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Not just the InternetNot just the InternetPosted Jan 28, 2011 19:40 UTC (Fri) by JoeBuck (subscriber, #2330)Parent article: Egypt Leaves the Internet (Renesys blog) They've cut the international phone lines, they've lost control of the streets (vast crowds of demonstrators are defying the curfew), and the ruling party's headquarters is now on fire. The Internet cutoff is the least of it, and those of you talking about technological ways around the Internet block are missing the point. The best reporting is coming from al Jazeera, which has reporters on the ground all over the country with satellite phones. Either the government will fall or massive repression will be required to save it.
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Not just the Internet Posted Jan 28, 2011 20:21 UTC (Fri) by ortalo (subscriber, #4654) [Link]
Yes, agreed; and hoping for the fall.
Nevertheless, for the future and for our children, it may be nice to design a digital network able to withstand both a nuclear attack *and* a governemental switch off request.
Not just the Internet Posted Jan 29, 2011 13:44 UTC (Sat) by drag (subscriber, #31333) [Link]
The only way around a government blackout restriction would be to use illegal radio technology.
This also helps to illustrate the real reason why anybody with skills and understanding of radio technology must be licensed before they are allowed to use any of it.
Not just the Internet Posted Jan 29, 2011 16:53 UTC (Sat) by ortalo (subscriber, #4654) [Link]
"Les sanglots longs des violons de l'automne
blessent mon coeur d'une langueur monotone."
Do you see what I mean?
Not just the Internet Posted Jan 30, 2011 16:07 UTC (Sun) by drag (subscriber, #31333) [Link]
I guess so. But that was rather one-way communication. :)
Absolutely though. We need to be always on the cutting edge of technology and do whatever is possible to have free and clear communication independent of our governments.
This happenned in Iran too. News tried to downplay the issue at first. Cries to the American government to help ensure democracy fell on deaf ears because it was not politically expedient for Obama to address Iran at the time. But the rest of the world still heard about it despite government best effort to supress and control information.
When I listen to the BBC and CNN all I see is government officials or friends of states wondering outloud how other middle eastern countries are going to be able to surpress their own issues for the sake of stability. I just listenned to a half of a hour of Senator Clinton and a talking head hinting at how the protests could lead to the reestablishment of a militant Muslim government and other radio folks were discussing how this threatens the Palistinian peace process because the Eqyption government served as a important advocate. Stuff like how the prisoners 'broke out' if prison.
What we know, if we pay attention, is that the government released the prisoners to insite violence and use videos of that to try to paint the protesters as inherently violent, anarchistic, and wild law breakers. We know that it's really people grouping together to put pressure on a politically and economically repressive dictator that should of stepped down decades ago.
We also know that a free and open society is the best way to ensure peace in the region.
I am very happy that I no longer have to depend on the media to gather news. Quite frequently they get quite a bit wrong, extremely slow to get information to the public and they frequently have their own political agendas.
Another thing to remember is that this man is a friend of the USA government. I just hope that he does not snap and decide to let the military loose. Getting information out realtime can help prevent this... because otherwise they are not going to get any support from any other government in the region or abroad.
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