Live data from Hacker News

San Francisco library turning off WiFi at night to keep homeless from using it

theverge.com

21–30 of 184 posts

Re: San Francisco library turning off WiFi at night to keep homeless from using it

#21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

in hopes the Castro neighborhood’s unhoused population would move on. We really need to implement solutions better than "go be homeless somewhere else."

In NYC the DHS intakes and beds 60,000 homeless people _every single night_. To say that there aren't solutions in place is incorrect. At least in NYC, the folks you see sleeping on sidewalks have broadly chosen that position over a bed in a shelter. It's a point of pride for many New Yorkers that if you're homeless and willing to get clean, the city will provide a bed for you every night. https://www.nyc.gov/assets/…

Are there similar services for people who won't or can't get clean?

Re: San Francisco library turning off WiFi at night to keep homeless from using it

#22

"No porn for you" Probably some dumbass in the department that came up with this agenda. Okay, what is that going to solve? Maybe, just maybe come up with a plan to help these folks instead of kicking them down even further. I love it when politicians flex with "We are the greatest country on earth" STFU. You are not. Take care of your people.

Bragging about how great they are, while walking over and shooing away all the unemployed, hungry, desperate, and destitute around them.

> Take care of your people...

Don't view or consider them as their people, and in some cases, don't even think of them as people at all.

Re: San Francisco library turning off WiFi at night to keep homeless from using it

#23
The funny thing is that Chris Sacca was going to get SF city-wide WiFi, but the supervisors stopped him because they're razor focused on what matters for them: their career.

It makes sense that local residents would do this. Internet Access is to us humans like light to a moth. But we could have been moths that were forever lit.

Re: San Francisco library turning off WiFi at night to keep homeless from using it

#24
post #3

Kinda goes against the ALA Library Bill of Rights to deny the homeless access to information. Rather than blocking access, they should've just throttled it and enforced a captive portal every 15 minutes after hours.

So they should make it really annoying so they can pretend they’re maintaining open access but still try take something away from a group of people who already have next to nothing?

Go be homeless somewhere else is not a practical solution and never has been.

Re: San Francisco library turning off WiFi at night to keep homeless from using it

#25
everyone acting so shocked here probably hasn’t had your home robbed, your car windows broken, or been assaulted and/or robbed by a drugged out bum.

at some point enough is enough and they gotta go.

i think it’s a juvenile attitude to look down your nose at the endless victims and tell them to just be more understanding of the hardships the homeless face.

Re: San Francisco library turning off WiFi at night to keep homeless from using it

#26
post #4
post #3

Kinda goes against the ALA Library Bill of Rights to deny the homeless access to information. Rather than blocking access, they should've just throttled it and enforced a captive portal every 15 minutes after hours.

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill Which item specifically? Having "open hours" seems reasonable.

[deleted]

Re: San Francisco library turning off WiFi at night to keep homeless from using it

#27

Every day I start to believe more and more that people won't stop with homelessness until every homeless person is dead. "Emergency housing is a drain on taxpayer dollars." "Job placement is taking jobs away from locals." "Soup kitchens are another drain on taxpayer money." "Homeless services are a waste of money." It makes me sick how people can act when it comes to the homeless population when so many of us are jus…

I don’t think many people just want to fuck over homeless people, I think they don’t perceive these programs are effective—they don’t perceive the desired inverse correlation between increase in social spending and reduction in homelessness/poverty (possibly because they’re told by parties with malicious interests that these programs aren’t effective).

Re: San Francisco library turning off WiFi at night to keep homeless from using it

#28
post #3

Kinda goes against the ALA Library Bill of Rights to deny the homeless access to information. Rather than blocking access, they should've just throttled it and enforced a captive portal every 15 minutes after hours.

I would guess it isn't the librarians asking for the wifi to be turned off at night.

Re: San Francisco library turning off WiFi at night to keep homeless from using it

#29

>Neighbors of the library collaborated with the city to urge the library to turn off its Wi-Fi at night in hopes the Castro neighborhood’s unhoused population would move on. Theoretically, wifi access could help people move on by giving them the network access even old tech could use to look for jobs, living situations, long-lost relatives, access e-counseling and telehealth visits, etc. It's not the only thing the h…

in hopes the Castro neighborhood’s unhoused population would move on. We really need to implement solutions better than "go be homeless somewhere else."

[deleted]

Re: San Francisco library turning off WiFi at night to keep homeless from using it

#30
post #25

everyone acting so shocked here probably hasn’t had your home robbed, your car windows broken, or been assaulted and/or robbed by a drugged out bum. at some point enough is enough and they gotta go. i think it’s a juvenile attitude to look down your nose at the endless victims and tell them to just be more understanding of the hardships the homeless face.

So what is your proposed solution? All I hear is "they gotta go". Go where? On who's dime?
Post reply on HN