Global Voices Advocacy director Sami ben Gharbia is leading a workshop today on Google Maps mash-ups. The results of our first efforts:
Category: technology
Cyberprotesting Internet censorship
According to Reporters Without Borders, 62 cyber-dissidents are in jail around the world and more than 2,600 websites, blogs, or forums were closed down or blocked last year.
To raise awareness RSF is hosting a 24-hour online protest against Internet censorship. Participants can set up virtual dissident-slogan-bearing signs in nine countries including Egypt, Tunisia and Eritrea.
When BBC last updated their coverage of the event four hours ago, 5000 people had joined the protest. Nearly 14,000 are there now. Go add your name.
Ushahidi: report acts of violence in Kenya
Via Pernille:
White African and Kenyan Pundit are presenting a new tool to chronicle the incidents of violence happening around Kenya. Check it out here: www.ushahidi.com. Ushahidi means witnessing in Kiswahili, and the website itself is quite and interesting way of using the Internet.
Report Acts Of Violence In Kenya
Jackfruit of the week (11.14.07)
Jonathan Dommer explores The Rules of Beeping in Rwanda and India:
Reports from the economic development community suggest that the practice is common across many African nations (Chipchase & Tulusan, 2007; McKemey et al., 2003; Oestmann, 2003; Samuel, Shah, & Hadingham, 2005) and is not limited to teens. Slater and Kwami (2005) describe flashing as both an economic and symbolic practice, noting how “Michael, a man who flashes the same five people every morning, is not merely keeping in touch but also discharging obligations and responsibilities” (p. 10). Sey (2007) describes flashing in Ghana as one of a set of cost-saving strategies developed by users. Others note that beeping conventions in Africa differ between men and women (Alhassan, 2004; Chango, 2005).
The Uganda Search Swicki works to “harness the knowledge, passion and behavior of online communities to improve the search experience.” A search for coffee + internet turns up exactly what I was hoping for: links to information about internet cafes in Kampala that serve lattes. You can also see a tag-cloud-inspired representation of what other people are searching for.
The Daily Monitor’s Discover Uganda site is a one-stop portal for CHOGM visitors, but its pages on art galleries, internet access, national parks and Uganda’s major towns are a great resource for other travelers.
So. Cool.
CitizenUganda is a new site covering politics, business, fashion, citizen media (including a series of blog profiles that’s hit up Dennis and Glenna so far, among others) and other goodies.
The site’s still under construction, but a steadily growing body of editorial posts already talks about Facebook, the iPhone and the Daily Monitor’s redesign.
XOXO, and can’t wait for more.