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Who Is Blocking Whom?
Molouk Y. Ba-Isa, Arab News
The OpenNet Initiative (www.opennet.net) is a collaborative partnership between the University of Toronto, Harvard Law School, University of Cambridge and Oxford University. The aim of the initiative is to analyse Internet filtering and surveillance practices in a credible and non-partisan fashion. OpenNet's research is done with the purpose of uncovering the potential pitfalls and unintended consequences of these practices, and to create a means for dialogue about these practices.
On May 18, the OpenNet Initiative held its first public conference to discuss Internet filtering worldwide. During the conference, OpenNet presented the results from a study of 40 countries and the Palestinian Territories, which showed that 25 of the studied nations took serious measures to block online content. The study did not rate the effectiveness of these blocking efforts and it did not cover countries like the US, Western European nations, North Korea or Cuba.
The reasons for filtering varied widely. The study found that China, Iran and Saudi Arabia were the top blockers. Vietnam and Uzbekistan mostly block local content. South Korea only blocks North Korean websites. Some countries block applications such as Skype, rather than specific content. The researchers found that of the countries studied, there was no filtering in Russia, Israel, Venezuela, Egypt, Hong Kong, Iraq and the Palestinian Territories.
At its website, OpenNet discusses the ways and means of filtering Internet content. There is also a section of regional analyses which shows that restriction of Internet content is not just through technical filtering on a state level. Extensive legislative regulation frequently restricts Internet content, plus administrators of library, school, business and military networks often use software to block content for reasons specific to their operations.
Not all filtering is done with transparency and to complicate the situation, in many nations the distinction between voluntary and state-mandated filtering is blurred. Some Internet Service Providers filter content in the hope of avoiding new legislation. Filtering also takes place due to defamation laws. In this instance, content is made unavailable out of fear of legal action.
Wondering if a website is blocked? Just enter the URL in the "Search for Blocked Sites," on the OpenNet home page and see who is blocking whom.
The RCP will be holding a Public Open Day on Saturday 15 September 2007. For more information please click Open day, email us at piu @ rcplondon.ac.uk or call 020 7935 1174 ext 237 / 212.
(Article)
Molouk Y. Ba-Isa, Arab News
The OpenNet Initiative (www.opennet.net) is a collaborative partnership between the University of Toronto, Harvard Law School, University of Cambridge and Oxford University. The aim of the initiative is to analyse Internet filtering and surveillance practices in a credible and non-partisan fashion. OpenNet's research is done with the purpose of uncovering the potential pitfalls and unintended consequences of these practices, and to create a means for dialogue about these practices.
On May 18, the OpenNet Initiative held its first public conference to discuss Internet filtering worldwide. During the conference, OpenNet presented the results from a study of 40 countries and the Palestinian Territories, which showed that 25 of the studied nations took serious measures to block online content. The study did not rate the effectiveness of these blocking efforts and it did not cover countries like the US, Western European nations, North Korea or Cuba.
The reasons for filtering varied widely. The study found that China, Iran and Saudi Arabia were the top blockers. Vietnam and Uzbekistan mostly block local content. South Korea only blocks North Korean websites. Some countries block applications such as Skype, rather than specific content. The researchers found that of the countries studied, there was no filtering in Russia, Israel, Venezuela, Egypt, Hong Kong, Iraq and the Palestinian Territories.
At its website, OpenNet discusses the ways and means of filtering Internet content. There is also a section of regional analyses which shows that restriction of Internet content is not just through technical filtering on a state level. Extensive legislative regulation frequently restricts Internet content, plus administrators of library, school, business and military networks often use software to block content for reasons specific to their operations.
Not all filtering is done with transparency and to complicate the situation, in many nations the distinction between voluntary and state-mandated filtering is blurred. Some Internet Service Providers filter content in the hope of avoiding new legislation. Filtering also takes place due to defamation laws. In this instance, content is made unavailable out of fear of legal action.
Wondering if a website is blocked? Just enter the URL in the "Search for Blocked Sites," on the OpenNet home page and see who is blocking whom.
The RCP will be holding a Public Open Day on Saturday 15 September 2007. For more information please click Open day, email us at piu @ rcplondon.ac.uk or call 020 7935 1174 ext 237 / 212.
(Article)
