Internet disrupted in Pakistan amid arrest of former PM Imran Khan

Post by dingledork69 » Wed, May 10, 2023, 1:11 AM UTC

alephnerd wrote: post #59

dingledork69 wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> How do you access said apps? Sent to you via bluetooth file sharing (an OS feature) by someone else who already has it. Or tor, vpn, etc.

How do you download a Tor client if every repository providing it is blocked by default? What if Bluetooth File Sharing is disabled via a region lock? (Eg. China) What if the only VPNs allowed are those that have prior approval from an Interior Ministry? What if a country initiates Internet Whitelisting at the ISP level for "national security reasons" and requires every user to maintain access logs?

Post by Scoundreller » Wed, May 10, 2023, 1:12 AM UTC

mlyle wrote: post #11

skeaker wrote: post #6

I would like to believe there is a future where blocking access to the internet is unilaterally impossible. Major powers being able to pull the rug on what has become a foundation of modern society like this is too scary of a thing to allow. What could the answer be? Satellite-powered relays and DIY-able user devices to talk to them?

Maybe the internet as a whole is intractable. But perhaps we can get a meaningful digest of snapshots of the important stuff that can work over slow links, intermittent links, and one-way links? Perhaps we can mechanize the selection of important content. The real question is how you do this in a way that doesn't encourage one-sided propaganda, sybil attacks, etc. I'm reminded of systems like Secure Scuttlebutt and t…

Post by anaganisk » Wed, May 10, 2023, 1:12 AM UTC

n_t wrote: post #44

mey wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That doesn't preclude empathy for fellow humans, or wishing for a better future.

Please don't obfuscate things here. Both OP and I are talking about Pakistani state. We all are aware that individual (particularly sane ones) have minimal control on government policies.

Post by mlyle » Wed, May 10, 2023, 1:14 AM UTC

lazide wrote: post #69

mlyle wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but we're not talking about Starlink. I'm talking about Othernet, which I mentioned above. It is receive only-- not an uplink. (I'm sure a tiny bit of RF leaks out of the LNB, but that could be mitigated as it is not designed for stealth).

Sounds useless for the internet (where every protocol is fundamentally two way), but great for ‘Radio America’ type broadcasts. Of course, so is shortwave. definitely not solving the same ‘problem’ at all though.

Post by mlyle » Wed, May 10, 2023, 1:14 AM UTC

Scoundreller wrote: post #73

mlyle wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe the internet as a whole is intractable. But perhaps we can get a meaningful digest of snapshots of the important stuff that can work over slow links, intermittent links, and one-way links? Perhaps we can mechanize the selection of important content. The real question is how you do this in a way that doesn't encourage one-sided propaganda, sybil attacks, etc. I'm reminded of systems like Secure Scuttlebutt and t…

I think Othernet is really cool. Don't even need a big dish. In 2kbps, they fit in RSS news feeds (BBC, Al Jazeera, Boing Boing, and others), APRS messages, WikiNews, global winds report, a daily Voice of America news report. Currently only works in Europe and North America, but nice to know there's a middle-of-no-where service that doesn't require a sub that gives you some barebones info from the outside world. Ther…