Tag

Censorship

All articles tagged with #censorship

society1 hour ago•15 min saved

Iran weighs a China-style internet: tighter control, not a total blackout

Iran may be moving from episodic internet shutdowns toward a durable, China-style system of digital control that centralizes censorship, monitors communications, and isolates citizens from the outside world while keeping some commerce online. While officials cite imported Chinese equipment as a sign of a “permanent” shutdown, experts caution Iran lacks many domestic capabilities and may pursue an adaptive, centralized internet that tightens restrictions during sensitive moments and eases them for economic needs rather than a full, permanent disconnection.

via ایران اینترنشنال|

#censorship #china #internet

politics10 days ago•15 min saved

Iran's 'class internet' triggers public anger as blackout drags on

Iranian President Pezeshkian ordered a special cyber taskforce to restore broad internet access after more than two months of blackout, but many Iranians doubt the move can overcome resistance from powerful state bodies; access remains restricted, with paid 'Pro Internet' plans and white SIM cards highlighting inequality, fueling public anger and questions about governance amid war and economic strain.

via ایران اینترنشنال|

#censorship #governance #internet

culture14 days ago•3 min saved

Two Memoirs Share Prize, Spotlighting Censorship and Power

The Freedom to Publish prize at the British Book Awards was awarded jointly to Meta whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams for Careless People and to the late Virginia Giuffre for Nobody’s Girl, highlighting battles over free expression, censorship and accountability; Wynn-Williams used the moment to critique elite influence and Meta’s legal restrictions, while Giuffre’s posthumous memoir documents her abuse allegations and advocacy against powerful institutions.

via The Guardian|

#british-book-awards #censorship #culture

world16 days ago•184 min saved

Iran's two-tier internet plan sparks anger and reveals regime fault lines

As Iran endures a multi-month internet blackout, the newly launched Internet Pro program grants a privileged, business-linked minority faster, less restricted online access via white SIMs, triggering a surge in black-market VPNs and widening the gap between the digital haves and have-nots. The move has sparked public anger over affordability and fairness and laid bare divisions within the regime between reformists and hardliners regarding control of online information.

via CNN|

#censorship #digital-divide #internet

gaming17 days ago•9 min saved

FireRed and LeafGreen Re-releases Surge to 4M in Six Weeks Amid Price and Censorship Talk

Nintendo’s latest financials reveal Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen for Game Boy Advance have sold over 4 million copies globally in the first six weeks, about a third of the originals’ 12 million lifetime sales. The re-releases were priced at £16.99/$19.99 and sparked chatter over censorship, including a profanity filter tied to Pokémon Home transfers, illustrating the ongoing tension between nostalgia-driven remakes and potential content changes.

via Eurogamer.net|

#censorship #gaming #gba

education19 days ago•2 min saved

Non-fiction book bans in US schools double, sparking censorship concerns

A PEN America analysis finds non-fiction books banned in US schools nearly doubled in the 2024–25 year, with over 1,100 of 3,743 titles (29%) banned, many focused on activism, social movements, and LGBTQ+ or people of color; overall bans reached a record 5,668 in 2025, signaling a broad anti‑intellectual trend and ongoing censorship with implications for learning.

via The Guardian|

#bookbans #censorship #education

health19 days ago•10 min saved

FDA Suppressed Vaccine-Benefit Studies, New Reports Say

Ars Technica, citing The New York Times, reports that the FDA blocked publication of studies on COVID-19 and Shingrix vaccines showing benefits; the CDC reportedly scrapped a separate vaccine study. HHS says withdrawals protected scientific integrity, but critics frame the moves as censorship connected to RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine agenda under his health department.

via Ars Technica|

#censorship #covid-19 #fda

world24 days ago•4 min saved

Zambia halts global digital rights summit days before start amid censorship claims

Zambia canceled RightsCon 2026 in Lusaka just days before its May start, saying it needed time to ensure the event aligns with national values, policy priorities, and public interest. The move, described by activists as censorship, comes amid concerns of political pressure and transnational repression, with more than 2,600 delegates expected and many having already traveled and paid for arrangements to discuss digital rights, online hate, surveillance, and internet governance.

via The Guardian|

#censorship #digital-rights #freedom-of-expression

news26 days ago•15 min saved

Stick-figure Teasers Highlight China’s NSFW Censorship Push

Kotaku reports that Papergames’ mobile gacha game Love and Deepspace faced strict NSFW censorship in China for the Lingering Lust event. After two censored trailers, the publisher released five PV teasers with stick-figure visuals, and later text-on-black-screen teasers on Chinese platforms and billboards. It’s unclear whether in-game content was altered, but past censorship suggests updates may be modified to comply with local laws.

via Kotaku|

#censorship #china #love-and-deepspace

politics27 days ago•15 min saved

Democrat FCC Commissioner Calls ABC License Review a Political Stunt

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the lone Democrat on the commission, denounced the early license renewals for eight ABC stations as a politically motivated attempt to curb speech and violate the First Amendment, arguing the move by Chair Brendan Carr—linked to a Disney DEI probe—amounts to political censorship and will fail to shield broadcasters.

via Deadline|

#abc #censorship #fcc

world1 month ago•3 min saved

Putin Defends Russia's Mobile Internet Blackouts as National Security Tool

Putin defended widespread mobile internet outages as a necessary measure to counter terrorism, ordering ministries to work with security services to maintain a non-attenuated ‘white list’ of online services (including Max, state media and banks) while noting not to comment on VPN restrictions; the move, criticized as a digital iron curtain, is framed by the Kremlin as essential for safety and security.

via The Moscow Times|

#censorship #internet-outages #putin

world1 month ago•32 min saved

Celebrity Critique Tests Kremlin Narrative as Putin Faces Growing Pressure

As Putin’s approval sinks amid economic strain and looming elections, Victoria Bonya’s public appeal to him triggers a Kremlin propaganda scramble—attacks from state media and officials, followed by Bonya’s defiant responses—raising questions about growing public discontent versus regime distraction.

via The Bulwark|

#censorship #propaganda #putin

world1 month ago•15 min saved

Iran's Internet Pro: A Two-Tier Internet on the Edge of Control

Iran announces an 'Internet Pro' rollout to give selected businesses and institutions global access while much of the public remains offline, effectively building a two-tier internet and expanding state surveillance; experts say the plan may be economically unsustainable and could provoke protests as millions rely on online platforms for work and commerce.

via ایران اینترنشنال|

#censorship #internet-pro #iran

entertainment1 month ago•8 min saved

Euphoria glamorizes sex work while real workers fight for voice and safety

The Mashable piece argues that Season 3 of HBO's Euphoria sensationalizes sex work without consulting real sex workers, while actual performers face censorship and legislation such as the UK's Online Safety Act and the Nordic model; experts warn that media misrepresentation can fuel harmful policy, calling for genuine representation, consultation, and decriminalization to protect workers and their livelihoods.

via Mashable|

#censorship #entertainment #euphoria

news1 month ago•14 min saved

BAFTA Nixes Personal Trauma Game Trailer, Sparking Indie Dev Outcry

BAFTA pulled the trailer for The Quiet Things, an autobiographical narrative about childhood trauma by Silver Script Games, due to its sensitive subject matter and a lack of sufficient warnings for the audience. The developer, Alyx Jones, says the move silences survivors and shuts doors to personal storytelling, while BAFTA later explained the decision was to protect guests at the event and that it supports games tackling difficult topics, noting it was an event-specific compliance choice.

via Kotaku|

#alyx-jones #bafta #censorship