Better Thinking

The Circus Hotel in Berlin, No 5 Stars but an Ethical Approach Makes This a Number One Hotel (Photos)

2012-05-31T13:01:36Z

Tripadvisor's number 1 hotel in Berlin has no 5-stars but is uniquely transparent and ethical in its business approach. Eco-friendly, affordable and comfortable, this is a great place to stay.

Suspended Sentence Good News for Thai Webmaster Jiew, But the Threat to Freedom of Expression Remains

2012-05-30T23:59:35Z

Imagine going to court and potentially facing prison time over someone else’s comment in your blog. Thai webmaster Chiranuch Premchaiporn, also known by her online handle Jiew, has been facing that reality since her October 2010 arrest for violating the intermediary liability provisions of the 2007 Computer Crime Act and for "Lèse Majesté," or defamation of the Thai royal family. Jiew was not the author of the offending comments—she was the webmaster of the popular news site Prachatai that hosted them. In 2008, Prachatai published an interview with Chotisak Onsoong, a Thai man known for refusing to stand at attention during the Thai Royal Anthem—a dangerous political act in Thailand, but not technically a crime. The interview received huge attention, drawing over 200 comments from Thai citizens. On April 28, 2008, complaints were filed against Prachatai alleging that several comments on that interview were a defamation to the Monarchy. These complaints led to Jiew’s arrest months later.

A Thai court handed down Jiew’s sentence yesterday, signaling the end of a protected legal battle: a one-year suspended sentence, further reduced to eight months, and a 20,000 baht ($625) fine, which she paid immediately in cash. It’s not the acquittal Jiew had hoped for, but it’s far from the 32-year maximum sentence for the charges against her.

Even though it could have been worse, the verdict still spells bad news for freedom of expression in Thailand. Jiew herself is quick to point out that “I still think the verdict will have an impact on self-censorship."

"By convicting the manager of a news website of a crime, the Thai authorities are showing the extreme lengths they are willing to go to stifle free expression," Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said in a prepared statement. "More and more web moderators and Internet service providers will censor discussions about the monarchy out of fear they too may be prosecuted for other people's comments."

Internet intermediaries were quick to condemn the ruling. Taj Meadows, Asia Pacific spokesman for Google, wrote via email:

"Telephone companies are not penalized for things people say on the phone and responsible website owners should not be punished for comments users post on their sites. The precedent set today is bad for Thai businesses, users and the innovative potential of Thailand's Internet economy."

Even without the threat of jail time, the Thai government has pressured global Internet intermediaries such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter to censor content. The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MICT), which regulates the Internet in Thailand, demanded last year that Facebook delete 10,000 pages for violating the lèse majesté law. Thai Facebook users who click on the “like” or “share” buttons linked to content that violates lèse majesté continue to be prosecuted. Wipas Raksakulthai, the first Thai Facebook user arrested in April 2010, was declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.

When Twitter announced in January that it would introduce country-by-country content blocking based on geolocation, MICT permanent secretary Jeerawan Boonperm said he would work with Twitter to make sure that tweets in Thailand complied with local law. Jeerawan noted that MICT already had "good cooperation" from Google and Facebook.

Intermediaries large and small continue to be threatened by the lèse majesté law. EFF is happy to see Chiranuch Premchaiporn receive a sentence that will probably not require her to serve jail time, but the threat that this law represents to freedom of expression in Thailand remains dire.

Related Issues:

Tab Duplication, Collar Stays, and Cold Beverages [From The Tips Box]

2012-05-31T00:00:00Z

Readers offer their best tips for duplicating tabs in Chrome, putting together makeshift collar stays, and getting yourself a cold drink at the supermarket. More »

Remains of the Day: Evernote Hello, the Contacts in Context App, Hits Android [For What It's Worth]

2012-05-30T23:00:00Z

Evernote adds Hello to its Android stable, Intel sweetens the pot for Ultrabooks, and Verizon FiOS makes other ISPs look like chumps. More »

Pakistan's 8-Hour Twitter Block Sparks Fears of Future Internet Censorship

2012-05-30T21:37:30Z

Last week, a spokesman for the Pakistani Ministry of Information Technology announced that Pakistan was blocking access to Twitter because the site had not removed links to a competition on Facebook to post cartoon images of the Muslim prophet Mohammed. Why Twitter and not Facebook? The spokesman went on to say that Facebook had agreed to address the Pakistani government’s concerns—Facebook later issued a statement saying they had blocked the content about the contest in Pakistan—but they viewed Twitter as recalcitrant.

“The government is in contact with Twitter and had asked them to remove the material. When they didn't, it was decided that the site would be blocked.”

For their part, Twitter released an official statement reiterating their policy of taking down content in response to valid court orders, which they said they have not received from the Pakistani government. Neither Twitter nor Facebook appears to have offices, data centers, or personnel inside of Pakistan, giving rise to questions of whether the Pakistani courts have jurisdiction over either company. Both Facebook and Twitter have the capability to block content on a country-by-country basis. It is disappointing to see Facebook use this capability to censor content in Pakistan while Twitter has held its ground.

Pakistan’s decision to block Twitter put it in bad company. While the government has spent the last couple of years experimenting with all kinds of Internet censorship, blocking Twitter is an uncommon move. The only other country that consistently blocks access to Twitter at this time is the People’s Republic of China. Burma has blocked access to Twitter intermittently, usually timed to coincide with events the government thinks are likely to trigger political protest, such as elections.

Pakistan’s block on Twitter inspired immediate outrage. A few hours after the block was implemented, Interior Minister Rehman Malik (apparently deaf to the irony that no one in Pakistan could read his message of concern) tweeted:

Dear All yes I spoke to PM and informed how people are feeling about it. PM ordered to reopen the twitter.

Access to Twitter was only blocked for eight hours, but the effect on freedom of expression in Pakistan could be more long-lasting. Huma Yusuf, columnist for the Pakistani newspaper Dawn fears that this is merely a precursor to Internet censorship surrounding the upcoming general election and expresses concern that the next ban may not be as short-lived. But if this ban was meant to test the will of Pakistani Twitter users, who protested immediately, or Twitter itself, which did not remove the references to the cartoon-drawing contest, the ban was a failure. If the Pakistani government has learned anything from this experience it's that even if they cannot make Twitter blink, Facebook does cooperate with their requests to block certain kinds of content within Pakistan. We may not see more Twitter blocking when the general election comes, but other forms of blocking, filtering, and censorship of online content seem likely to continue to pose a danger to freedom of expression in Pakistan over the coming year.

Related Issues:

Free Speech

Content Blocking

International

"If You Wouldn't Wake Up Early to Do Something, You Probably Shouldn't Stay Up Late For It Either." [Quotables]

2012-05-30T22:30:00Z

This piece of advice comes straight from a Redditor with whom many of us share similar laments: sometimes we stay up way too late messing around on the internet or watching TV, when we should go to bed. This trick will help motivate you to get your rest for the coming day. More »

Six Awesome, Lesser-Known Features in Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" [Android]

2012-05-30T22:00:00Z

The new, highly polished version of Android is finally reaching the masses, and it's got some pretty great new features in tow—like facial recognition, Android Beam, data tracking. But what about the ones Google hasn't been talking about? Here are our six favorite features in Ice Cream Sandwich that are worth upgrading for. More »

Daily App Deals: Get ezPDF Reader for Android for $1.99 in Today’s App Deals [App Deals]

2012-05-30T21:30:00Z

The Daily App Deals post is a round-up of the best app discounts of the day, as well as some notable mentions for ones that are on sale. More »

Hacker Lifestyle: How I Feel Satisfied with Every Day [Productivity]

2012-05-30T21:00:00Z

I like to consider myself a very productive person. I do a lot of writing, I make a good living running my own business and I maintain many open source projects. And yet, by outward appearances, I don't seem to work particularly hard, but I still manage to get a lot done, and I go to bed feeling satisfied every night and every morning, I wake up eager to attack the day. I'd like to share with you how I do it. More »

Challenge: How Much Did the Book Cost? [Search Research]

2012-05-30T20:30:00Z

Daniel Russell knows how to find the answers to questions you can't get to with a simple Google query. In his weekly Search Research column, Russell issues a search challenge, then follows up later in the week with his solution—using whatever search technology and methodology fits the bill. This week's challenge: How much did the book cost? More »

Make Your Own Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups with Tin Foil and a Mug [Food]

2012-05-30T20:00:00Z

Chocolate peanut butter cups are ridiculously delicious—and you can make your own fresh Reese's Peanut Butter Cups-like version with just some aluminum foil, hot water, and a mug. More »

IEA's Golden Age of Natural Gas Will Usher in a Dark Age for Civilization & Nature

2012-05-30T19:51:00Z

The IEA's "Golden Rules" scenario will ensure temperature rise of 3.5°C, well above what's needed to prevent dangerous climate change, and what nations have agreed to do.

Rbutr Helps You Follow Online Debates [Video]

2012-05-30T19:30:00Z

Chrome: Ever had trouble following a debate across the web? Rbutr is a Chrome extension that aggregates online debates across web sites to give you a fuller understandings of discussion, debates, and arguments online. The end goal: To break you out of your filter bubble. More »

Why Energy Literacy Matters & What to Do About It

2012-05-30T19:05:00Z

Just a few years ago 4 in 10 US adults couldn't name a fossil fuel. Over half couldn't name a renewable energy source. We need to change that.

Extreme Reading [Reading]

2012-05-30T19:00:00Z

Why do people have trouble reading books? The primary answer you're likely to receive when asking this question is that reading is boring. And to this response I agree. Reading is boring—but it doesn't need to be. More »

New App Guides Swimmers to Cleanest Beaches

2012-05-30T18:49:15Z

A free new smartphone app provides info on over 1000 beaches in the U.S. to help guide you to the cleanest places to frolic in the ocean.

Tonx Delivers Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans to Your Door Every Other Week [Coffee]

2012-05-30T18:30:00Z

You already know a lot about making better coffee at home, but even if you've got the best equipment, you still need to consider the most crucial, obvious, yet oft-overlooked ingredient: beans. Luckily, quality, fresh-roasted beans are really easy to come by if you know where to look. More »

Remember, the Death of Coal Will Ruin Lives

2012-05-30T18:07:00Z

Unless we're careful, that is.

Can SUBSPORT Help Chemical Companies Move Towards Safer Alternatives?

2012-05-30T18:08:00Z

The Substitution Support Portal SUBSPORT launched this week, intending to give business improved tools for substituting hazardous chemicals with safer substitutes.

This Week In Transparency: Torture Evidence Stays Secret, WikiLeaks, and More Transparency Trouble for DOJ

2012-05-30T17:57:55Z

ACLU loses FOIA Case Asking For Torture Evidence

In a disappointing ruling for government transparency advocates, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals held the government could keep secret “cables describing waterboarding; a photograph of a detainee, Abu Zubaydah, taken around the time that he was subjected to the ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’; and a short phrase that appears in several Justice Department memos referring to a ‘source of authority.’” This suit came on the heels of revelations that tapes allegedly showing waterboarding were destroyed by a CIA officer.

The court accepted the government’s argument that waterboarding was an “intelligence method” and therefore exempt from disclose. The Obama administration argued in favor of this interpretation despite previously banning waterboarding as torture. As the ACLU’s Alexander Abdo wrote, the ruling means “the CIA can effectively decide for itself what Americans are allowed to learn about the torture committed in their name.”

In response to the ruling, the New York Times published an editorial, “A Court Covers Up,” lamenting yet another case of the government using secrecy to shield accountability, saying the “judges should have given the government’s overwrought claims of national security and secrecy special scrutiny, not extreme deference.”

As Abdo put it, “Were any other country to claim that national security required the suppression of details of torture, Americans would be rightfully shocked and incredulous.”

Leaks When They Want Them, Crimes When They Don’t

A FOIA request by the government watchdog group Judicial Watch revealed emails that show Obama administration officials gave Oscar-winning filmmaker Katherine Bigalow exclusive access to details about the classified Osama bin Laden raid while publicly warning other government officials that they would face investigation if they did the same.

This disclosure underscores the hypocrisy of the administration’s unprecedented prosecution of whistleblowers. Under the Obama administration, six former government employees who leaked information to the press have been charged under the Espionage Act—more than all other administrations combined. Apparently, whether disclosure of classified information is a crime is not based on the sensitivity of the information, but rather whether the information makes the government look bad.

WikiLeaks and the Bradley Manning Case

A group of journalists including Jeremy Scahill, Amy Goodman, Glenn Greenwald, and Kevin Gosztola joined WikiLeaks and their counsel, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), in suing the federal government over the extreme secrecy in the trial of Bradley Manning. CCR asked the court “to grant the public and press access to the government’s motion papers, the court’s own orders, and transcripts of proceedings, none of which have been made public to date.” CCR argues that the trial has been “even less transparent than the controversial military commission proceedings ongoing at Guantánamo Bay.”

Meanwhile, lawyers for Guantanamo detainees asked a court to lift restrictions on reading the WikiLeaked Guantanamo files. Despite being publicly available online for over a year, the lawyers are only allowed to view the cables on non-government computers but are prohibited from downloading, saving, or printing them. These restrictions are utterly nonsensical: in effect, an attorney could violate the restriction simply by virtue of the browser settings used when accessing the document. And, depending on the definition of “download” the government chose to invoke, the very act of accessing the documents online – which the attorneys are expressly permitted to do – could constitute a violation of the restrictions. The government filed a response to the attorneys’ motion challenging the restrictions – naturally, it was classified.

In other WikiLeaks news, declassified Australian diplomatic cables, obtained by The Age in Australia, confirm the US is still actively investigating WikiLeaks for obtaining and then publishing classified information. As we have detailed previously, this investigation represents a dangerous and virtually unprecendented attack on the First Amendment and freedom of the press.

More FOIA Problems For Justice Department

The FOIA Project released a study on the number of FOIA requests that ended in lawsuits because the government refused to comply. The Justice Department again came out looking the worst, as they were involved in 30% of the lawsuits, despite only receiving a total of 10% of the requests. Last year, DOJ won the National Security Archive’s “Rosemary Award” for worst open government performance.

During the same week, the ACLU added another case to the agency’s total: the ACLU sued the Justice Department for the release of information related to the DOJ’s use of pen registers and trap and trace devices. A federal law requires DOJ to report to Congress annually on the government’s use of pen registers and trap and trace devices, including:

(1) The period of interceptions authorized by each order and the number and duration of any extensions of each order

(2) The specific offenses for which each order was granted

(3) The total number of investigations that involved orders

(4) The total number of facilities (like phones) affected

(5) The district applying for and the person authorizing each order

As the ACLU stated, “The Department of Justice is required to disclose these statistics to Congress each year, yet routinely fails to do so.”