DigiActive.org

Campaign: Courage Campaign

Written by Lynn Casper on January 5, 2009 – 2:41 am -

 

Description: “Please don’t divorce…” is a community photo project put together by the Courage Campaign. The project contains hundreds of photos of same-sex and straight-ally couples who are voicing their opinions about Proposition 8. The passing of the proposition will nullify over 18,000 same-sex marriages in California.

Digital Activism Tools: Flickr

How These Tools Are Being Used: Over 500 people have taken photos of themselves holding signs with “Please don’t divorce us” or similar slogans. The photos are uploaded onto the Courage Campaign’s Flickr where they stream a slideshow of all the photos onto the action page on their website. 

Outcomes: The project has gathered over 600 photos of people voicing their disagreement with Proposition 8. The project also puts a face on the thousands of couples in California who will be affected by Proposition 8. 

Sources: Courage Campaign, Flickr

Tags: California, courage campaign, proposition 8, same sex couples, same sex marriage
Posted in Campaigns | No Comments »

Campaign: Bangladeshis microblog the elections to ensure transparency

Written by Kate Brodock on January 2, 2009 – 10:55 pm -

On 29 December 2008, Bangladesh held its 9th Parliamentary elections, but this time there was a new twist.

Global Voices reported that Software company Somewhere In would offer to the citizens of Bangladesh a set of internet and mobile tools that allowed for quick and easy dissemination of election news. Their motives were simple: offer a public forum where people can get real-time information and, more importantly, hold the government accountable.  In part of its open statement to the government, Somewhere In states:

“tomorrow, any update from any blogger has the potential to reach the whole world.

this time, for the first time in your political history, bloggers are watching you.”

On election day, people were urged to use either the internet or SMS message to report events of the day to the New Age website, which also provided direct synching with an interactive map.  The following tools were offered:

“bloggers share quick news to the election microblog
- just login and type from web or sms to 5455: ! your message

bloggers can sms directly to an interactive map
- send sms to 5455: ! your message @location regarding their district

bloggers can analyse and share political stories on the election blog

bloggers can share the latest microblogs through nearly any blog“

The results, continually updated, are displayed on the sites homepage, along with numerous blog posts with various information.

Importance: This joint business/citizen initiative is a big move towards increased transparency of a country that has, in recent years, topped the list of highest corruption rates in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (It was ranked most corrupt in 2005 and has slowly moved to number 147 in 2008) and has been under interim government (and military) rule for two years.

The full impact of the initiative is yet to be seen, however, its collaborative and public nature is sure to raise a few heads within the country and around the world.  We at Digiactive hope to see its effectiveness carried through and perhaps duplicated elsewhere.

Related articles by Zemanta

• EU Corruption Perceptions Index 2008
• Bangladeshi corruption scandal after 122 workers paid to fix toilet
• Democracy’s Return: Bangladesh Prepares to Vote
• Bangladesh set to hold 1st election in 7 years

Tags: Bangladesh, corruption, democracy, elections, Microblogging, somewhere in, Transparency International
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

2008: The Year in DigiActivism

Written by Talia Whyte on January 1, 2009 – 12:03 am -

If 2008 is remembered for anything, it will be the year new media made a difference in the lives of many around the world.  From using Twitter to help a student get out of an Egyptian prison to blogging in support of LGBT rights in Jamaica, digital activism has created new opportunities to achieve social justice.  However, President-elect Barack Obama’s road to the White House not only showed the power of new media, but also that that power belongs with the people from all walks of life when they come together for a common cause.  All this digital activism makes us look forward to 2009!

Happy New Year!

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Tool: Iranian Google bomb to support Gaza

Written by Hamid Tehrani on December 29, 2008 – 7:35 pm -

Description: The Gaza crisis and Israeli attacks have been a top story around the world, and it seems the story will not be over soon. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak referred to the situation as “all-out war” and told lawmakers the country’s military was prepared for more intense action in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip in order to weaken Hamas’ ability to fire rockets into Israeli territory. Iranian islamists demonstarted in Iran against Israel and Iranian leaders are calling on Muslims to support Palestinans in any way they can. Islamist bloggers are fighting a virtual struggle too.

Tools: Google bomb

How tool is used: Iranian islamists are hopeful that people who are googling Gaza find their page, Gaza.Ir, on the top of the list. The site reads:

You oppressed people of Gaza know that we Muslims in Iran and all over the world haven’t forgotten you and will not cease until complete cessation of the blockade of your city. Along the path to Gaza’s freedom and our common goal, which is the freedom of Palestine, we will not cease and we will go on.

Impact: Google bombs can attract a lot of attention if they are able to climb to the top of reserarch results. So far this has not the case of Islamist Google bomb.

Tags: blogs, gaza, google, Google bomb, Iran, israel, palestine
Posted in Blogs, Mid-East & N. Africa, Tools | No Comments »

Cubans petition for human rights online

Written by Talia Whyte on December 24, 2008 – 5:00 am -

Description: Repression of human rights has been a long standing issue in Cuba. Activist Yordis García Fournier is a member of the Cuban Youth Movement for Democracy (CYMD), an organization of students and young professionals that advocates for academic freedom, university autonomy and respect for human rights. He is also director of the independent newsletter, Porvenir. He joined young people from all over Cuba, along with opposition activists from various pro-democracy organizations, to publicly present the first 5,000 signed petitions of the University Students without Borders initiative, which calls for university autonomy, to an audience of diplomats and the media. Because of his activism on various issues, he has been in prison since Oct. 11, where he has been on a hunger strike. Now Cuban activists are rising to the occasion to help Fournier.

Digital Tools Being Used: Email and Facebook

What Are They Doing: Raices de Esperanza is asking Internet users to use their emails to take action. On their website, there is a sample letter (in Spanish), addressing key Cuban officials about Fournier’s plight and seeking his expedient release. Email addresses of these officials are also listed with instructions on how to email them.

Posted in Americas, Campaigns, Social Networks | No Comments »

Action Alert: Campaign to Free Jailed Doctors in Iran

Written by Hamid Tehrani on December 23, 2008 – 10:30 pm -

Description: Two sibling physicians, Kamira and Arash Alaie, have pioneered educational and harm reduction campaigns among drug users, prostitutes, and prison inmates in Iran and throughout the Middle East. They have been in jail in Iran for six months, and have had no legal representation. To date, no formal charges have been filed.

Tools: Facebook, blog, e-petition

How These Tools Are Being Used: Clint Trout, a friend of the Alaie siblings, who launched a Facebook campaign on their behalf asks supporters to:

1. Make a sign that says “Treating AIDS Is Not a Crime: Free Kamiar and Arash Alaei and take a photo
2. Sign the petition
3. Get other people to do this action.

The IranFreeDocs site asked people to send an email to Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations.

Outcome: Many ex-prisoners say that the Islamic Republic of Iran is sensitive to international media pressure and the doctors will be treated with greater care if the are seen to have public supporters.

Tags: AIDS, doctors, harm reduction, health, Iran, Jailed
Posted in Action Alerts, E-Petitions, Mid-East & N. Africa, Social Networks | 1 Comment »

Campaign: Digital Tools and the Greek Riots

Written by Mary on December 22, 2008 – 5:32 pm -

Digital tools have been used to organize violent protests, but could also be used for peaceful change.

Description: Since an Athenian teenager was accidentally killed by a policeman’s bullet on December 6th, Greece has been gripped by riots. While DigiActive does not condone the violent nature of the actions taken, we do acknowledge the value of discussing the digital activism techniques used, as they may be of value to nonviolent campaigns for change.

Digital Activism Tools: citizen journalism web site (Indymedia Athens: http://athens.indymedia.org), Facebook, SMS

How These Tools Are Being Used: The Athens page of the international citizen journalism site Indymedia.org has been a prime location for mobilizing support for the protests. The site also gives other useful information, such as what a protester should do if they are arrested. In addition to publishing its own information, the site has also re-broadcasts SMS messages, which protesters are using to organize actions such as the occupation of university buildings. By re-broadcasting SMS messages on the internet, they are given a wider audience than simply the social network of the sender and thus larger actions can be organized.

Facebook is also playing a role in the protests. Several groups have been set up for the teenage who was killed, Alexandros Grigoropoulos. Together, they have approximately 187,000 members. The largest group, ALEXANDROS GRIGOROPOULOS (R.I.P.), which boasts 136,500 members, includes messages about upcoming protests as well as remembrances of Alexandros.

Outcome: There have been 176 arrests and $1.3 billion in property damage yet there is little indication that protests have resulted in any positive outcomes addressing protesters’ underlying concerns with poverty, corruption, and a weak education system.

Sources: Reuters Blog, New York Times, and AllVoices.com (photo)

Tags: Alexandros Grigoropoulos, citizen journalism, Greece, riot
Posted in Campaigns, Europe, Mobile Phones, Social Networks | 2 Comments »

Tactic: Afghan blogger wins free speech award

Written by Talia Whyte on December 17, 2008 – 5:00 am -

Description: While many in the traditional journalism world wonder about the future of its industry, the emergence of new media has created innovative opportunities for reporters who want to go deeper into the stories that would otherwise go underreported. In recent times there have been a surge in journalists from countries where free speech is repressed getting their own blogs to challenge their governments and grow grassroots support.

Digital Tools Being Used: blogs

What Did He Do: Afghan journalist and blogger Nasim Fekrat was given an award for the freedom of expression by Information Safety and Freedom (ISF), which was presented to him in Italy last month. Fekrat founded the blog Afghan Lord “to highlight the problems of my society in an independent manner, without fear and in a non-partisan manner in regards any group or political interest in Afghanistan.” He is an accomplished freelance journalist who has been published in the Associated Press and BBC, and created an online newspaper, Afghan Press, in two languages, Farsi and English. He is also the founder of the Association of Afghan Blog Writers, which has created a community of Afghan young bloggers.

 

“Presenting Afghanistan through [the] digital world is a job for [the] new generation, not for those were involved in war, for those who were involved in massacres, those who plant opium but this the new generation that can tell to the world the reality what they believe and streaming in their live[s] daily,” Fekrat said. “They are the sources of truth and honest, they are tired of war, they are not the generation of suicide anymore.”

Tags: Nasim Fekrat
Posted in Blogs, Mid-East & N. Africa, Tactics | No Comments »

Campaign: saving a cinema in the Canary Islands

Written by Mary on December 16, 2008 – 4:28 am -

Description: The Victor Cinema in the city of Tenerife in the Canary Islands is in danger of being closed and a group of people dedicated to the theater, Asamblea para la Defensa del Cine Victor (Assembly to Defend the Victor Cinema), is organizing online to save it.

Digital Activism Tools: web site (http://noalcierredelcinevictor.com) with notices about upcoming actions, a petition, an about page, and a forum to encourage community

How These Tools Are Being Used: I’m not sure if this group of activists read Blog for a Cause! (which is available in Spanish…) but it sure seems like the did. They understand that the purpose of their site is to inform a community about their issue and then mobilize that community to act for their cause. They inform people through notices about upcoming actions and a latest news page. They attempt to build community (particularly interactive discussion about their cause) but creating a forum, and then they mobilize that community by posting notices about upcoming actions on their site.  (Although they used Joomla to create a web site around their cause, it would be equally easy to build their site on a free blog platform like Wordpress.)

Outcome: It is unclear whether or not the Victor Cinema will close.

Hat-tip: videoarte en canarias

Tags: canarias, Canary Islands, español, Tenerife
Posted in Campaigns, Discussion Boards, Mid-East & N. Africa | No Comments »

Digitally Active Org: The U.S. Campaign for Burma

Written by Audubon on December 12, 2008 – 3:43 am -

Web site: www.uscampaignforburma.org

What is it?: The U.S. Campaign for Burma (USCB) is “a U.S.-based membership organization dedicated to empowering grassroots activists around the world to bring about an end to the military dictatorship in Burma through public education, leadership development initiatives, conferences, and advocacy campaigns at local, national and international levels.” With a small staff and smaller budget, USCB has grown its membership from a few hundred people to over 60,000 in the past three years. New media outreach was a key component in this growth, used to organize activists and raise awareness about the cause of Burma.

Tools: instant messaging, e-newsletters, blog, digital video, online social networks (Facebook, Myspace, Change.org, etc.), Ustream live video conferences, teleconferences, listservs, user-created media (photos, videos, t-shirt designs).

USCB has managed to dramatically increase their outreach by combining online with offline organizing. A coordinated YouTube campaign to launch 30 produced videos in 30 days helped increase exposure to the general public, since the spots starred Hollywood celebrities. But public reaction to the spots was mixed. Also, traditional media played a role in the successes and challenges of USCB’s outreach: with Burma often in the news this year (monks’ protest, Cyclone Nargis), more people became aware of the cause and eager to connect with USCB, but media of these events also somewhat overshadowed the organizational work of USCB. The full slideshow goes into more detail, with quotes from people at USCB.

Tags: burma, USA
Posted in Americas, Asia, Organizations | No Comments »