Articles Tagged: press freedom

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Deeplinks on in internet

Discussion Points

  1. The Role of Diplomacy in Influencing Government Decisions: How effective is diplomatic pressure in influencing government decisions, particularly in cases where human rights are at stake? Should governments prioritize the release of prisoners over other concerns?
  2. The Impact of Public Pressure on Governments' Actions: Can public outcry and media scrutiny be enough to prompt governments to take action in cases where individuals are unfairly detained or imprisoned? What are the limitations of this approach?
  3. The Responsibility of Western Governments in Supporting Activists Abroad: Should Western governments, particularly those with historical ties to the region, take a more proactive role in supporting activists and advocating for their release from prison, even if it means going beyond diplomatic channels?

Summary

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to do "all that I can" to secure the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a British-Egyptian blogger and activist imprisoned in Cairo. Despite months of requests for a meeting, Starmer has so far declined, citing lack of time.

Meanwhile, Alaa's mother, Laila Soueif, continues a 135-day hunger strike, growing weaker by the day. The situation remains dire, with Soueif claiming "I don't have time" and the Egyptian government refusing to free Alaa despite mounting pressure from Western governments.

The lack of progress raises questions about the effectiveness of diplomacy in securing his release.

Update 2/25/2025: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer finally met with Laila Soueif in February after months of requests for a sit-down to discuss getting his assistance to release Alaa Abd el-Fattah....

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Deeplinks on in internet

Discussion Points

  1. The concept of "memory-holing" is a serious threat to a free and open internet, as it allows powerful individuals and organizations to hide their past mistakes and misdeeds.r
  2. The use of copyright claims as a tool for memory-holing is particularly insidious, as it can be used to silence critics and erase embarrassing information from the public record.r
  3. The existence of archived websites, such as the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, provides a crucial counterbalance to memory-holing efforts, allowing users to access and preserve historical content.Summary r The internet's ability to store and share information has created a powerful tool for those seeking to hide their past mistakes. "Memory-holing" allows individuals and organizations to erase embarrassing information from the public record, often through copyright claims or website changes. This threatens a free and open internet, as it silences critics and erases historical context. However, archived websites like the Wayback Machine provide a counterbalance, preserving earlier versions of content and allowing users to access a more complete picture of history. Preserving this functionality is crucial for a functioning democracy and an open society.

Summary

R The internet's ability to store and share information has created a powerful tool for those seeking to hide their past mistakes. "Memory-holing" allows individuals and organizations to erase embarrassing information from the public record, often through copyright claims or website changes.

This threatens a free and open internet, as it silences critics and erases historical context. However, archived websites like the Wayback Machine provide a counterbalance, preserving earlier versions of content and allowing users to access a more complete picture of history.

Preserving this functionality is crucial for a functioning democracy and an open society.

If there is one axiom that we should want to be true about the internet, it should be: the internet never forgets. One of the advantages of our advancing technology is that information can be stored a...

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