International arrests of citizen bloggers more than triple

The World Information Access Project http://www.wiareport.org/index.php/56/blogger-arrests investigates causes and consequences of the digital divide between nations. The 2008 report documents government arrests of bloggers around the world.

Authoritarian regimes around the world are dealing with troublesome citizen bloggers by arresting them, and they’re doing it more often, according to researchers at the University of Washington.

"Last year, 2007, was a record year for blogger arrests, with three times as many as in 2006. Egypt, Iran and China are the most dangerous places to blog about political life, accounting for more than half of all arrests since blogging became big," said Phil Howard, an assistant professor of communication. With his students, Howard prepared the World Information Access Report, which documents sources and consequences of social inequality in the information age.

Catherine O’Donnell [email protected]

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