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France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi

arstechnica.co.uk

31–40 of 273 posts

Re: France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi

#31
post #5

All this because 130 people were killed. What would they do to prevent the 4600 people killed in road accidents in France last year? Or the 49000 people killed by alcohol [in 2009]?

There are huge numbers of laws in place to try and minimise road deaths, including compulsory licensing of people found competent to drive, speed limits, compulsory periodic testing of cars for roadworthiness. So you know the answer to the first part of your question.

Re: France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi

#32
What is more ridiculous is that shared public wifi would become critical in the event of a major terror attack (on scale with 9/11). We have already seen the use of social media to allow families and friends to connect after a disaster occurs. Given the fragility of mobile data networks under heavy load, public wifi could become the only option for mass communications. The French government will only be handicapping its people when they need help most.

Re: France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi

#33
post #21

Windows 10 lets you share your WiFi password with your Facebook friends. That's technically a shared WiFi isn't it?

No, that's only sharing the password and that's done by the users, not necessarily by the owner. To share WiFi you have to own a hotspot, turn it on, give the password to somebody.

However I see your point: what if a company network (think a small shop) is shared with its employees and the password goes to their friends and they can connect from a car in the parking lot? _optout suffix for every network in France?

Re: France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi

#34
post #5

All this because 130 people were killed. What would they do to prevent the 4600 people killed in road accidents in France last year? Or the 49000 people killed by alcohol [in 2009]?

There are huge numbers of laws in place to try and minimise road deaths, including compulsory licensing of people found competent to drive, speed limits, compulsory periodic testing of cars for roadworthiness. So you know the answer to the first part of your question.

Sure - but to really crack down on road deaths, how about declaring a state of emergency that prevents anyone from driving at all? If you understand why that would be stupid, you'll understand why trying to introduce the GFW of China to France is a bad idea.

Re: France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi

#35
post #3

Once again the French show the world what they are best in. Waiving the white flag and submitting when threatened. They even suspended parts of the human rights convention on their territory after the terror attacks in Paris.

While I'm disappointed in the French governments reaction (which is stupid). I think you should refrain from making prejudiced comments (especially since a) it's a stupid statement if you study France's military history b) other countries behaved equally stupidly in the face of Terrorism).

Re: France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi

#36
post #5

All this because 130 people were killed. What would they do to prevent the 4600 people killed in road accidents in France last year? Or the 49000 people killed by alcohol [in 2009]?

There are huge numbers of laws in place to try and minimise road deaths, including compulsory licensing of people found competent to drive, speed limits, compulsory periodic testing of cars for roadworthiness. So you know the answer to the first part of your question.

> There are huge numbers of laws in place to try and minimise road deaths, including compulsory licensing of people found competent to drive, speed limits, compulsory periodic testing of cars for roadworthiness.

Now if only we could apply the same rigour to the process of bringing new human beings into the world.

Re: France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi

#37
The French regime again showing its ugly authoritarian and statist face with these draconian bills. It wasn't enough for them to put environmentalists under house arrest and subject innocent people to humiliating mandatory reporting to different police stations 3 times a day or obligatory curfew for certain people or neighborhoods without any judicial oversight. [0]

I knew it from the beginning that they would abuse the State of Emergency decree and turn the lives of people esp minorities into a living hell.

[0]: https://wiki.laquadrature.net/%C3%89tat_urgence/Recensement# ((FR))

Re: France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi

#38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The cynical view is that these people are simply using the attacks as a way to push through legislation that they wanted to push through regardless. Politicians like these are just opportunists and would use any hot button issue to get their way because they know that's the easiest way to railroad through their pet laws. It's easy to get people to vote against their own interest, all you need is fear. There are many…

The slightly less cynical view is that they know that the next time something happens they know that - if encryption is involved, they will be absolutely pilloried by the popular press, opposition etc. for "not doing everything that can be done". It takes a certain determination to stand up to that kind of threat.

That's why we enshrine certain rights and protect them constitutionally. It doesn't seem to stop policy makers from attacking them though.

Re: France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi

#39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please calm down with the generalizations. 1. This is a leaked document, not an official one. 2. This would need to be adopted by the National Assembly, Senate, and Ethic Commission to be effective. 3. France didn't roll back on it's promise to accept Syrian refugees like others have done. Yes it is worrying, but everything is not black and white.

They did just voted in their equivalent of the Nazi party in the regional elections though so let's wait and see... Edit: correction... vote not over yet but it's not looking good.

That was only the first round of the regional elections, wait and see what happens in the final vote next weekend.

Re: France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi

#40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please calm down with the generalizations. 1. This is a leaked document, not an official one. 2. This would need to be adopted by the National Assembly, Senate, and Ethic Commission to be effective. 3. France didn't roll back on it's promise to accept Syrian refugees like others have done. Yes it is worrying, but everything is not black and white.

They did just voted in their equivalent of the Nazi party in the regional elections though so let's wait and see... Edit: correction... vote not over yet but it's not looking good.

Nobody got 50% of votes, so no, they didn't.

( and with about half of registered voters not participating, it can still change easely )

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