Issue: Online Access: Free Speech and Government Censorship

While some governments guarantee the right to view, publish, and broadcast information on the Internet, many have laws and regulations that censor Internet free speech. Media coverage of noteworthy or controversial examples of governmental censorship of Internet users appears in the media coverage section below. Information about organizations and related publications appears below.

For information on issues related to governmental Internet blocking requirements, see the blocking software section.

Media Coverage

	Voting Machine Showdown
	A leading maker of computer election equipment defends itself in court against charges that it overreached itself in trying to stifle critics, Salon (February 10, 2004)

	Diebold Backs off From Lawsuit
	Diebold Systems Inc. agreed in a San Jose federal court not to send any more cease-and-desist letters to Internet service providers (ISPs) that allow leaked e-mail memos from Diebold to be posted online, Silicon Valley Biz Ink (December 5, 2003)

	Threats Withdrawn Over Publication of Product Flaws
	Electronic voting machine maker Diebold agreed this week to withdraw threats from ISPs and web sites over the posting of leaked company e-mails that allegedly revealed product flaws. Two students and an ISP had challenged the US company's actions as "chilling free speech", Out-Law.com (December 3, 2003)

	Diebold Won't Sue Voting Rights Activists
	In a move hailed as a victory for free speech advocates, Diebold Election Systems Inc. said Monday that it won't follow up on its threats to sue those who published information that indicated flaws in the company's electronic voting machines, IDG News Service via IT World (December 3, 2003)

	Diebold Won't Sue Voting Rights Activists
	In a move hailed as a victory for free speech advocates, Diebold Election Systems said Monday that it won't follow up on its threats to sue those who published information that indicated flaws in the company's electronic voting machines, IDG News Service (December 3, 2003)

Recent Coverage

Back to the Access Issue page.

Organizations and Related Publications

	Kucinich Requests House Judiciary Committee Hearing On Diebold's Abuses Of Digital Millennium Copyright Act
	Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH), today, sent a letter to the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee requesting that the Committee hold a hearing to investigate abuses of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by Diebold Inc., one of the nation’s largest electronic voting machine manufacturers, Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (November 21, 2003)

	Filter Software Will Block Offensive Web Sites
	"Websense" filtering software is now in place at Argonne-East to analyze and prevent access to World Wide Web pages containing material that may be offensive, Argonne News (November 19, 2003)

	UK Cannabis Internet Activists Website Blocked
	During the week of 11th November it was drawn to our attention that UKCIA was blocked from computers in libraries run by Essex County Council, UK Cannabis Internet Activists (November 18, 2003)

Court Hearing on Electronic Voting Company's Threats Against Critics Two student activists and an Internet Service Provider (ISP) will ask a federal district court judge on Monday to stop the ongoing legal harassment of them and others in a case involving disclosure of flaws in electronic voting machines, Online Policy Group (November 14, 2003)

	New First Report: Net Filters in Libraries
	Internet Filters and Public Libraries by David L. Sobel (OPG Advisory Board member) is a new First Report now available from the First Amendment Center, First Amendment Center (November 12, 2003)

Recent Publications

Back to the Access Issue page.

top of page