<story><title>Flicking the kill switch: governments embrace internet shutdowns</title><url>https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/aug/29/flicking-the-kill-switch-governments-embrace-internet-shutdowns-as-a-form-of-control</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>ryandrake</author><text>Protests happened before the Internet. Before telephones, even. Neither are a requirement for people to communicate and organize.</text></item><item><author>sojournerc</author><text>How would you organize protest with the government controlling communication? You have far more trust in the good will of those in power than I do.</text></item><item><author>3pt14159</author><text>In my opinion, this is a good thing. It&amp;#x27;s akin to disconnecting gas mains during a bombing run or similar. War is war and we need real defensive measures for broad cyberattack.&lt;p&gt;If it gets misused then we&amp;#x27;ll protest, etc.&lt;p&gt;Edit: You can downvote if you like, but this comment of mine isn&amp;#x27;t made in bad faith. It&amp;#x27;s fair to worry about a global cyberwar and fair to point out that in-person protests are still a viable response to abuse.</text></item><item><author>perihelions</author><text>The US has this capability too. It&amp;#x27;s an expansive power and largely unchecked.&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;techcrunch.com&amp;#x2F;2020&amp;#x2F;10&amp;#x2F;22&amp;#x2F;representatives-propose-bill-limiting-presidential-internet-kill-switch&amp;#x2F;&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;techcrunch.com&amp;#x2F;2020&amp;#x2F;10&amp;#x2F;22&amp;#x2F;representatives-propose-bi...&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;i&gt;&amp;quot;
Representatives propose bill limiting presidential internet ‘kill switch’&amp;quot;&lt;/i&gt;)</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>jasonjayr</author><text>But times change and so has technology.&lt;p&gt;Adversaries have access to this technology too, and it&amp;#x27;s a power multiplier.  If they can shut down access to those they are oppressing, then they become far too powerful.&lt;p&gt;Yes, protesters can still protest, but without access to the same tech that those they are protesting can use, they can be out-organized, their voice muted, and their effectiveness minimized.</text></comment>
<story><title>Flicking the kill switch: governments embrace internet shutdowns</title><url>https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/aug/29/flicking-the-kill-switch-governments-embrace-internet-shutdowns-as-a-form-of-control</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>ryandrake</author><text>Protests happened before the Internet. Before telephones, even. Neither are a requirement for people to communicate and organize.</text></item><item><author>sojournerc</author><text>How would you organize protest with the government controlling communication? You have far more trust in the good will of those in power than I do.</text></item><item><author>3pt14159</author><text>In my opinion, this is a good thing. It&amp;#x27;s akin to disconnecting gas mains during a bombing run or similar. War is war and we need real defensive measures for broad cyberattack.&lt;p&gt;If it gets misused then we&amp;#x27;ll protest, etc.&lt;p&gt;Edit: You can downvote if you like, but this comment of mine isn&amp;#x27;t made in bad faith. It&amp;#x27;s fair to worry about a global cyberwar and fair to point out that in-person protests are still a viable response to abuse.</text></item><item><author>perihelions</author><text>The US has this capability too. It&amp;#x27;s an expansive power and largely unchecked.&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;techcrunch.com&amp;#x2F;2020&amp;#x2F;10&amp;#x2F;22&amp;#x2F;representatives-propose-bill-limiting-presidential-internet-kill-switch&amp;#x2F;&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;techcrunch.com&amp;#x2F;2020&amp;#x2F;10&amp;#x2F;22&amp;#x2F;representatives-propose-bi...&lt;/a&gt; (&lt;i&gt;&amp;quot;
Representatives propose bill limiting presidential internet ‘kill switch’&amp;quot;&lt;/i&gt;)</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>salawat</author><text>You&amp;#x27;re being disingenuous. Think about this. The authorities wouldn&amp;#x27;t blanket shut down the Internet, they&amp;#x27;d do it for the protesting populace, but leave their own access untouched. Protests largely suceeded in prior times because the capabilities of the populace vs. the government were largely symmetrical.&lt;p&gt;That would not be the case in this instance. You (the protestors) would be back to runners, unencrypted radio&amp;#x2F;code. They&amp;#x27;d still have the modern comm suite.&lt;p&gt;It doesn&amp;#x27;t make things impossible for protestors, but it greatly shifts things in the government&amp;#x27;s favor for containment and ability to sustain itself against a now unconsenting populace. Always remember asymmetry will be employed as early and often as possible.</text></comment>