Source: The Economist
A bill on “information-technology crimes” with extraordinarily broad wording and harsh punishments is due to come before Iraq’s parliament in April, once the dignitaries and television cameras at this week’s Arab League summit in Baghdad have departed.
Tag Archives: Legislation
The Arab Spring’s online backlash
March 29, 2012 – 3:04 pm
Towards an Internet free of censorship in Latin America
March 24, 2012 – 5:44 pm
The global debate over Internet regulation has evolved from the initial question over whether any regulation is necessary and desirable to questions whose answers depend on context and where they are being asked.
U.S. House of Representatives set to move ‘online freedom’ bill
March 24, 2012 – 5:35 pm
Source: The Hill
A House subcommittee is scheduled to vote on a bill on Tuesday that aims to prevent U.S. companies from helping foreign regimes crack down on Internet freedom.
‘Snoop and spy’ bill could be costly overreach
February 15, 2012 – 11:43 am
Source: Omar El Akkad, The Globe and Mail
Vic Toews, Canada’s Public Safety Minister, has framed any debate of the Conservative government’s new lawful access bill in the simplest terms: Canadians can either stand with the government, or with child pornographers.
Canada’s embarrassing failure on lawful access legislation
February 14, 2012 – 11:00 am
Source: Matt Hartley, National Post
It’s time Canadians come to grips with the unfortunate truth that the federal government simply isn’t interested in demonstrating any sort of thoughtful leadership when it comes to the pressing digital issues of our day.
Dim prospects for U.S. cybersecurity legislation in 2011
September 28, 2011 – 9:42 pm
Source: Melissa E. Hathaway, GovInfoSecurity
As the 112th Congress returned from summer recess, I tallied up all of the pending cybersecurity bills. The number is 32, excluding the intelligence and defense authorization bills.
Saudi Arabia blocks Amnesty International Web site after anti-terror law leak
July 25, 2011 – 1:33 pm
Source: Elizabeth Flock, Washington Post
The Saudi Arabian government has long blocked access to thousands of Web sites that cover topics such as religion, women, health, drugs, sex and pop culture.
But today, the Saudi government took online censoring a step further by blocking access to the Web site of human rights organization Amnesty International.
The move came after Amnesty International criticized a leaked copy of a draft of an anti-terror law proposed by the Saudi government that would stifle peaceful protest in the kingdom.
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For full original article, see here
Alaska judge strikes down yet another online censorship bill
July 20, 2011 – 2:52 pm
Source: Timothy Lee, Ars Technica
A federal judge has added Alaska to the steadily growing list of states who have been smacked down for trying to censor the Internet. Legislation signed by Alaska Governor Sean Parnell last year would have held adults criminally liable for distributing sexually explicit material to minors over the ‘Net.
A coalition of plaintiffs filed suit last August, alleging that the statute violates the First Amendment. Yesterday, Judge Ralph Beistline agreed and struck down the law.
Yesterday’s ruling represents the latest in a long string of victories by civil liberties groups challenging Internet censorship laws. Ever since the Supreme Court struck down the censorious portions of the federal Communications Decency Act in 1997, periodic efforts to censor the Internet at the state level have been made. Many have failed.
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For full original article, see here
New internet security law to be issued within 3 months
June 8, 2011 – 3:47 pm
Egypt’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has said it is about to introduce a new internet security bill that would be submitted to the next parliament or the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces for approval.
Yasser al-Qady, CEO of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), said the bill would be ready within three months. His statement was made on the sidelines of a meeting by communication minister Maged Othman with a delegation of US internet companies on Wednesday.
Qadi said the new bill conforms to international laws, and will have the effect of incorporating Egypt into an international system for internet security.
For full original article, see here
