Never cry wolf - renegade Fiji bloggers fool the press
A stunt faking the censoring of a notorious anti-military blog in Fiji has fooled the international and Fijian press. Sometime on May 16, 2007, the no-holds-barred blog opposing Fiji's interim government, resistfrankscoup, went blank. This prompted a flurry of activity in newsrooms and anti-government blogs as most observers assumed that the interim government, likely in collusion with FINTEL, Fiji's pivotal Internet service provider, had blocked the site.
A short while later, the site reappeared but several recent posts were missing and some functionality was broken prompting further speculation of ongoing government tampering. A simple comparison of the site viewed from a FINTEL connection with the site as viewed from an American provider reveals that absolutely no tampering is being performed.
However, at 4:10 am (Fiji Time) on May 17, 2007, a new incarnation of the blog in question sprang up on the Wordpress blog service claiming responsibility for the site's interruption saying they wanted to see how people would react:
We know many were disappointed when your RFC blogsite suddenly disappeared from your screen. We also know the junta was elated by the sudden black-out but guess what, we closed it down ourselves to gauge how the junta, our loyal bloggers, our opposition and others would react.Despite this announcement, over a dozen news outlets in at least four countries have run a story describing this event as an act of military censorship. See below for some examples culled from Google News.
[This is us! Why Fiji Cries, May 17, 2007]
The question remains, when Fiji's Freedom Bloggers have something real to report will the international press believe them?
Examples:
The Age, Australia -
Fiji's military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical blogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...
Fiji blocks access to weblogs in crackdown
Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand -
AUCKLAND: Fiji's military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...
Access to some Fiji weblogs blocked
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia -
Fiji's military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...
Fiji blocks access to blogs
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia -
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...
Fiji military closes blogs critical of government and army
Broadcast Newsroom, CA -
By AP. Fiji's military has blocked access to several Web sites that contained damaging allegations against the army and members of the interim government, ...
Fiji military closes blogs critical of government and army By The ...
Creative Mac, CA -
Fiji's military has blocked access to several Web sites that contained damaging allegations against the army and members of the interim government, ...
Fiji blocks access to blogs
Daily Telegraph, Australia -
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...
Fiji blocks access to blogs
Advertiser Adelaide, Australia -
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...
Fiji blocks access to blogs
Courier Mail, Australia -
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...
Access to some Fiji weblogs blocked
The West Australian, Australia -
Fiji's military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...
Access to some Fiji weblogs blocked
Brisbane Times, Australia -
Fiji's military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...
Fiji blocks access to blogs
Sunday Times.au, Australia -
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...
Fiji military closes blogs critical of government and army
International Herald Tribune, France -
AP. SUVA, Fiji: Fiji's military has blocked access to several Web sites that contained damaging allegations against the army and members of the interim ...
Fiji blocks access to blogs
NEWS.com.au, Australia -
FIJI'S military government appears to have successfully blocked access to a number of critical weblogs that have embarrassed the administration. ...
Blog drops off the web
The Fiji Times - 13 hours ago
FIJI'S military appears to have shut down one of its most vocal critics an internet site that contained damaging allegations against army officers ...
Photo by: Sleekstak66
2 comments:
I just want to add that this was also on Boing Boing.
keith - thanks for pointing that out. do you have another example of a site that has been blocked? i still dont think that fintel has done anything.
Post a Comment