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Belarus has shut down the internet amid a controversial election

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

#101

Post by SpicyLemonZest »

evan_ wrote: post #85
AnimalMuppet wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ham is harder. Internet comes (mostly) through cables; those cables at some points are subject to the control of the government, and can be either technologically filtered or physically disrupted. (Satellite internet is clearly the exception.) But ham radio is like satellite internet - it's hard to cut off. You can ban it, as you say, but then you have to actually enforce the ban - either by jamming, or by finding si…

Why do you think a hostile state won't just send cops to drive around until they see a 50' aerial antenna and then shoot everyone in the house it's attached to? It'll only take a few before all the antennas come down.

Most hostile states aren't so powerful that they can openly do that kind of thing. Even in this case, Belarus doesn't say they shut down the Internet; they're pretending that it's a foreign cyberattack.

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

#102

Post by ajuc »

This is a full blown dictatorship imprisoning innocent people, beating up protesters, blackmailing opposition candidate to escape the country by imprisoning her husband.

There are already dead protesters.

Calling these elections "controversial" is like calling WW2 "a disagreement".

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

#103

Post by actuator »

2Gkashmiri wrote: post #79
jammucoder wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My friend, although I feel the same as you about the 2G connectivity issue, I should remind you that just 3 years before 370 abrogation, schools in Kashmir were shut for 8 Months [1] after the killing of Terrorist by security forces. This is the J&K I have grown up in. "Stopping terrorism" sounds like just another narrative, but not to those who have lived with its consequences. [1] https://www.indiatoday.in/india/st…

what is your point? that its okay to actively prevent schoolchildren from studying? how does it matter schools were shut for 8 months 3 years ago. the point is, with the current pandemic, schoolchildren are stuck at home anyways and denying them high speed internet is denying them access to education. plain and simple. you argue because its been done before so everyone is used to it and thats somehow okay? its not

Although a very unfair comparison, and I don't agree with it. But I think his point was three years back people were more than willing to protest for an "armed millitant"[1] and a lot of that was organized through social media.

But this doesn't mean it is right, internet is a fundamental right at this point. You can't just deprive people from it with a blanket ban.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burhan_Wani

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

#104

Post by dmix »

I've noticed this in other countries where there are accusations of rigging the results that the ratios always super high, in this case 80%.

If you're going to fake an election result that had some legitimate measurable opposition, why make it so extremely high? Does that mean nearly every vote counting place is rigged and it's so bad they don't even bother hiding it?

Just like when Crimea voted to join Russia it was 97% [1]. People use it as justification pretty widely but it's also hard to tell what's true in such an environment. It's nearly impossible to trust such a number, even if a majority potentially existed.

Note: I'm not suggesting it's at all accurate but it makes it all the more outrageous and suspicious. The protests are then predictable.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Crimean_status_referendum

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

#105

Post by sschueller »

brightball wrote: post #99

This is why I’m excited about Starlink.

Starlink is not the solution. A private entity then decides who gets what and the US government will also meddle in what is allowed.

Do you think Starlink would be allowed to route TikTok traffic if it got banned?

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

#106

Post by jacquesm »

dmix wrote: post #104

I've noticed this in other countries where there are accusations of rigging the results that the ratios always super high, in this case 80%. If you're going to fake an election result that had some legitimate measurable opposition, why make it so extremely high? Does that mean nearly every vote counting place is rigged and it's so bad they don't even bother hiding it? Just like when Crimea voted to join Russia it was…

Fear. By going for 80% they play it safe. If they would aim for 55% they might just end up losing if the other side comes out even more on top than predicted. So you stuff as much as your margin of error dictates that you should.

In this case they were apparently afraid of a 75-25% loss, to make up for that you'd have to aim for an 80/20 win or accept a real chance that your stuffing will end up being inadequate.

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

#107

Post by throw1234651234 »

enkid wrote: post #45
est31 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any country which has the capability of shooting down satellites has more influence than countries which can't do it. But even a country with like 100 million residents, if it doesn't have a space program (or someone protecting it with a space program), it doesn't have much of a say.

Countries that have that capability can't shoot down 40000 of them.

If this becomes a thing, they will put a laser on a satellite and call it a day. All of the big 3 (military, not economically, you know who I am talking about) can do this easily.

edit: In response to below - they are putting SHORAD lasers on Strykers soon. Things have become a lot more compact.

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

#108

Post by jonny_eh »

dmix wrote: post #104

I've noticed this in other countries where there are accusations of rigging the results that the ratios always super high, in this case 80%. If you're going to fake an election result that had some legitimate measurable opposition, why make it so extremely high? Does that mean nearly every vote counting place is rigged and it's so bad they don't even bother hiding it? Just like when Crimea voted to join Russia it was…

Benford's Law can provide better confirmation that something is afoot.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benford%27s_law

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

#109

Post by dagav »

dmix wrote: post #104

I've noticed this in other countries where there are accusations of rigging the results that the ratios always super high, in this case 80%. If you're going to fake an election result that had some legitimate measurable opposition, why make it so extremely high? Does that mean nearly every vote counting place is rigged and it's so bad they don't even bother hiding it? Just like when Crimea voted to join Russia it was…

It's possible that they fake enough votes to ensure a victory (like 51%), and then the real votes come in and turn the result into something unrealistic.

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

#110

Post by actuator »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #97
echlebek wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

> I don't see how the actions of India create legal precedence in Belarus? It's a precedent for the world ignoring such actions.

I honestly don't think any country in the world cares at this point. There are far worse things world has ignored, I hardly think this needed a precedent.
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