Stories from Technology for Transparency Network from August, 2010
Egypt: Utilizing Technology to Demand Accountability on Torture, Police Brutality
Bloggers and activists in Egypt are using freely available online tools to expose torture and police brutality and to hold the government accountable for these human rights abuses.
Western Europe: A journey through tech for transparency projects
Sylwia Presley takes us on a tour of technology for transparency projects in Western Europe.
Technology for Transparency: Five Lessons Learned
Rebekah Heacock and Renata Avila outline the learnings from the first round of Global Voices' Technology for Transparency Network collaborative research project, sharing links to several successful online initiatives.
Russia: LiveJournal Communities as a Transparency Tool
Alexey Sidorenko explores how LiveJournal communities are being used to promote transparency and accountability in Russia.
Madagascar: The Undercover Investigations That Exposed Rosewood Trafficking from the Rain Forest
One of the consequences of the enduring political crisis in Madagascar is its punishing impact on the environment. The investigation of activists specialized in conservation and protection of the environment was instrumental in documenting the crimes and holding the government accountable for protecting Malagasy natural resources. Here are there reflections on the initiatives:
Tech and Transparency in MENA: A Long Way to Go
Technology for transparency activists are making headway in the Middle East and North Africa, but greater access to both technology tools and skills and legal assistance is needed in order to maximize their potential.
India: Monitoring traffic violations on Facebook
A new initiative by the Delhi Traffic Police is highlighting questions of citizen engagement and government use of social media in India.
Malawi: Missing out on online technology for transparency
While more and more Malawians are flocking online to use Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites, the country has yet to make progress in using these tools for transparency and accountability.