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Egypt has shut off the Internet (update: not everywhere)

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Re: Egypt has shut off the Internet (update: not everywhere)

#61

Post by rhizome »

jerf wrote: post #40
Zak wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Passing a law like that means they'll put in the infrastructure to actually do it. If things deteriorate significantly in the US, it is likely that attempting to gain the ability to shut down the internet would directly trigger some sort of civil unrest while now it only triggers angry blog posts.

I am at a loss as to what this additional infrastructure really permits that having lots of armored men with guns does not. Armored men with guns are a flexible bunch, they can do lots of things. The marginal distinction to the person in power between pressing a button and ordering other people to go shut the net down is pretty minimal; it's not like without this switch, the President is going to actually have go out…

The additional infrastructure would permit it to be used sooner than it would if they only had "armed men" to do the job. Strawmen aside, if it's available, it will be used. I don't think it should be easy to do something like this.

EDIT: removed Emergency Broadcast System analogy.

Re: Egypt has shut off the Internet (update: not everywhere)

#62

Post by GHFigs »

Zak wrote: post #18

I read this, and become more concerned about bills to give the US President an Internet kill-switch. They say it's to protect against cyber-warfare, but something makes me think it's just as likely to be applied to civil unrest, and civil unrest doesn't usually happen unless there's something pretty wrong with the government.

They say it's to protect against cyber-warfare

And if it is?

Re: Egypt has shut off the Internet (update: not everywhere)

#63

Post by madmaze »

bennysaurus wrote: post #43
hoag wrote: post #11

Just a friendly heads-up that everyone should help spread the word for people in Egypt (and anywhere else with blocked/censored Internet) to download and start using AnchorFree's Hotspot Shield as soon as possible. I've even started using it here in the States for maximum online security.

No ISP connectivity isn't blocked/censored internet, the ISP links are down completely. There isn't a possible way to get through something that isn't even connected. Ham radio is funnily enough a better solution.

I guess we should all figure out how to broadcast over ham radio again =)

Re: Egypt has shut off the Internet (update: not everywhere)

#64

Post by redthrowaway »

jerf wrote: post #33
Zak wrote: post #18

I read this, and become more concerned about bills to give the US President an Internet kill-switch. They say it's to protect against cyber-warfare, but something makes me think it's just as likely to be applied to civil unrest, and civil unrest doesn't usually happen unless there's something pretty wrong with the government.

Well, good news, it doesn't matter. If the situation has deteriorated to that point, the government will just do it anyhow. I don't support the bill anyhow, because I'm not really a "let's just give one central authority all the power because why not?" kind of guy, but honestly, there's not much point worrying about that particular kind of misuse of that particular power. Standard martial law concepts would probably…

It does matter, because the government can kill dissent without declaring martial law and giving legitimacy to protests. It's a far more preferable option for them.

Re: Egypt has shut off the Internet (update: not everywhere)

#69

Post by gregsadetsky »

leppie wrote: post #65
kingkawn wrote: post #60

link is dead as of at least 01/28/11, 12:45 AM (EST)

Dang, just missed it! Anyone got a cached copy?

Unfortunately, no. However these two articles (taken from Techmeme) are very interesting as they are basing their observations on the number of affected BGP routes:

http://www.renesys.com/blog/2011/01/egypt-leaves-the-interne...

List of all affected networks -- seems like a very few are still holding up (Noor's name comes up again and again... for now) http://bgpmon.net/blog/?p=450

Re: Egypt has shut off the Internet (update: not everywhere)

#70

Post by danenania »

jemfinch wrote: post #53
danenania wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know, it seems that way, but Americans might be the most docile population on earth. There's no way I'd believe they could get away with all the shit they have in the last decade with nothing but token complaints from the masses if it hadn't already happened. If the end of the internet in America was decreed tomorrow, sure it would be a monumental logistical challenge for the NSA, but there's always the Fed to pr…

Americans may be docile, but businesses and corporations are not. What do you think the proprietors of the thousands of POPs across America are going to tell the feds who come to shut them down? What do you think Google or Microsoft or Facebook are going to say when the government tries to cut off their primary source of income? Do you really think the same corporations that extensively lobby the government now are g…

"What do you think Google or Microsoft or Facebook are going to say when the government tries to cut off their primary source of income?"

They're going to say: "how much will you pay us to help you do it?" The answer will be "a lot" as it's always been. And the answer if they don't comply will be "you're finished". Standard mafioso tactics. Are you really expecting giant corporations to have principles at all, not to mention principles they are willing to sacrifice themselves for? Anyone within who suggests they should will hastily be shown the door. That's how the modern corporation is structured. The filthily rich throughout history haven't exactly been the harbingers of revolution.

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