Censorship
By T3hG33k
@T3hG33k (215)
United States
February 25, 2008 9:34am CST
Do you think internet censorship from countries like China, Brazil, Thailand, and the latest from Pakistan is something that will actually work? I am disgusted by it but also think that it is unlikely these countries can even block certain parts of the internet. Through things like proxies, hundreds of alternative websites, "email proxies," and other types of workarounds I don't see how a country can censor the internet unless the completely disallow it.
1 response
@quetzalcoatl2435 (222)
• Indonesia
25 Feb 08
I think that it will be possible to some degree. The government in such countries can threaten every ISP in their country to apply filtering, with threat of penalty or operating license revoke. But as most software, people will find a way to go around such protection. That's why there is no perfect security software against the power of the internet. There will always be people who can and will break any security software. No firewall is 100% safe against incoming attack, and as such, no filtering software will be able to filter everything unwanted... The mind is a dangerous thing. :)
1 person likes this
@T3hG33k (215)
• United States
25 Feb 08
I think workarounds are a key thing here. Honestly the may slow down the process of eliminating internet censorship though. Basically, my thought is that there will be a long running cat and mouse game with the governments ITs/politicians and the end-user. If no one used workarounds (or the didn't know of any) then people would simply have to revolt like protesting for example. But, peoples ability to get around filters will likely delay this process because there is no reason to revolt if you can access the internet uncensored. Is my logic incorrect here? I know it seems a bit odd to think this way but I still think that it makes sense.
@quetzalcoatl2435 (222)
• Indonesia
25 Feb 08
You're logic is quite correct, these governments can be quite oppressive. Remember Tiananmen, 1989? That's why I think the people will find a workaround for the filters, before resorting to public revolt, because they know a public revolt would only cause lives lost and more pressure from from the government. I remember reading the newspaper about Pakistan, when president Musharraf announced the country in a state of emergency and prohibited all TV and radio stations from announcing news that was not approved by the government. The Pakistanis just went out and buy satellite receivers and antennae. That way, they can still get news from foreign news agencies. Public revolt is the "last resort" for these people, because of the possible consequences. So whenever a workaround is possible, it is also much preferable. Imagine, news of a workaround for the filtering in these countries would spread like fire...
