We begin this week's round-up with Mexico.
Where many traditional media and journalists are either in fear or in collaboration of some sort with the local drug gangs, social media has become a source of accurate and up-to-date information for scared citizens. Unfortunately, that puts some social media users in danger, and this past week @Miut3, Dr. María del Rosario Fuentes Rubio, a physician in the Mexican border city of Reynosa, was kidnapped and allegedly murdered for her social media reporting. She, along with others, posted largely accurate information on shootings, carjackings, and other local crimes to the hashtag #ReynosaFollow or on the Facebook page Valor por Tamaulipas. Her death has understandably unnerved her fellow social media reporters.
At the same time, Mexican social media is currently attacking Mexican Attorney General Murillo Karam for muttering the phrase "I'm already tired." The Attorney General didn't realise the microphone was still on after he'd been questioned about 43 students kidnapped from a Teacher Training College by drug traffickers. Apparently, Karam is "already tired" of talking about the students, whom three recently detained drug traffickers have admitted to burning to death. Mexicans on social media are using the phrase to criticise their government's lack of progress in fighting corruption and violence in the country.
In the USA, President Obama has made an online plea for the protection of net neutrality. Add your voice to the buzz about #netneutrality by clicking on the links. What is net neutrality? More here.
In other US news, the Pew Research Center Internet & American Life Project released its latest report. Findings indicate that Americans who are aware of government surveillance are worried about the government accessing their social media information (among other information that they post or store online) and are less likely to share private information via social media. Not a bad idea given the LexisNexis report, also released this week, that notes US law enforcement is increasingly using social media in investigations.
Across the pond in Europe, Google has published a blog post suggesting that the US Privacy Act be extended to include Europeans. This would allow Europeans to, among other things, potentially sue the US government for invasion of privacy. However, it would allow the US to be a bit more in charge of determining what actually constitutes privacy. Not sure if the Europeans will go for that...
In India, the national broadcasters have been criticised for lack of presence in social media despite the current government's enthusiastic embrace of engagement with the online public. In response to relevant Twitter debate, Jawhar Sircar, the Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati, India's national public service broadcaster, tweeted “I do+ 5% seniors in PB, AIR & DD. Not seen any from ministry: only orders.”
India's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) "reconstituted" it's 12-member social media team following an embarrassing web banner posted to its web page by accident.
India's neighbour Pakistan experienced a debate on social media after pictures from a model United Nations conference organised by the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) were posted online. The pictures include a booth for Israel - a country recognised by the UN but not by Pakistan. The Pakistani government warned students to respect "the perspective of the Government."
In China, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) is planning to shut down content providers that have a negative "severe impact." In response, 29 web portals and social networks including Tencent.com, Sohu.com, and 163.com, have signed a letter of intent to respect the Chinese government's plans to clean up the Internet. The web companies have agreed “to consciously abide by the ‘seven bottom lines’—law and rules, socialist systems, national interests, citizens’ legitimate rights, social public order, morality and authenticity of information.”
Australians on Twitter used the hashtag #takedownjulienblanc to successfully petition the Australian government to revoke the VISA of controversial pick-up "artist" Julien Blanc while Aussie Ombudsman Colin Neave released a report noting that Australians increasingly like to complain or address concerns with their government agencies using social media.
For more, follow @Linda_Margaret on Twitter.
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