The document discusses how activists have used cute cat videos and images to circumvent censorship of the internet by authoritarian governments. It explains that governments attempt to censor the internet by blocking keywords, URLs, DNS servers, and IP addresses but that activists have found this difficult to enforce. The document argues that posting cute cat media raises the social and financial costs of comprehensive censorship and that activists have strategically used accessible tools like email, Google Maps, and social media to spread information.

1. The Cute Cat Theory of Web Activism
Ethan Zuckerman - Global Voices
November 12, 2008

2. Web 1.0
photo by Marvin (PA)
Web 2.0

4. mosaic by stabillo boss

8. March 5, 2007 - Phil De Vellis

11. Astrubal’s version - 2004

19. When you block activist video
adorable cats are collateral damage.
One activist goal:
Raise the social cost of censorship.

21. How to censor the web:
- Block keywords
- Block URLs
- Block DNS
- Block IPs

22. How to censor the web:
- Block keywords Expensive
- Block URLs
- Block DNS
- Block IPs

23. How to censor the web:
- Block keywords Expensive
- Block URLs Difficult
- Block DNS
- Block IPs

24. How to censor the web:
- Block keywords Expensive
- Block URLs Difficult
- Block DNS Ineffective
- Block IPs

25. How to censor the web:
- Block keywords Expensive
- Block URLs Difficult
- Block DNS Ineffective
- Block IPs Overbroad

27. Smart activists raise the price of censorship
for governments
Smart governments raise the price of censorship
for Web 2.0 companies

28. opennet.net/map

29. advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/maps

30. Access Denied Map, Sami ben Gharbia for Global Voices Advocacy

31. freedomhouse.org
MAP OF PRESS FREEDOM 2006
The Map of Press Freedom reflects the flow of news and information within In 2005, there were 1.11 billion people living in countries with free media,
and between 194 countries and territories. Universal criteria determine the representing 17 percent of the world’s population. There were 2.57 billion
judgments, starting with Article 19 of the United Nations’ Declaration of people living in countries with partly free media, representing 40 percent of
Human Rights. the world’s population. There were 2.79 billion people living in countries with 1995 2000 2005
not free media, representing 43 percent of the world’s population.
Criteria include: the legal environment in which the media operate; the degree 64 72 73
of independence of the news media from governmental ownership and Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes
influence; economic pressures on news content; and diverse violations of press freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart 1301 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20036 63 53 54
freedom from the murder of journalists to other extra-legal abuse and information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Article 19, Phone (202) 747-7000 Fax (202) 293-2840
harassment. Universal Declaration of Human Rights – UN General Assembly, 1948 60 62 67
www.freedomhouse.org 187 187 194
Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…
The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States

33. PDF file of
Google Maps
PDF file
distributed by
distributed in
email
Bahrain
by email in
Bahrain

35. you can’t block PDFs without blocking commerce
who knew that google maps was an activist tool?

36. Hao Wu
Blogger, Filmmaker
Detained February 22, 2006

37. freehaowu.org

38. Don’t speak - point.

42. Most activists don’t think of
themselves as activists.
They’re going to use the tools
they have at hand.

44. Alaa abd el Fateh - manalaa.net

47. photo by Elijah Zarwan
Malek Moustafa

50. - over 100 million handsets
in sub-Saharan Africa
- 300 million handset in China
- 2.2 billion worldwide, rising to 3.3 billion in 2010
- 97% of Tanzanians say they can access a phone

53. montage by keso

54. mosaic by stabillo boss

55. mosaic by

56. quot;I love freedom of speech, human rights and democracy.quot;
quot;You must enter a title for your space. The title must not contain prohibited language,
such as profanity. Please type a different title.quot;
Content control on MSN Spaces
Chinese language edition

58. - he xie - “Harmonize” - sange daibio - “3 Represents”
- he xie - “River Crab” - dai sange bio - “Wears 3 watches”

61. What can’t China afford to block?
Gmail
MMOGs
Skype

62. Michael Anti
photo by bbcworldservice
Chinese activists moving back to web 1.0

63. ddos as “cyberwar”

64. sustained ddos can equal losing your hosting

65. the future of activist hosting?

66. Approximate range
of the wild lolcat

67. Early attempts at introducing Lolcats
outside their native environment.

68. Censorship is the
sincerest form of flattery.

69. ethan@ethanzuckerman.com
advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org
ethanzuckerman.com/blog