Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Belarus has shut down the internet amid a controversial election

wired.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 295 posts

Re: Belarus has shut down the internet amid a controversial election

#31

Post by oddx »

ciguy wrote: post #15

This is incredibly sad. I spent a few weeks in Belarus last summer (2019) and everyone seemed incredibly hopeful and positive. It's a beautiful country and Minsk is a gorgeous city. I've been able to contact a few of my friends there sporadically over the past few days, but have heard nothing from them for 24 hours. Initially it seemed like a block on communication apps like WhatsApp and they could get around it with…

> I've been able to contact a few of my friends

Try to use Telegram for communication, it might work. It's not full internet shutdown, some programs like Telegram or VPN Psiphon, Tachyon work from time to time.

Re: Belarus has shut down the internet amid a controversial election

#32

Post by echlebek »

2Gkashmiri wrote: post #29

this is nothing. shameless plug. I am a kashmiri typing this from 2G internet which apprently is the only acceptable thing for the indian government to allow me. 4G access has been stopped since 5 AUGUST 2019. a freaking year has passed and no high speed internet. I didnt have 2G for like 7 months. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revocation_of_the_special_stat... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Kashmir#Cens…

Sorry to hear you are struggling with internet access, but I don't see how the actions of India create legal precedence in Belarus?

Re: Belarus has shut down the internet amid a controversial election

#33

Post by gruez »

tapvt wrote: post #21

A case where I feel amateur (ham) radio would be a potential lifeline to the outside world.

If a tyrannical government is willing to cut off internet access, what makes you think they won't also ban ham radio transmissions (enforcing via violent means) as well?

Re: Belarus has shut down the internet amid a controversial election

#35

Post by jasonwatkinspdx »

gpm wrote: post #17
est31 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It will shift a lot of power from the countries where the internet users are located to the countries where the space internet companies operate from. Both in the free countries like the EU, and in non-free countries like Belarus. That being said, the user's country still has some level of control: * the companies want to be paid by their users somehow, and local governments usually have control over money flows insi…

* International treaties and national laws prohibit sending radio signals into the country if the countries government doesn't give you permission. Space ISPs are very unlikely to do so without permission except at the behest of their home government.

Yeah, I continue to be baffled by this argument that starlink et all are going to somehow crack open totalitarian states. There's not a chance in the world of any of these companies risking their licensing and relationship with the ITU. No one is going to be smuggling in ground terminals, let alone macgyvering their own, because the network isn't gonna talk back.

Re: Belarus has shut down the internet amid a controversial election

#36

Post by AnssiH »

enkid wrote: post #14
obogobo wrote: post #7

wondering what / if any impact "the space internet" (or like networks) will have on national government's ability to disrupt comms. or if it just shifts the goalposts to a different network operator

I don't see Starlink shutting down subscribers if the Belarussian government asks them to, at least not very quickly. If the terminals are available, this is going to make all of the national internet projects (Russia, China, Iran) much more difficult to pull off.

I'll be surprised if Starlink satellites are going to be transmitting any signals to countries where they are not holding the appropriate licenses to do so.

Re: Belarus has shut down the internet amid a controversial election

#37

Post by ryanmarsh »

obogobo wrote: post #7

wondering what / if any impact "the space internet" (or like networks) will have on national government's ability to disrupt comms. or if it just shifts the goalposts to a different network operator

Imagine a US company of strategic importance becoming the defacto internet provider for much of the developing world. There's no way Starlink is happening organically or in a policy vacuum. This is like a CIA/NSA wet dream.

Also, people forget that low latency global internet is a requirement for next generation drone operations, particularly removing pilots from high performance aircraft. Again, this is strategic and something the Pentagon has gushed over for 30+ years. To see it as anything but is naive.

Re: Belarus has shut down the internet amid a controversial election

#38

Post by keenmaster »

2Gkashmiri wrote: post #29

this is nothing. shameless plug. I am a kashmiri typing this from 2G internet which apprently is the only acceptable thing for the indian government to allow me. 4G access has been stopped since 5 AUGUST 2019. a freaking year has passed and no high speed internet. I didnt have 2G for like 7 months. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revocation_of_the_special_stat... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Kashmir#Cens…

You have my solidarity. I take so much for granted as an American. Stay strong, and live a fulfilling life regardless of the authoritarianism. That is the last thing they want you to do.

Re: Belarus has shut down the internet amid a controversial election

#39

Post by onetimemanytime »

obogobo wrote: post #7

wondering what / if any impact "the space internet" (or like networks) will have on national government's ability to disrupt comms. or if it just shifts the goalposts to a different network operator

1. They make it illegal and good luck! You may escape but others might be beaten and jailed.

2. Any company will think really hard about doing something against the government wishes. They might be frozen out for ages and the next dictator will not like what you did either.

Re: Belarus has shut down the internet amid a controversial election

#40

Post by keenmaster »

echlebek wrote: post #32
2Gkashmiri wrote: post #29

this is nothing. shameless plug. I am a kashmiri typing this from 2G internet which apprently is the only acceptable thing for the indian government to allow me. 4G access has been stopped since 5 AUGUST 2019. a freaking year has passed and no high speed internet. I didnt have 2G for like 7 months. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revocation_of_the_special_stat... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Kashmir#Cens…

Sorry to hear you are struggling with internet access, but I don't see how the actions of India create legal precedence in Belarus?

He's being sardonic. Assad, Putin, Lukashenko, Modi, Bolsonaro, Duterte...they all use pseudo-legalistic justifications for authoritarian action. Assad in particular went as far as cataloging thousands of his torture victims to give an official veneer to the circumstances of their death. This is even though it seems insane to record evidence of one's own gruesome crimes of genocide. https://www.hrw.org/report/2015/12/16/if-dead-could-speak/ma...
Post reply on HN