Media Issues in Contemporary Times by Felicia Ng

The cyber gulag: How Russia tracks, censors and controls its citizens

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-08 08:00:15 UTC

Motivations: What are the motivations behind Russia's crackdown on dissent, surveillance measures, and censorship?

Impact on Media Freedom:

How has media independence been affected in Russia under President Vladimir Putin's administration?

Responses/Reactions: What strategies have independent journalists and media outlets employed to continue reporting in the face of censorship and surveillance? Have they had successes?

Why is Myanmar's military blocking the Internet?

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-08 08:20:09 UTC

Motivations: What reasons did the military junta provide for imposing internet blackouts in Myanmar?

Impact on Society: How did the internet blackouts affect Myanmar's society, including communication among citizens, businesses, and humanitarian efforts?

Responses/Reactions: How has the international community responded to the media crackdown in Myanmar? Have they had successes?

How social media regulations are silencing dissent in Africa

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-08 08:31:09 UTC

Motivations: What are the reasons given by African governments for stringent social media regulations?

Impact on Freedom of Expression: How do social media regulations affect freedom of expression and digital rights in Africa? What specific examples illustrate the curtailment of dissent and opposition voices?

Long-term Implications: What are the long-term implications of social media regulations for democracy and human rights in Africa?

Internet censorship before local elections

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-08 08:41:22 UTC

Motivations: What are the reasons behind Turkey's increased internet censorship before local elections?

Social and Democratic Impact: How does internet censorship impact freedom of expression and democratic processes in Turkey?

Responses/Reactions: What reactions and responses have there been from Turkish citizens, civil society, and international organizations? Have they had successes?

Chinese officials create 488m bogus social media posts a year

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-08 08:51:42 UTC

Motivations: What are the objectives behind Chinese officials generating such a massive volume of social media posts?

Public Perception and Impact:

What are the consequences of these government-generated social media posts on public trust and civic engagement/democracy?

Responses/Reactions:

What are the challenges faced by independent media and/or digital rights advocates in countering the influence of the "50 Cent Party"? Have they had successes?

Overview of China's Media Landscape

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-09 07:17:04 UTC

Despite economic liberalization, press freedom remains severely restricted in China. Journalists and media organizations face intimidation, surveillance, and censorship for reporting on sensitive topics such as human rights abuses, political dissent, and corruption.

Overview of Myanmar's Media Landscape

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-09 07:18:44 UTC

Despite reforms, press freedom in Myanmar remains constrained. Journalists still face threats, intimidation, and legal action, particularly when reporting on sensitive topics such as the military, ethnic conflict, or corruption.

Overview of Russia's Media Landscape

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-09 07:20:35 UTC

The Russian government exercises strict control over media content. This includes censorship of critical voices and monitoring of online platforms to prevent dissent or criticism of the government. Many independent journalists and outlets operate under constant threat of closure or prosecution.

Overview of South Africa's Media Landscape

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-09 07:22:37 UTC

South Africa has seen significant growth in digital media consumption, driven by widespread internet access. Despite constitutional guarantees of press freedom, South Africa faces challenges such as political interference and intimidation of journalists. Efforts to regulate media content have raised concerns about potential threats to media independence.

Overview of Turkey's Media Landscape

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-09 07:23:32 UTC

Turkey's media landscape is heavily influenced by the government, particularly under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Many media outlets are either owned by pro-government conglomerates or have faced government pressure, leading to self-censorship and limited press freedom.

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-09 09:32:52 UTC

1) Pick 1 of these 5 case studies to learn about.

2) Read the article; you can also go beyond it to Google from other sites.

3) Jot down notes that help you address the guiding questions that get you to think about the What-So What-Now What. Your notes can take any form.

4) What interesting phrases/vocab did you come across in your reading? Start a Media-specific vocab bank for yourself.

ng_hui_lin_felicia — 2024-07-11 02:40:07 UTC

This is just a start; create your own list and populate it along the way as you read.