Government with finger on the button of the freedom.

caseyann

I was reading earlier about the possibility of the government's shutting down the internet to stop protests being organised.
I cant find it on the news anymore.
What do you think?
It would mean basically trying to stop people protesting for their rights and their grievances against what ever it may be.Isnt that a form of oppression and lack of freedom of will.
I cant find the article now sorry.

Einhard

Not going to happen.

caseyann

Einhard wrote: »

Not going to happen.

The Indian government has armed itself with powers to 'switch off' or kill the internet during times of national emergencies, becoming one of the first few countries to assume such far reaching authority. Even as the US and other western nations debate the judiciousness of giving the government's complete control to shut down cyber traffic,India has moved a step ahead and incorporated a provision under the IT Act of 2008, giving the Central government, or any of its officers specially authorised by it, to block the internet if necessary. The shutdown can happen in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, its defense, security of its states, friendly relations with foreign states or for public order. Failure to comply will result in imprisonment of up to seven years.
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-03-16/news/28698054_1_internet-users-sovereignty-and-integrity-switch

This isnt the actual article i saw,it vanished off the internet.

Godge

caseyann wrote: »

I was reading earlier about the possibility of the government's shutting down the internet to stop protests being organised.
I cant find it on the news anymore.
What do you think?
It would mean basically trying to stop people protesting for their rights and their grievances against what ever it may be.Isnt that a form of oppression and lack of freedom of will.
I cant find the article now sorry.

caseyann wrote: »

The Indian government has armed itself with powers to 'switch off' or kill the internet during times of national emergencies, becoming one of the first few countries to assume such far reaching authority. Even as the US and other western nations debate the judiciousness of giving the government's complete control to shut down cyber traffic,India has moved a step ahead and incorporated a provision under the IT Act of 2008, giving the Central government, or any of its officers specially authorised by it, to block the internet if necessary. The shutdown can happen in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, its defense, security of its states, friendly relations with foreign states or for public order. Failure to comply will result in imprisonment of up to seven years.
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-03-16/news/28698054_1_internet-users-sovereignty-and-integrity-switch

This isnt the actual article i saw,it vanished off the internet.

Your initial post said "the government", your second post says "the Indian government". Quite a difference. When you see how countries either side of them (China and Iran) control the internet, what is being proposed in India is quite mild by comparison. Not welcome, but understandable in that context.

A very long way from suggesting that our government is thinking of something similar.

caseyann

Godge wrote: »

Your initial post said "the government", your second post says "the Indian government". Quite a difference. When you see how countries either side of them (China and Iran) control the internet, what is being proposed in India is quite mild by comparison. Not welcome, but understandable in that context.

A very long way from suggesting that our government is thinking of something similar.

Come on you and i both know our government are sheep.
If you see i said i cant find the original article.
And i asked what do you think?

Max Power1

caseyann wrote: »

The Indian government has armed itself with powers to 'switch off' or kill the internet during times of national emergencies,

..............


This isnt the actual article i saw,it vanished off the internet.

Irony of ironies?

Godge

caseyann wrote: »

Come on you and i both know our government are sheep.
If you see i said i cant find the original article.
And i asked what do you think?

No I don't know our government are sheep. The article you quote suggests that no Western government is suggesting such a move. So even if I accept our Government are sheep, I also have to accept they are following an Indian shepherd. I don't think so.

If you want my opinion, no chancen of this happening in Ireland. If we were ever to reach a state where it would be considered necessary, it would be when the state has descended into complete anarchy, following a catastrophic natural disaster or nuclear war. At that stage, electricity and phone networks would be intermittent at best so the elimination of the internet would be irrelevant.

Inverse to the power of one!

Any government can coerce an ISP in to flicking the switch, problem is the ubiquity of technology, were it done in Ireland people could use existing satellite set ups given by providers outside the state, and recently in Egypt, Twitter and Google set up a system where you could post over the phone using voice recognition.

Also kill the net and you kill a service that all business relies on in the modern age......it's not all that practical to kill free speech any more......beautiful isn't it?

Scofflaw

caseyann, this is a thread about an article you have only a rough recollection of, and which many have been complete moonshine, or a speculative "could they do it?" article.

PM me the article if you find it, please, and I'll re-open the thread.

moderately,
Scofflaw