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Iran's internet blackout may become permanent, with access for elites only

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Re: Iran's internet blackout may become permanent, with access for elites only

#231

Post by vintermann »

Nursie wrote: post #225
vintermann wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not literally the same of course. But you should wonder, how much of the difference is due just differences in how much they need to do? If South American dictatorships could have their way with less blood and less noise, don't you think they would prefer that? I'm reminded of a tragicomic recent admission from Nate Silver of 538 fame. He said Disney almost never interfered in their editorial process, as if that…

I mean, given that is hasn't worked and hundreds of people have continued to stand up and be arrested for supporting Palestine Action, I'd say that's a no? It still stinks through and through of course.

It hasn't worked in changing policy, or meaningfully changing who's in charge. Currently the government is getting its way with this sufficient level of brutality.

I think it's likely they will get still more scared that they won't, and ramp up the brutality accordingly.

The path forward is clear: Reform gets into power, builds their own paramilitary "immigration enforcement" groups a la ICE, and you get the occasional summary execution in the streets, along with arrests based on UKs unmatched surveillance system.

Re: Iran's internet blackout may become permanent, with access for elites only

#233

Post by direwolf20 »

mohsen1 wrote: post #145
_ink_ wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I there anything the outside world can do? Like are the people relying on https://snowflake.torproject.org/ and adding bandwidth there actually makes a difference?

Unfortunately if it's public the government can also see it and block it :(

Snowflake aims to make every IP address a Tor bridge. It hides Tor traffic inside something very similar to a video call, which works in a browser behind NAT.

Re: Iran's internet blackout may become permanent, with access for elites only

#234

Post by direwolf20 »

dybber wrote: post #5
weikju wrote: post #2

… while every other country waits to see how it goes while drafting plans to emulate this

That would really boost productivity! Not gonna happen.

Which country cares about productivity, besides China?

Re: Iran's internet blackout may become permanent, with access for elites only

#236

Post by direwolf20 »

lukan wrote: post #147
sigmar wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A company using legal action to protect their IP rights is so different from a theocratic dictatorship shutting down the entire Internet to prevent their overthrow. Perhaps you don't follow the news about Iran but these comments are incredibly daft.

You don't see a problem if private companies get the right to decide who to block from the internet, without any process?

That's freedom of market. You need to sue your ISP for contract breach, they said they'd provide internet access and didn't.

Re: Iran's internet blackout may become permanent, with access for elites only

#237

Post by direwolf20 »

hagbard_c wrote: post #148
FilosofumRex wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Iran is a democratic republic just like the 'democratic peoples republic' of North Korea is, i.e. not at all. It is remarkable how often entities which use the term 'democratic' do not live up to the concept it refers to

The rule is that the more times "people" appears in a country's name, the less free it is. The DPRK has it three times - in Greek, English, and Latin.

Re: Iran's internet blackout may become permanent, with access for elites only

#238

Post by ReptileMan »

dpe82 wrote: post #21
jobgh wrote: post #12

No shot. The economy is already in the gutter. The productivity hit of a total internet cutoff would be a death sentence

That assumes the regime cares more about the economic prosperity of their people than about staying in power. So far they seem to care more about power. North Korea provides a model for how terrible the situation can get for every day people in that sort of arrangement.

North Korea is effectively an island. Iran has many neighbors and long borders. They have no choice but to be at least semi integrated into the world and strong enough to defend themselves.

Re: Iran's internet blackout may become permanent, with access for elites only

#239

Post by g947o »

culi wrote: post #46
feverzsj wrote: post #44

It actually surprised me that they didn't do it before. China already achieved this in 2010s.

Have they though? Everybody I know who grew up in China has told me its trivial to bypass restrictions with VPNs

I suggest you take a look at the page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Firewall

Re: Iran's internet blackout may become permanent, with access for elites only

#240

Post by direwolf20 »

vintermann wrote: post #226
DrScientist wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No, it’s not the same as suppressing that speech by taking someone and holding them in a secret prison for years and/or killing them. Sure. Though in the UK I give you Julian Assange - 5 years in BellMarsh, mostly in total isolation as if he was some major threat.

And one thing Assange used to say over and over again, was that he was inspired by government attempts to suppress WikiLeaks releases, because that was evidence that they feared the information in them could actually change things. This is pretty much also the main thesis of Chomsky, and many other western dissidents (and some others too, e.g. Ai Weiwei): our leaders are as unaccountable and willing to use brutality…

Because we already obey them more than Iranians obey Iran.
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