[inta] world's wide web

["Mary A. Axford" <mary.axford@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

from politics online:

THE WORLD'S WIDE WEB
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GENEVA EVOTING PROJECT A SUCCESS
The State of Geneva's recent 7th official internet-based ballot has been 
deemed a huge success. Within the framework of a federal referendum, Geneva 
gave 8 municipalities totaling 41'000 voters the possibility to vote 
online, by postal voting or at the polling station voting. Postal ballot 
and eBallot ended on Saturday, November, 27th, followed by polling Stations 
opening on Sunday, November, 28th.
Related Articles: Seventh Internet-based Ballot A Success
http://www.ge.ch/evoting/english/communiques_20041128.asp
Report By Geneva University On The Sociological Profile Of Users Of The 
eVoting System
http://www.ge.ch/evoting/english/doc/rapports/200409_rapport_carouge_meyrin.pdf 


IN CHINA, BLOGS WAITING TO BLOOM
Economic freedoms are expanding in the nation of 1.3 billion people, and 
nowhere more powerfully than in Shanghai, an amazing city that seems to 
grow a new skyline every year and has become the commercial center of a 
vast land.
Full Story: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/10238306.htm

OHMYNEWS AND 'WIRED RED DEVILS'
While South Korea's journalists and political leaders have been debating 
how to reform Korean media for decades, the hot new OhmyNews website has 
paved the way for a new type of democratic journalism with its thousands of 
'Net citizens.
Full Story: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/FK25Dg01.html

THE SAUDI-WIDE WEB
A recent report from the OpenNet Initiative sheds light on what the 
Internet looks like from inside Saudi Arabia.  ONI tested sites blocked by 
the government's Internet filtering system and found
the highest percentage of blocked sites in the categories of pornography, 
drugs, and gambling.  The study found less evidence of blocking related to 
the state of Israel (2% of sites tested), the
Jewish religion (0%), and alcohol (5%).  The study also revealed that 
blocking has changed since 2000.  The Israeli Defense Forces website, for 
example, was blocked in 2002 and 2003 but not in 2004.  The results of the 
ONI study offer a window into the country's evolving efforts to manage the 
type of information available to its citizens.
Read the full bulletin: http://www.opennetinitiative.net/studies/saudi/
Information on the OpenNet Initiative: http://www.opennetinitiative.net/
Thank you Contributing Editor Maura Conway for the report.
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