Main stream media and government officials, see Indy Media as a major threat. Online bloggers and citizens journalists have the freedom to say anything they want; in the U.S. that is. Many countries around the world have been caught trying to censor the internet. Some countries make the internet difficult to access, and some others specifically target individuals who make negative comments about the government.
This was the case for French citizen Dominique Broueilh. Last year the New York Times published a story after she, "found herself the target of a police investigation and a lawsuit from a French cabinet official because of a comment she had posted online." (New York Times writer, Scott Sayare) The article titled: 'As Web Challenges French Leaders, They Push Back' high lighted numerous instances of the French government bullying individuals who posted information on the web that they saw as an embarrassment to the country's ruling class. Broueilh had a law suit brought against her for merely commenting on a web posting with her opinion; "Oh, the liar" Broueilh said about a government official. According Sayare, "Ms. Broueilh’s Internet protocol address, obtained her identity and brought suit against her for 'public insult toward a member of the ministry,' an offense punishable by a fine of up to $18,000." The article goes on to say how mainstream journalists in France would purposely not publish embarrassing stories about politicians in order to protect them. In the U.S. the press is seen as a 'check on government'. If journalists never printed the truth, the government could get away with whatever they wanted. Something politicians in France were accustomed to up until the wide spread use of he internet.
Unfortunately, 'As Web Challenges French Leaders, They Push Back' is not the first article I've read about governments going after individuals who use the internet to tell the truth. In Egypt, citizens searches and activities online can be monitored. Human Rights First blogger Reagan Kuhn, wrote a story about a young man who was beaten to death by police, simply for not showing his ID card to police at an internet cafe. This is a stunning and horrifying example of government taking censorship to an extreme.
Journalists have often been seen as a third check on government. However, at times when mainstream media neglects to report the truth because it may be conflicting with their network affiliates, Indy Media has picked up the slack. Historically, independent journalists and publications have faced backlash from the government. Now with the wide access to the internet and other technology widely available, producers of Indy Media are continuing on full stem ahead; showing that in the U.S. and abroad, bullying won't stop the truth from being told.
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