Sayada 4

In the Name of National Security, ATT Poses Threat to Freedom of Expression, Separation of State Powers

Two recent articles from The International Business Times (New York) and Index on Censorship (a London-based organization that works to «protect freedom of expression around the world») resonate with the skepticism in publications from Tunisian media outlets and pose questions pertinent to national controversies that embody the challenges of post-revolution social and political transition.

Mesh Sayada : entre fantasme et réalité

Dans un article paru sur le New York Times du 20 avril, sous le titre « US promotes networks to foil digital spying », Sayada est mise à l’honneur comme la première ville tunisienne à se doter d’un réseau communautaire sans fil (WIFI) local gratuit pour tous. Ce projet pilote appelé « Mesh Sayada » permet aux habitants de se connecter à un serveur local hébergeant des services libres d’accès aux quelques 14000 habitants de cette ville côtière.

‘US Promotes Network to Foil Digital Spying’ …while Sayada Builds Network to Foster Digital Justice

That the Mesh Sayada case study has been presented in the context of US surveillance operatives is relevant to one discussion but is meanwhile a superficial and imprecise presentation of the project for citizens who participated in its development and to whom it belongs. The mesh network was not brought to Sayada; it was built in Sayada as a locally-devised, collaboratively-implemented initiative to promote Open Source and Open Data principles.