CSISAC Job Opening: Community Manager and Liaison to OECD
The Civil Society Information Society Advisory Committee Liaison (CSISAC) is seeking a community manager and liaison to act as a point of contact with the OECD’s OECD’s Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy (ICCP). The position is half time on a one-year contract. Candidates should be available to begin in February 2012, and should be based in Europe, ideally Paris. The deadline for applications is December 31.
Computer Aid seeks new Chief executive officer
APC member Computer Aid international is currently seeking a new Chief executive officer (CEO). The candidate must have previous experience in international development, and ideally information and communication technology for development. Find out more about how to apply. Deadline for applications is Tuesday, December 6 2011.
Turkey abandons unpopular filtering software
Turkey abandons plans to install mandatory filtering software after months of widespread protest. The reversal of this controversial policy shows the power of determined advocacy.
London Riots: Social media does not cause social problems say APC and GreenNet
Following last week’s riots, British PM David Cameron said that his government is considering a crackdown on online communications. However he forgets that the same websites and phone networks were also used to locate friends and plan safe exits from trouble-spots. APC and GreenNet issue a statement.
Sexuality 2.0: Online socialising and internet regulation
Experts from Brazil, India, South Africa and the USA will be presenting APC’s groundbreaking EroTICs research in Madrid at the VIII International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture and Society Conference on July 9.
Blackout against internet censorship in Hungary
On 1 January 2011, a new law came into effect, which now enables the ruling party to gain control of the internet through the creation of a powerful censorship authority. To show our concern for fundamental rights and free speech we will black out our online presence on the 5 January 2011 for 24 hours. We ask that everyone concerned about fundamental rights and free speech to black out its online presence on the 5th January 2011 for 24 hours. To show your outrage and solidarity with the Hungarian media please include this HTML snippet into your site, which will automatically add a similar black splash screen as seen on this site.
Could you be a cyber-terrorist? Avoid becoming “collateral damage”
Daniel is a photographer who lives in Europe. He works for a magazine and has recently travelled to Pakistan and the United States to illustrate an article about the architecture of mosques. When he gets home he is arrested – because his internet profile matches that of a cyber terrorist. How could it happen? And could it happen to you?
Opening up e-government in Romania
Activists advocate for “the real deal” in climate change policy during the 2009 UN Copenhagen conference using a site developed by StrawberryNet. Photo: GreendexRozi Bako reports that after researching the state of access to online information for extending democracy in Romania “we are now advocating for open e-government”. Bako of the StrawberryNet Foundation found that technology in Romania is far more advanced than information dissemination practices, and that if Romania is to become a transparent, participatory society, government initiatives and a business community drive have to be backed up by opinion-makers and citizen action groups.
Revolutionary blogfarm for Hungarian activists
APC member in Budapest, Green Spider, is challenging Facebook and YouTube by offering a home-grown Web 2.0 suite for Hungarian activists. “In the face of the overwhelming monoculture of corporate social networking tools, the service has taken off amongst grassroots activists, community organisers and charities in the Hungarian social and environmental movement,” says Green Spider.
Fighting illegal logging in Bulgaria's forests
A campaign to expose illegal logging is a new wall against the extinction of forests in Bulgaria. The campaign combines digital tools and green activism in an online system for filing whistle-blower alerts.
Peru's farmers lack information: Why are telecentres being underused?
Harvesting peachSmallholders in the desert region of Huaral depend on irrigation cooperatives to water their crops. For ten years one coop association has been developing an information system based on telecentres to help them to make informed agricultural decisions. But the system is being under-utilised and they decided to find what was going wrong. Using APC’s Gender Evaluation Methodology (GEM) they found that older people and women over 40 were being left behind. While decision-making spaces are still mainly all-male, at least some issues identified by women are now on the table.
Grass root(er)s: Green e-activists of Eastern Europe enter politics
The greens are growing like weeds in Bulgaria and Hungary and recently ecologists in Bulgaria made significant headway on yet another battle against a Goliath, preventing the further destruction along the Black Sea coast and high mountains to make way for luxury housing. Campaigns spread like viruses through emailing lists and online networks, and ultimately ended up on the streets in protest, a testament to the growth of new citizen-driven green parties in these countries.
Removing blinders on war crimes and e-accessibility in the former Yugoslavia
APC member ZaMirNET has been working hard on uncovering the truth about war crimes committed during the Yugoslav wars, between 1991 and 2001. In late October, they joined an initiative to establish a regional body that will expose the truth about war crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia, which will help serve justice and guarantee that these crimes will not be repeated in the future. More recently, they have also made important headway in e-inclusion initiatives and access to public services for those who cannot see, including the launch of a new web portal for IT professionals and a general audience.
New vision for computing in Africa: APC member Computer Aid featured in the BBC
APC member Computer Aid has recently caught the BBC’s attention with its adaptive technologies in Kenya. The BBC’s Click covered Computer Aid’s new focus on making computers and their programmes available to everyone, including people who cannot see. You can read a the full BBC article, which examines how Computer Aid is helping Kenyans change their lives, and the challenges involved.
World’s largest non-profit supplier of refurbished computers launches campaign for action against toxic trade
APC member Computer Aid is urging the UK government to take action against the illegal dumping of e-waste (computers, hard drives, cd roms, etc.) in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and China. It is calling on the government to provide adequate funding for the Environment Agency to effectively police and prevent e-waste from being exported to the developing world. The campaign also targets commercial traders that are abusing re-use and recycling initiatives and computer manufacturers that are turning a blind eye to their equipment being dumped in these countries.
