The United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday that the government would be enforcing strict media control on what citizens can and cannot post online. According to Aljazeera, "any posts 'to deride or to damage the reputation or the stature of the state or any of its institutions,' are punishable by a prison sentence." The government will not tolerate any internet materials--posts, photos, videos--that may threaten "public order" and that go against UAE law. Furthermore, "anyone that 'creating or running websites that deride or damage the reputation or stature of the rulers will face a minimum jail sentence of three years,' The National, an English-Language daily, said." These rules include the president, the vice president, the rulers, princes, etc.
How ironic it is that the UAE is now working to suppress social media and freedom of speech after we have been discussing the role it plays in social movements and revolution! It is hard to image a world in which we are denied our freedom of speech, especially in a day and age in which we are so vocal through the many different media outlets.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/11/2012111317358997704.html
How ironic it is that the UAE is now working to suppress social media and freedom of speech after we have been discussing the role it plays in social movements and revolution! It is hard to image a world in which we are denied our freedom of speech, especially in a day and age in which we are so vocal through the many different media outlets.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/11/2012111317358997704.html
I completely agree with you. And what surprises me is that it seems to be happening to other countries as well (as for example Bahrain). Authoritarian governments are looking around and realizing that social media can be used as a mean to unite the people against a common oppressive government, allowing them to rebel. Government such as that in UAE look at Egypt and see that it is possible, and therefore are not willing to put their power at risk as well.
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