Threats to the Open Net: January 20, 2012

By: Qichen Zhang on 20 January 2012
Posted in Threats to the Open Net
  • The number of people with Internet access in China reaches 513 million, with approximately 40% of the national population online. At the same time, microblogging growth is projected to slow in the country, partly due to government attempts to censor content.
  • After Delhi's high court warned Facebook and Google India to censor their content for objectionable material or face consequences, company representatives from both organizations responded that it would not be possible to filter user content and that users should ultimately be held responsible for what they post.
  • 7,000 websites protested SOPA/PIPA on Wednesday. Wikipedia blacked out completely for 24 hours. Google also followed suit, although less dramatically by posting a Google doodle.
  • 19 senators have voiced their opposition of PIPA, seven of whom were co-sponsors of the bill. With the White House also opposing the bills, SOPA/PIPA appear to have lost momentum this week after public pressure forces Congress members to rethink the proposals.

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