sky and Prachatai; we wear our censorship as a badge of honour.
FACT will defend anyone censored in Thailand because the public has a basic human right to freedom of information. We will continue to expose secret censorship in Thailand and provide circumvention strategies and software to enable Internet users to ignore the censorship.
When these 71-plus websites were unblocked by MICT on April 26, why was FACT not included in the list? FACT was finally unblocked by at least one ISP by request of MICT at 01:29 on April 28, 2009. We have yet to receive of copy of MICT’s email to ISPs or order FACT unblocked but we know there to be one.
The email exchange also raises further interesting questions. Who surfs the Internet looking for illegal content? Does Internet censorship always start with the Police or are there censors in other agencies such as the ICT ministry and Ministry of Culture? How many people are employed to censor?
This gives a real glimpse into the shadowy, clandestine world of censorship in Thailand. And it shows that F/freedom is under police scrutiny in Thailand.
Nothing has changed at Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT). We didn’t change, edit, alter or deleted any information, postings or comments on our website before, during or after MICT’s censorship.
So why did they censor FACT in the first place and why did they unblock us so rapidly?
The Prime Minister’s Emergency Decree was in effect April 12 – April 23, so it would appear that legally MICT was not required to seek a court order for blocking under the provisions of the Computer Crimes Act 2007 as normal laws were suspended. For those FACT supporters who were hoping FACT would be the first to challenge MICT in court over Internet censorship, it appears MICT acted legally. We’re saving that fight for next time!
The moral of this story: FIGHT BACK! Take back the power! Freedom NOW!
This has been an interesting and valuable exercise because now we know who the censors are and how they operate. If your website in blocked, notify FACT, call all media you can think of (FACT will help with this) and get in touch with MICT at 02-505-6213 <aree.mict@yahoo.co.th> to request immediate unblocking.
Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)
—– Forwarded Message —–
From: aree jivorarak <aree.mict@yahoo.co.th>
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Sent: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:49:43 +0700 (ICT)
Subject: ส่งต่อ: ขอส่งรายชื่อเว็บไซต์ที่มีผลกระทบต่อความมั่นคง
เรียนผู้ isp และผู้เกี่ยวข้อง เพื่อโปรดดำเนินการ
อารีย์ จิวรรักษ์
หมายเหตุ: แนบจดหมายที่จะส่งต่อแล้ว
______________________________________________
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Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:46:39 +0700 (ICT)
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Censorship Thai-style: The FACT Story
FACT blocked in Cambodia!
I live in Bangkok and my server is TRUE but currently I am in Ratanakiri, Cambodia, and I tried to access your website but could not and I contacted the Cambodian IP server (CAMSHIN) and they told me that all internet communications from their platform are routed via Thailand and perhaps this is the reason I am denied access.
Kind regards,
Shane Tarr, PhD
FACT blocked in Shanghai!
In answer to recent tlc posting, I cannot access your site in China (Shanghai). There is quite often a problem with wordpress sites here, even in Shanghai.
Professor Nicholas Tapp
Censorship Thai-style: The FACT story
How easy to censor, how difficult to unblock!
Monday, April 27, six calls to the ICT ministry. Permanent Secretary Su Lo-uthai refused to take my call. I found this rather typical, insulting abuse of government power considering I had petitioned him personally on behalf of FACT. Su referred me to Deputy Permanent Secretary Angsuman Sunarai. I was given two numbers for him but he did not work at the first office and the second did not answer. I was given his mobile and it was turned off. Angsuman’s secretary didn’t answer hers. Angsuman was reported to be in Khon Kaen so I was given two numbers at the ministry for his deputy, Aree Jivorarak, chief of MICT’s IT Regulation Bureau. Neither number was answered and so I was given his mobile number. He asked for details by email, copied below:
Further to our telephone conversation, it has been brought to my attention that my website, Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT) has been blocked by around noon Saturday by at least six ISPs.
The URL is http://facthai.wordpress.com. Internet users trying to access the FACT website are redirected to http://w3.mict.go.th.
I have been the registered owner of this website since November 15, 2006. We definitely do not host, post or tolerate any illegal content on FACT’s website and we have never been blocked before.
Please investigate this matter thoroughly and report your results to me
immediately.
I hope the results of your investigation are such that you will immediately
unblock my website.
However, if MICT wishes for some reason to continue to block access to FACT, I require your reasons in full for so doing and a copy of the court order authorising you to do so under the requirements of the Computer-Related Crimes Act 2007.
My mobile telephone number is below my name.
Thank you.
Two followup calls to Aree but he could not deal with this matter because he was in a meeting. He gave me a mobile number for Nut Payongsri, IT Specialist. Nut replied he would read my email and get back to me today. Nut called back to advise me that he found FACT’s website accessible from his office using TOT ISP (wouldn’t one expect all MICT computers not to be blocked?) and that FACT’s website does not appear on the blocklist for April 24 but this is the latest blocklist he had available.
He promised to contact his superior, Aree, for copies of the MICT blocklists for April 25, 26, and today and to call another office to check using a different ISP.
MICT, at 2 pm April 27, denied blocking FACT’s website despite the fact that users are redirected to http://w3.mict.go.th. This is, of course, simply not credible! Meanwhile, FACT’s website is still inaccessible for me on CAT Hi-net ISP.
All administrative functions for FACT’s WordPress site using https are now blocked. Furthermore, the latest post in which I advised users to switch to HTTPS for access had been modified so the URLs read only HTTP on FACT’s public front page but, on editing, return to HTTPS. Hackers or MICT?
TOT unblocked FACT’s website (“sorry for your inconvenient”) around four PM April 27; CAT unblocked around six PM April 28. (True never implemented blocking.) I have insisted to both ISPs that they provide detailed information on the MICT “request” and the dates of blocking. If this was accomplished during the Emergency Decree, it’s legal; otherwise, MICT needed a court order to comply with the Computer Crimes Act. It is likely smaller ISPs will be slower to unblock.
The very least FACT expects from the ICT minister, Ranongruk Suwanachee, is a formal and public apology. None of the information on FACT has been deleted or altered from the time of blocking to the time of unblocking. This means there never was any illegal content on FACTsite.
This has been a valuable lesson for FACT and shows how completely arbitrary Internet censorship really is, in Thailand and everywhere.
FACT wishes to work with MICT and the ISPs to create a clear and simple procedure for website owners to appeal blocking.
Very few have fought or would fight as hard as I did. Next time, FACT hopes to see them in court!
CJ Hinke
Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)
Please SIGN German petition against 'net censorship!
SIGN THE PETITION AGAINST GERMAN NET CENSORSHIP:
https://epetitionen.bundestag.de/index.php?action=petition;sa=details;petition%20=3860
(YOU DON’T NEED TO BE GERMAN!)
Follow instructions below:
This petition is about stopping a draft bill that would (and now read carefully) instantiate a country wide web filtering and censoring infrastructure. There would be a DNS “blacklist” that’s administered by exactly one agency (the Bundeskriminalamt) and kept secret to everyone else. Disclosure or even reading that list would be illegal, and the Bundeskriminalamt would not be answerable to any other instance.
If you’d hit this blacklist, you’d see a page with a big STOP sign instead, and your IP will be logged and forwarded to the authorities (which is, oops, also the Bundeskriminalamt) for criminal prosecution.
I think we can all agree that this HAS to be stopped.
(Oh, the official reasoning is blocking child porn, but we all know a) how well DNS blocking will work, b) that the CP scene OF COURSE uses the public parts of the www, and c) that such an universal instrument of power would NEVER be abused for anything else, like blocking foreign sites that might violate German law, being a vehicle for the music and film industry to uphold their outdated business models, or oppressing inconvenient opinions. Noooo, never. THINK OF THE CHILDREN, godverdomme!)
Instructions:
They don’t make it so easy for you! Signing the petition involves registering at the German Bundestag’s ePetition website: Click on “registrieren”.
On second page https://epetitionen.bundestag.de/index.php?PHPSESSID=f8291be840ae6e28c222d452c7f79540&action=register, create a pseudonym, / add your valid email, / repeat (“wiederholung”) email address; / create a password of at least eight characters which must not be your name or part of your email address, / repeat password.
The next section is Personal Data: Woman (“Frau”) or man (“Herr”). / Surname / First name / Organisation / Title / Street and Housenumber / Postcode / City (“Wohnort”) / Country / State (“Bundesland”)-leave this blank if you are not in Germany / Telephone number.
The next section is their privacy policy. Check the box.
The next section is verification. Enter the verification letters in the box. / Click “Registreiren”
You may also choose to have Google Translate this page for you from the URL: http://translate.google.com/
The final message on successful completion will send you an email message to activate.
When you receive the email, click on the link to activate your account. On the next screen, you will have an assigned name and must enter your password; don’t tick the box if you do not always want to be logged in Germany!
The next screen lists petitions. Click on “Internet – Keine Indizierung und Sperrung von Internetseiten”
Almost there now! You want the fourth column “Anzahl” (Petition). Clicking on “Mitzeichner” next to the number will display all current signers.
Clicking on “Petition mitzeichen” will sign your name to this petition!
Thank you!
Text of Petition
We demand that the German Bundestag, the amendment of the Telemedia Act after the bill of the Federal Cabinet on 22.4.09 refuses. We believe the proposed approach, Web pages indexed by the BKA and the ISPs blocked, for opaque and uncontrollable as the “block lists” are neither accessible nor well defined, according to what criteria to the websites list. We see this as a threat to the fundamental right to freedom of information.
Justification
The first objective – to protect children and both their abuse, as well as the dissemination of child pornography, to prevent, we are absolutely not in question – on the contrary, it is in everyone’s interest. The fact that the measures provided for in the project that are unsuitable, it was disclosed in many places and by experts from various areas on several occasions confirmed. A blocking of Internet sites has virtually no detectable effect on the physical and psychological integrity of abused children.
SIGN THE PETITION AGAINST GERMAN NET CENSORSHIP:
https://epetitionen.bundestag.de/index.php?action=petition;sa=details;petition%20=3860
(YOU DON’T NEED TO BE GERMAN!)
Follow instructions above.
Germany: Activists tweet against new censor law-Austrian Times
[FACT comments: See following posting to SIGN THE PETITION!]
Twitter child porn row
Austrian Times: May 8, 2009
http://austriantimes.at/index.php?id=13141
Government plans to block internet access to child porn websites are under threat from a shocking Twitter petition in Germany.
More than 35,000 people have signed up to protest against the ban which would stop perverts from being able to view paedophile images online.
The petition is said to have stunned German family minister Ursula von der Leyen, who drafted the new law.
Five of Germany’s eight largest Internet providers have backed the government plan which is set to come into force in September
But protesters say the ban would be a breach of freedom of information laws and organiser Franziska Heine, 29, of Berlin, claimed it would not help abused children in any way.
The massive response makes the Twitter petition the most successful ever in Germany.
German activists petition against Internet censorship-DW
Internet porn legislation challenged
Internet censorhip is now under attack
Deutsche Welle: May 8, 2009
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4235471,00.html
A petition against legislation designed to block harmful websites, such as those dedicated to child pornography, has collected more than 50,000 signatures after being posted online four days ago.
That number is the minimum required by German law for parliament to open hearings on the issue.
The petition is the brainchild of 29-year-old Berlin resident Franziska Heine, in response to a telemedia bill which was approved by the German cabinet last month, but still requires parliamentary approval.
The proposed legislation would require the vast majority of the country’s internet service providers to block child pornography sites, as identified by the German Federal Criminal Office (BKA).
Heine claims the bill threatens the fundamental right to freedom of the internet. Her fellow critics claim that lock-outs and blocking of websites are ineffective and can be bypassed. They see the BKA list as a tool for censorship.
German Family Affairs’ Minister leads the charge
German Family Affairs’ Minister Ursula von der Leyen has long been an advocate of blocking child pornography on the net. She has previously said the amount of child porn available online has spiralled out of control.
“The numbers are exploding – the distribution of such pictures doubled last year,” she said. “Children’s souls and bodies are being torn apart by brutal rapes.”
Von der Leyen supports having the BKA maintain a list of service providers who provide access to these websites.
Police statistics show an 111 percent increase in Germans viewing child pornography from 2,936 cases recorded in 2006 to 6,206 in 2007.
The petition was placed on the German parliament’s website of the Committee on Petitions. Organisors are hoping to reach 100,000 signatures by June 16.
FACTback - Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (Backup) 