https://www.europesays.com/uk/6568/ Apply Now: $200,000 for Internet Freedom Funding #DigitalFreedom #Internet #InternetAccess #ProjectFunding #Technology #UK #UnitedKingdom

MISA Zimbabwe: Proposed new law to govern social media platforms will over-regulate the digital space. “The Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, has stated that the government is formulating a new law to regulate social media platforms to tackle the increasing challenges of unregulated usage. During a recent Ministers Meet the Media meeting, the […]

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/03/15/misa-zimbabwe-proposed-new-law-to-govern-social-media-platforms-will-over-regulate-the-digital-space/

Internet shutdowns at record high in Africa as access ‘weaponised’

More governments seeking to keep millions of people offline amid conflicts, protests and political instability

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/09/internet-shutdowns-record-high-africa-2024-access-weaponised

Why are most countries struggling to shut down 2G?

While telecom regulators worldwide agree on ditching 2G, many haven’t yet figured out the timeline.

This is due to concerns over enabling digital disparity and disrupting tech-enabled devices like pollution data sensors and electricity monitoring equipment, according to Mike Jensen, internet access specialist at APC, for @restofworld.

https://restofworld.org/2025/shutting-down-2g-networks-phones-obsolete/

About to begin our #RightsCon25 session about "Cross-Border Data Flows and Connectivity in Conflict Zones: A Role for Satellite Internet?" We'll be speaking about #LEOs systems such as #Starlink and #OneWeb - and what role they can - and can not - play in conflict zone. Looking forward to a great conversation!

Session is at (you need to be registered to view): https://rightscon.summit.tc/t/rightscon-2025/events/cross-border-data-flows-and-connectivity-in-conflict-zones-a-role-for-satellite-internet-4EXbtK2toWMWn2Ftdz3q4s

don’t threaten me with a good time …

ISPs fear wave of state laws after New York’s $15 #broadband mandate: When the #FCC isn't regulating, states have more power to impose broadband laws, 20250224,
by Jon B,
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/02/isps-fear-wave-of-state-laws-after-new-yorks-15-broadband-mandate/

Frustrated Bolivians, battling spotty internet from the state’s China-built satellite, are smuggling in Starlink kits despite the August 2024 ban. #Bolivia #Starlink #InternetAccess #Satellite #TechNews #DigitalDivide #InternetFreedom #ChinaSatellite #StarlinkBan

https://posivi.com/frustrated-bolivians-resorted-to-smuggling-starlink-kits/

Good to see @techmeme spotlighting this Rest of World post about Bolivians smuggling in #Starlink kits from Peru and Chile in order to get good Internet connectivity. Interesting stats about how poor connectivity is within #Bolivia

#Internet #InternetAccess

From: @Techmeme
https://techhub.social/@Techmeme/114014082704975903

The New Times: DR Congo restricts social media after M23 captured Goma. “The Congolese government restricted social media networks such as X and TikTok, days after AFC/M23 rebels took control of the eastern city of Goma, reports said. The restrictions, which also affected Google Play Store, were meant to combat what the government calls fake news, Jeune Afrique reported on February 4.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/02/13/the-new-times-dr-congo-restricts-social-media-after-m23-captured-goma/

With #IPv6 there's no reason for ISPs to be stingy with public IPs. Over-provisioning shared IPs and #CGNAT are now archaic workarounds for a problem that no longer exists.
#internetaccess #networking #tcpip

Haha… I did NOT expect to see a #LEOs commercial at the #SuperBowl - this one from T-Mobile about #Starlink

Phew.. right after this busy #FOSDEM #OFFDEM week / weekend our FediVariety team dived in this three-day #workshop focused on encryption and advocacy… Thanks to @internetsociety for organizing this enlightening event! Thanks as well to all fascinating participants!

https://www.fedivariety.org/blog/eu-encryption-advocacy-workshop-isoc-internet-society-global-encryption

Deutsche Welle: Kenya’s digital struggle: AI, activism and crackdowns . “A silent war is unfolding in Kenya, not on the streets but in the vast, uncharted world of the internet. Kenya’s digital landscape is at a breaking point, as the government clamps down on AI-generated content and social media activism, igniting what many have described as a ticking time bomb of online resistance.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/02/07/kenyas-digital-struggle-ai-activism-and-crackdowns-deutsche-welle/

PsyPost: TikTok leads as the most popular platform among underage users, research reveals. “A significant portion of children under the age of 13 in the United States are actively using social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, despite clear age restrictions, according to a new study published in Academic Pediatrics. Researchers found that a majority of 11-to-15-year-olds […]

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/01/12/psypost-tiktok-leads-as-the-most-popular-platform-among-underage-users-research-reveals/

Route Fifty: Online age verification laws await legal spotlight. “More states have approved laws requiring adult entertainment websites to verify users’ ages, and next week those laws face a major test before the U.S. Supreme Court. Justices will on Wednesday debate a lawsuit against Texas’ 2023 law requiring age verification on websites that have at least one third of their content […]

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/01/12/route-fifty-online-age-verification-laws-await-legal-spotlight/

Bloomberg: Singapore considers minimum age for social media users . “The government of Singapore is open to imposing a minimum age for social media use and is in talks with counterparts in Australia about the matter, the city-state’s digital affairs minister said on Tuesday.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/01/08/bloomberg-singapore-considers-minimum-age-for-social-media-users/

So… OneWeb’s #InternetAccess from #LEO was down for most of two days… because their ground station software did not correctly account for 2024 being a leap year???

https://spacenews.com/eutelsat-resolves-oneweb-leap-year-software-glitch-after-two-day-outage/

I have SO many questions…

(Noting the proximity to the 25th anniversary of #Y2K, another date-based software bug)

Greek City Times: Greece Partners with Australia to Limit Minors’ Social Media Use; Unveils National Plan. “In a significant step to combat internet addiction among youth, Greece has introduced a detailed national strategy to limit minors’ excessive use of social media. Greece, alongside Australia, has launched a comprehensive national plan to address the rising concerns of internet addiction […]

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/01/02/greek-city-times-greece-partners-with-australia-to-limit-minors-social-media-use-unveils-national-plan/

Meta ends Direct Peering with Deutsche Telekom amid dispute over fees: Meta terminates direct peering with Deutsche Telekom following court ruling, raising concerns about open internet access in Germany. https://ppc.land/meta-ends-direct-peering-with-deutsche-telekom-amid-dispute-over-fees/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Meta #DeutscheTelekom #DirectPeering #OpenInternet #InternetAccess