PeaceTech News Roundup

 

PeaceTech Roundup Weekly News Highlights, September 18 - 24, 2014   Featured Story: If You Want Peace, You Have to Plan for It by Kristin Lord and Ann-Louise Colgan Media and Social Media Obama vows to defeat Isis and rallies UN against 'network of death' (The Guardian, 9/24/14) International Peace Day: Social Media as a Tool for #TalkingPeace (Huffington Post, 9/22/14) Russian Protesters Flood Streets of Moscow Seeking Peace in Ukraine (Vice, 9/22/14) CNN Explains Why Network Won't Show Latest ISIS Video (Huffington Post, 9/21/14) Journalists are becoming propaganda - and we must do more to protect them (The Guardian, 9/21/14) Off the Radar: Stealth Conflicts and the Media (Fair Observer, 9/19/14) Technology and Science Can ICTs Improve Democracy and Governance in Myanmar? (ICT Works, 9/24/14) Climate Change Is a Cause That Should Unite Us All (Huffington Post, 9/23/14) What Will Become of Syria's Students and Scholars? (Huffington Post, 9/22/14) Putin Is Considering Unplugging The Internet In Russia During Protests Or War (Business Insider, 9/19/14) Media and Social Media Obama vows to defeat Isis and rallies UN against 'network of death' While acknowledging that terrorism was nothing new, President Obama suggested that the movement's extreme brutality coupled with its mastery of tools of globalisation like social media made the group a particularly potent threat. "That means contesting the space that terrorists occupy - including the Internet and social media. Their propaganda has coerced young people to travel abroad to fight their wars, and turned students into suicide bombers. We must offer an alternative vision," he said. He emphasised that Washington was now seeking as wide a coalition as possible to combat the influence of Isis, starting in the Islamic world. See the full article (The Guardian, 9/24/14, Julian Borger) Click to read about USIP's upcoming event "MENA Region in Crisis: Islam, Democracy, and Extremism" on September 29, 2014 at 10:00am. [Return to top] International Peace Day: Social Media as a Tool for #TalkingPeace International Day of Peace is a timely reminder of the positive value social media plays towards conflict transformation through the combined effort of dialogue and peace activism. Tweeting for peace and encouraging greater peace activism can silence the hail of bullets, indeed tomorrow's headlines can be fought and won on social media. Social media can be a genuine means to take ownership of conflict prevention. It is vital that we continue #talkingpeace to ensure that all people have the chance to live and enjoy a future in peace and security. See the full article (Huffington Post, 9/22/14, Vanessa Thevathasan) [Return to top] Russian Protesters Flood Streets of Moscow Seeking Peace in Ukraine Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Moscow Sunday as part of a march calling for peace between Russia and Ukraine. Many of the complaints from the demonstrators centered on the Russian government's tight grip on state media outlets. Sarah Mendelson, director of the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Putin has "weaponized information," and the government and media are presenting information about Ukraine that does not resemble the reality of what is happening in the country. See the full article (Vice, 9/22/14, Kayla Ruble) [Return to top] CNN Explains Why Network Won't Show Latest ISIS Video A CNN executive said Sunday that the network won't be showing the latest video released by the Islamic State because it contained no new information and was nothing but a clear use of torture by the militant group. CNN had a tough debate over whether to play the video on air. But ultimately Tony Maddox, executive vice president and managing director of CNN International said, the "editorial returns were not worth the ethical compromises" of showing the tape. See the full article (Huffington Post, 9/21/14, Catherine Taibi) [Return to top] Journalists are becoming propaganda - and we must do more to protect them Most journalists know that in conflict zones they might find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. But most journalists also do everything they can to mitigate risks. This seems to be one of the darkest periods for the safety of journalists where colleagues are being targeted with frequency: detained, kidnapped, beaten, assaulted, harassed and subjected to threats against their families and their lives. It's no longer enough, it seems, for the detractors of journalists to be killing the messenger. Now the messenger has become the channel for someone else's despicable message. See the full article (The Guardian, 9/21/14, Hannah Storm) [Return to top] Off the Radar: Stealth Conflicts and the Media While certain "chosen" conflicts attract media attention worldwide, many "stealth conflicts" remain largely underreported. Conflict in the Central African Republic is largely absent from the public consciousness in the world outside the region, and its future place in our collective memories is tenuous to say the least. The same can be said for the remaining 20-40 armed conflicts the world hosts at any given time. See the full article (Fair Observer, 9/19/14, Virgil Hawkins) [Return to top] Featured Story from the USIP Foreign Policy Peace Channel If You Want Peace, You Have to Plan for It by Kristin Lord and Ann-Louise Colgan The challenge of building peace is an urgent one, and disengagement is not an option. As the trend toward greater global violence looms large, working for peace matters, and it's essential to include young people. Ultimately, it is the next generation of peacebuilders who will shape the future of U.S. global engagement and who will lead the search for practical, nonviolent solutions in a dangerous world. See the full article Click to read "Engaging Youth in Building Peace: An International Day of Peace Twitter Chat" an Olive Branch Post by Megan Chabalowski. [Return to top] Technology and Science Can ICTs Improve Democracy and Governance in Myanmar? We all remember how ICT played a powerful role in the Arab Spring, but can we expect to see a similar rise in civic political action, as 60 million Burmese gain Internet access virtually overnight? Historically, ethnic tensions have been at the source of many of Myanmar's conflicts and coups. Myanmar doesn't need fancy technology or more NGOs. It needs a strong democracy. ICT can assist in the process. ICT can also amplify citizens' demands for better governance. See the full article (ICT Works, 9/24/14, Maria Anderson)) [Return to top] Climate Change Is a Cause That Should Unite Us All The science is clear and tells us that human actions are the dominant cause of climate change in the modern era. From Manhattan to the Maldives, no one escapes the impacts of climate change. Climate change is causing displacement, fueling conflict and jeopardizes development across the world. If ever there were a cause which should unite us all, old or young, rich or poor, climate change must be it. See the full article (Huffington Post, 9/23/14, Kofi Annan) [Return to top] What Will Become of Syria's Students and Scholars? This summer, the Institute of International Education reviewed more than 100 urgent applications from Syrian scholars. Among them were agricultural economists, pharmaceutical scientists, plant physiologists, textile scientists, and linguists. A failure to preserve Syria's vital academic capital would place even larger roadblocks on the path to peace and stability in the years to come. See the full article (Huffington Post, 9/22/14, Allan E. Goodman and Jorge Sampaio) [Return to top] Putin Is Considering Unplugging The Internet In Russia During Protests Or War Russia is considering measures to protect its cyberspace from the "unpredictable" West, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said on Friday after a newspaper said Moscow was contemplating unplugging the Internet during protests or war. Putin will convene Monday a meeting of the country's Security Council to discuss possible restrictions on the Russian cyberspace -- the last forum for free expression in the country. Authorities were contemplating measures to unplug Russia from the global web in emergency situations such as major protests or military hostilities. See the full article (Business Insider, 9/19/14, Anna Smolchenko and Olga Rotenberg) [Return to top] Did we miss anything?     Share this: | Forward this to a Friend

 

PeaceTech News Roundup

 

PeaceTech Roundup Weekly News Highlights, September 11 - September 17, 2014   Featured Story: You Can't Go Home Again by Paul Brian Media and Social Media Azerbaijan Tightens Screws On Civil Society, Independent Media (Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, 9/17/14) China's Social Media Underground (Foreign Policy, 9/16/14) How the Western media's Middle East coverage has changed (BBC, 9/15/14) #DavidHaines (Foreign Policy, 9/15/14) Islamic State's Twitter silence raises questions (Reuters, 9/12/14) Why Terrorists Love Twitter (Time, 9/11/14) Technology and Science Frontline Ukraine: How Activists Are Using Social Media to Hold Poroshenko to Account (Yahoo, 9/17/14) An Israeli drone conference is featuring a product recently used on Gaza (Quartz, 9/16/14) ISIS' Use of Social Media Is Not Surprising; Its Sophisticated Digital Strategy Is (Huffington Post, 9/15/14) The war on ISIS already has a winner: The defense industry (Fortune, 9/13/14) Russia's 'Facebook' Cracking Down on ISIS Accounts (Mashable, 9/12/14) Media and Social Media Azerbaijan Tightens Screws On Civil Society, Independent Media There is good news coming out of Azerbaijan these days. If you dig a little deeper for your news about Azerbaijan, the picture is much bleaker. The European Stability Initiative, a Berlin-based think tank, recently issued a report detailing what it calls "the most serious and brutal crackdown on civil society in Azerbaijan ever" since Baku assumed the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in May. It is a depressing litany of arrests, detentions, searches, and court hearings of bloggers, journalists, and prominent activists. See the full article (Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, 9/17/14, Robert Coalson) [Return to top] China's Social Media Underground Fake terrorism threats, online dissidents, and smear campaigns by bogus accounts -- it's all part of Twitter's Chinatown. Hundreds of nearly identical accounts have attempted to influence Twitter's Chinese community in a direction that represents party interests. Twitter has long fought for freedom of expression, but that doesn't mean its Chinese-language users can let down their collective guard. As activists pushed out of Chinese social media seek other venues, their opponents are following -- even if that means fighting it out on the same platform Chinese authorities have banished. See the full article (Foreign Policy, 9/16/14, Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian) Click to read "How Technology Can Help Activists Navigate Under Pressure" an Olive Branch Post by Noel Dickover. [Return to top] How the Western media's Middle East coverage has changed In conflicts like that in Gaza this year, television news showed the effects of Israeli attacks, especially on children: it was a common view that Israel was the Goliath in this conflict and had been bested in the public relations stakes by the David of Gaza's Hamas regime. At its best, coverage does no harm to either side's position: that demands a rigour of analysis and objectivity hard to achieve and maintain. The Israeli-Palestinian issue is not just the crucible of conflicts ancient and modern: it is the testing ground of a journalism that takes seriously what is the trade's noblest claim - that it succeeds in giving a sketch of events which those of open mind can recognise as the truth. See the full article (BBC, 9/15/14, John Lloyd) [Return to top] #DavidHaines Why the public reaction to one man's brutal murder could push Britain to become a stronger ally in the fight against the Islamic State. As the news of Haines's death reverberates around the country, many are using social media to criticize Prime Minister David Cameron for failing to take swifter and stronger action. "Just what does it take for @David_Cameron to join the fight against #ISIS?" wrote one commenter. See the full article (Foreign Policy, 9/15/14, Nabeelah Jaffer) [Return to top] Islamic State's Twitter silence raises questions Islamic State's Twitter users, which have trumpeted the group's violent acts and world view on the social media service, have gone abruptly quiet in past days. Several accounts affiliated with the militant group appear to have gone dormant, according to U.S. government sources, raising questions about whether the government has pressured Twitter to clamp down more aggressively or whether the group has moved to other social media channels. See the full article (Reuters, 9/12/14, Alexei Oreskovic and Lesley Wroughton) [Return to top] Why Terrorists Love Twitter Terrorists love Twitter. That includes the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), the Sunni Muslim extremists whom the U.S. is targeting in an expanded military campaign. ISIS has emerged as the most sophisticated group yet at using the service to spread its bloodthirsty message. And when ISIS jihadists and tens of thousands of acolytes swarmed Twitter in recent months, it raised the question of how social media sites should respond when unsavory groups colonize their platform. See the full article (Time, 9/11/14, Alex Altman) [Return to top] Featured Story from the USIP Foreign Policy Peace Channel You Can't Go Home Again by Paul Brian Georgians from the would-be state of Abkhazia have spent decades trying to rebuild their lives after conflict forced them from their homes. But today, the wounds of war still feel fresh. It's hard to be caught between two worlds, especially when those worlds are Abkhazia and Georgia. Refugees still consider the disputed state of Abkhazia their real home and part of Georgia. That position is shared by many other countries, including the United States and many NATO nations, and is offset by only four -- most seminally Russia. See the full article [Return to top] Technology and Science Frontline Ukraine: How Activists Are Using Social Media to Hold Poroshenko to Account An uprising has started in social media, with the express intention of encouraging dialogue between the citizens of Ukraine and the country's President, Petro Poroshenko. The uprising has seen people from all over Ukraine post pictures of themselves on Facebook, holding placards with the legend 'PoroshenkoPohovoryZNarodom' ('Poroshenko, talk to people'). Activists are also tweeting #PoroshenkoPohovoryZNarodom to show their support. See the full article (Yahoo, 9/17/14, Valeriia Ketrysh) [Return to top] An Israeli drone conference is featuring a product recently used on Gaza A few weeks after Israel and Hamas signed an open-ended truce to end their nearly two-month-long war in Gaza, Israeli defense contractors are parading weapons used in the conflict at a conference in Tel Aviv. The conference's sponsors include Haifa-based Elbit Systems. Elbit's Hermes 450, a battle drone-operated this summer in the Gaza Strip, may have carried out attacks. Photos taken by an Agence France-Presse photographer that appeared in a July post on The Aviationist, a blog, showed the aircraft flying over the skies of Gaza. See the full article (Quartz, 9/16/14, Daniel A. Medina) [Return to top] ISIS' Use of Social Media Is Not Surprising; Its Sophisticated Digital Strategy Is What makes ISIS stand out from the crowd of tech-savvy radicals is the scope of their engagement online. Analysts believe ISIS is using social media far more effectively than any other terrorist group operating on the Web. According to terrorism expert JM Berger, ISIS' digital efforts stem from a carefully planned and coordinated strategy, deliberately aimed at magnifying the group's message and making it look stronger than it really is. A study showed that despite having roughly the same number of online supporters, ISIS' hashtags consistently fare better compared to those launched by Jabhat al-Nusra, a branch of al-Qaeda also active in Syria. See the full article (Huffington Post, 9/15/14, Alessandro Bonzio) [Return to top] The war on ISIS already has a winner: The defense industry It's far too soon to tell how the American escalation in the sprawling, complex mess unfolding in Iraq and Syria will play out. But this much is clear: As our military machine hums into a higher gear, it will produce some winners in the defense industry. The widening conflict could even reverse the trend of tapering investments in the technology. Makers of munitions and unmanned aircraft top the list of private-sector beneficiaries. See the full article (Fortune, 9/13/14, Tory Newmyer) [Return to top] Russia's 'Facebook' Cracking Down on ISIS Accounts The Islamic State may soon be running out of social networks. When Twitter ramped up its crackdown on several accounts in the wake of the brutal beheading of James Foley, the militants were forced to move on to different social networks like Diaspora and VKontakte, the Russian equivalent of Facebook, looking for more permissive digital pastures. But VKontakte, which boasts of 260 million users, has also started to crack down on accounts related to the Islamic State. See the full article (Mashable, 9/12/14, Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai) [Return to top] Did we miss anything?     Share this: | Forward this to a Friend