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Indian police open case against hundreds in Kashmir for using VPN

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Re: Indian police open case against hundreds in Kashmir for using VPN

#91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"held hostage by rural voters" is an interesting choice of words considering they already feel the same way. There are already movements in a number of states with a lot of local support to have rural areas that are politically dominated by urban voters secede and join other states that more closely align with their values. I don't know why state governments don't let that happen more freely if they aren't actually t…

>I don't know why state governments don't let that happen more freely if they aren't actually trying to be the ones holding others hostage. Because the people who run governments often think in terms of maximizing power because that is what it takes to be a successful career politician. When you think that way of course it seems stupid to give up a bunch of people and land who pay taxes to you, count toward your popu…

Exactly. If somebody tries to leave a building and you won't let them, they're not the hostage taker. If you really don't like rural voters and think they're just a burden, prove it, and support parting ways. Oh and fuck the silent downvoters. Get over yourselves already and stop pretending you understand the people you disagree with.

Re: Indian police open case against hundreds in Kashmir for using VPN

#92
post #59
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have yet to see how the US reacts when a massive section of it wants to secede. India and China both face a significantly more difficult geopolitical reality than the USA. Some of the world's most westernized and developed countries (Spain, Israel) are starting to use violence and suppressive tactics now that they are faced with even the smallest amount of secessionist unrest. Kashmir is one of the most militarize…

We had a pretty big experiment with federalism and secession in the 19th century, actually.

Yeah, but they didn't have VPNs back then ;)

Re: Indian police open case against hundreds in Kashmir for using VPN

#93

As a young tech person in India, this stuff makes me so angry. The ruling party here (BJP) doesn't have any real competition. Which means they can get away with pretty much anything. They've banned VPNs. They'll chuck you in prison if you speak against the government or a politician. Then they'll brand you as an "anti-nationalist" and openly say to their supporters that you deserve to be shot. Facial recognition is n…

> deepfakes are being used to spread propoganda. Do you have examples for us? Okay if it is in Arabic/Hindi/etc. We talk about the potential for damage here (on HN) and so I think it is important to have examples of this happening in the wild.

I voted you up since I want examples but Hindi and Urdu and South Asian languages can be written in Arabic script, but they are not in fact Arabic. The former regardless of writing systems are linguistically way closer to English.

Re: Indian police open case against hundreds in Kashmir for using VPN

#94

It's really too bad that the two rising tech countries - China and India - have such a third-world approach to censorship on the Internet. You would think they would want to mimic the US's successful formula in hopes of building their presence as a tech powerhouse, but in this area they don't seem to be doing that.

"have such a third-world approach to censorship on the Internet"

Let's not associate the third-world with authoritarian or fascist.

In addition, the term itself is outdated.

Re: Indian police open case against hundreds in Kashmir for using VPN

#95

When I left Kashmir a few months ago, my phone and all its contents were checked by Indian police at the airport. They asked me to unlock and checked photos, WhatsApp texts, etc. Random arrests and extra-judicial killings of Kashmiris by the Indian state is a quite regular occurrence. A laughable narrative around how they were "Pakistan sponsored terrorists" is usually spun by the media/police nexus.

> A laughable narrative around how they were "Pakistan sponsored terrorists" is usually spun by the media/police nexus.

So who conducted the Pulwama terror attack? Have you seen the video of the terrorist and the filth that he utters against Hindus? It is obvious that Pakistan is involved in sponsoring terror. They are in the grey list in FATF for a reason and have two of the World's most dangerous terrorists: Masood Azhar (who has gone missing! how does a high profile UN designated terrorist go missing?) and Hafiz Saeed (who was roaming free till recently and was only thrown in jail because of FATF pressures). These two individuals, who are Chiefs of their organizations: Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-E-Toiba, respectively are the main conspirators in the 26/11 Mumbai Attack and the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001.

And shall we forget how Pakistan provided Osama Bin Laden a safe haven right next to its own Military HQ?

We are not stupid.

There have been a stream of terror attacks in Kashmir ever since the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s. But since India Abrogated Article 370 on August 5th, there has been actual peace after a long time.

Re: Indian police open case against hundreds in Kashmir for using VPN

#96
post #51

This is a reminder that without physical security, electronic security is pretty much worthless. The best encryption won't save you from rubberhose cryptanalysis where they beat you until you reveal your key. Clever circumvention technologies such as VPN won't save you when they arrest your for using circumvention technologies. These are all good things, but we in tech, oftentimes think we can program our way out of…

>Clever circumvention technologies such as VPN won't save you when they arrest your for using circumvention technologies. True, but my question here is: given that VPNs are pretty much essential for the way many large corporations work (they're not going to let employees access sensitive data over the internet in the clear), how does India, a country with a large tech presence and which promotes itself as a good plac…

It is just in Kashmir which has no real industry to speak of.

Re: Indian police open case against hundreds in Kashmir for using VPN

#97
post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> deepfakes are being used to spread propoganda. Do you have examples for us? Okay if it is in Arabic/Hindi/etc. We talk about the potential for damage here (on HN) and so I think it is important to have examples of this happening in the wild.

I voted you up since I want examples but Hindi and Urdu and South Asian languages can be written in Arabic script, but they are not in fact Arabic. The former regardless of writing systems are linguistically way closer to English.

Thank you. I was just trying to say that I am accepting of deep fakes that aren't in English. Maybe that would have been more clear.

If these exist, I think it is important to show them and track how they are being used. Hopefully it can help us avoid similar pitfalls in the future by learning how they are used.

Re: Indian police open case against hundreds in Kashmir for using VPN

#98
post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> deepfakes are being used to spread propoganda. Do you have examples for us? Okay if it is in Arabic/Hindi/etc. We talk about the potential for damage here (on HN) and so I think it is important to have examples of this happening in the wild.

I voted you up since I want examples but Hindi and Urdu and South Asian languages can be written in Arabic script, but they are not in fact Arabic. The former regardless of writing systems are linguistically way closer to English.

Nobody said they were.

Re: Indian police open case against hundreds in Kashmir for using VPN

#99

Very sad. But a great lesson for the rest of the world. Democracy with an uneducated populace is a disaster waiting to happen

So the solution would be to not have democracy until the unwashed uneducated masses become otherwise so?

The East India company would've agreed with you :p

Re: Indian police open case against hundreds in Kashmir for using VPN

#100

As a young tech person in India, this stuff makes me so angry. The ruling party here (BJP) doesn't have any real competition. Which means they can get away with pretty much anything. They've banned VPNs. They'll chuck you in prison if you speak against the government or a politician. Then they'll brand you as an "anti-nationalist" and openly say to their supporters that you deserve to be shot. Facial recognition is n…

I am in Jammu(India) right now and can attest that comments like above are only opinions and not facts. As goes for any country, people keep inventing stuff / leaving crucial details because of their own biases and self interests. The same goes for people who support BJP.

"VPNs are banned" and "facial recognition is being used to identify protestors" are not opinions. Please go away.
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