Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a media regulator crusading for global freedom of press, announced that March 12 will be “Online Free Expression Day” with virtual protests aimed at ending Net censorship.

Nine virtual renditions of public spaces were created to allow all Internet users to protest in places where demonstrations are not usually permissible.  Participators were encouraged to place messages on banners, voicing their opinions on “Internet enemies” during the 24 hour cyber-protest.

This year, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia have made the list as “Internet enemies”, joining the ranks of 13 other scorned governments including: Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

According to RSF’s website, “at least 62 cyber-dissidents are currently imprisoned worldwide, while more than 2,600 websites, blogs or discussions forums were closed or made inaccessible in 2007.  A response of this kind is needed to the growing tendency to crack down on bloggers and to close websites."

Over 17 million US citizens and politicians express themselves through blogs, using the Internet as an instrument and outlet in voicing democratic opinions and concerns.  The power of the Internet in influencing politics is not overlooked by dictators and governments who seek ways to reign in the Internet for fear of political reform.

Download RSF’s Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents

BBC Article