Access Express | 08/30/13
How America spies on the EU and the UN
Secret NSA documents reveal how the U.S. has been spying on the UN, Europe, and other countries, contradicting President Obama's promises that NSA surveillance activities were aimed exclusively at preventing terrorist attacks.
via spiegel 
Staff Picks
Net neutrality in Chile: Too much for unprepared regulators?
In 2010 Chile passed the world’s first net neutrality law. However, as many feared, in matters of net neutrality, the country is not much better off than it was three years ago, due to inadequate implementation by Chilean regulatory body SUBTEL.
via digitalrightslac
Broad international coalition urges U.S. government surveillance to conform with global human rights
Access has joined with 65 organizations and individuals from 25 countries to urge the U.S. Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board to consider the global human rights implications of the U.S. National Security Agency’s surveillance programs.
via accessnow
From the Access Community
U.S. spy network’s successes, failures and objectives detailed in top-secret ‘black budget’
According to the government’s top secret budget, U.S. spy agencies have built an intelligence-gathering colossus since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but remain unable to provide critical information on a range of national security threats.
via washingtonpost
Google’s Play Store now available to Iranian Android Users
Taking advantage of a recent easing in U.S. sanctions on the export of technology to Iran, Google announced it would make its Play Store available to Iranian users by allowing developers to opt in to making their products and services available in Iran.
via accessnow
UN Secretary-General joins growing international concern over surveillance and human rights
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has joined the chorus of international leaders reaffirming the need to protect human rights in the face of mass surveillance. Focusing on the right to privacy, he also spoke out in defense of whistleblowers.
via accessnow
The dangers of online criticism in Azerbaijan
With Azerbaijan's October 9 presidential elections rapidly approaching, critical journalists, bloggers and activists are facing growing pressure from a government that is becoming increasingly hostile to criticism and dissent that is expressed online.
via aljazeera
Cyber-Safety Act could undermine free expression in Canadian province
Nova Scotia’s new Cyber-Safety Act may be well-meaning and popular, but also poses a threat to free expression. It employs a vague, broad definition of bullying and makes no allowances for satire, journalism, or criticism of public officials.
via pencanada
Facebook releases statistics casting light on government requests for user data
Facebook released its first transparency report detailing the number of requests for user data it receives from governments around the world, casting light on government access to user data and company policies on assistance with law enforcement.
via accessnow
Myanmar's parliament approves amendment to Electronic Transactions Law
Myanmar's Lower House approved a proposal to amend the Electronic Transactions Law, which has been used to jail activists for a range of offenses. The motion is intended to make the law more humane by reducing punishments and amending some sections.
via ifex
Exclusive: Edward Snowden leaks reveal UK’s secret Middle-East internet surveillance base
Britain runs a secret internet-monitoring station in the Middle East to intercept vast quantities of data by tapping underwater fibre-optic cables in the region. The information is processed for intelligence and passed to GCHQ and shared with the NSA.
via independent
During show trial, China begins online crackdown
A growing number of Chinese journalists, bloggers and activists have been arrested or detained on vague and obscure charges, as an official forum warned of new limits to what internet users should and should not say on social media.
via indexoncensorship
Advocates condemn Pakistan's new filtering system
The Pakistani government announced it has developed software that will enable comprehensive blocking of “objectionable” content online, a move which has been condemned by Pakistani civil society groups.
via globalvoicesonline
In Thailand, Facebook ‘Likes’ can land you in jail
More bad news for freedom of expression in Thailand; the commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division warned Facebook users that they can be arrested if they ‘like’ a post that undermines national security or ‘share’ subversive posts.
via globalvoicesonline
NSA analysts 'wilfully violated' surveillance systems, agency admits
The National Security Agency has admitted that some of its analysts deliberately abused its surveillance systems, after reports broke that various agents had used the NSA's controversial data monitoring capabilities to spy on love interests.
via theguardian
This week's Express was curated by Lee Gensler. Have a tip for a story, or suggestion for an article? Let us know! Contact us at: express@accessnow.org.
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