Cyber Protest

Several related bits:

Via the BBC:

Virtual demos over net censorship

Thousands of people are taking part in "virtual protests" against countries accused of censoring the internet.

For its first Online Free Expression Day, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has created virtual versions of nine public spaces.

These areas where protests are not normally possible include Beijing's Tiananmen Square and Kim Il-Sung Square in the North Korean capital Pyongyang.

RSF says at least 62 cyber-dissidents are in jail around the world.

More than 2,600 websites, blogs, or forums were closed down or blocked last year, the group says.

[...]

From ComputerWorld:

Reporters Without Borders launches Online Free Expression Day

Group calls on Net users to protest virtually against censorship in countries that are 'Internet enemies'

Reporters Without Borders is asking Internet users to demonstrate virtually against countries that censor Internet freedom.

"From now on, we will organize activities every 12 March to condemn cybercensorship throughout the world," the organization said in a statement. "A response of this kind is needed to the growing tendency to crack down on bloggers and to close Web sites."

[...]

From CNN:

Web enemies' targeted in cyber-protests

Fifteen countries were named as "Internet enemies" on Wednesday as press freedom campaigners called on Web users to join a 24-hour virtual protest condemning cyber-censorship.

The online demonstrations in virtual locations including China's Tiananmen Square, Cuba's Revolution Square and North Korea's Kim Jong Il Square were taking place to mark the first Online Free Expression Day, Reporters Without Borders (RWB) said in a statement.

"We are giving all Internet users the opportunity to demonstrate in places were protests are not normally possible," the statement said.

[...]
As well as China, Cuba and North Korea, the list highlighted 12 other countries where Internet freedoms are restricted: Belarus, Myanmar, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

A further 11 countries were named as "countries under watch:" Bahrain, Eritrea, Gambia, Jordan, Libya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

The report also criticized Western companies for cooperating in cyber-repression, citing the case of U.S. company Yahoo! providing information to Chinese censors which resulted in a journalist, Shi Tao, being jailed for 10 years.

[...]

From Mizzima News:

Cyber dissidents draw international recognition for risking lives

Even as Burma's military rulers maintain tight censorship over the Internet, Burmese activists in Rangoon and elsewhere continue to risk their lives using the Internet to export information.

One Burmese activist, who operates a blog, said it is a cat-and-mouse game between bloggers and the junta, who constantly keep a close watch over their activities on the Internet.

"There is never a time that we are safe while using the Internet. It is a risky game we are playing," said the blogger, who has consistently fed Mizzima with information from inside Burma.

While slow speed internet connection is a major hurdle, Burmese cyber dissidents are playing a daring game by using proxy servers or software to bypass the government's stiff firewalls designed to block all dissident and political websites including international news websites, the blogger said.

[...]