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US Internet "Kill Switch"

doppelganger

doppelganger

Through the Looking Glass
Study the way information control is used in covert operations and by military dictatorships throughout history and it's rather obvious why you wouldn't want the same people with the incentive to disable communications to be the ones who also decide when an "immanent threat" justifying disabling communications has arisen.

When it comes to power over other people's lives, whether it's in the hands of a politician, a corporate executive or a religious leader, it is prudent to assume the worst and enact procedural protections before there's a problem.
 
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angellous_evangellous

Guest
doppelgänger;2338494 said:
Study the way information control is used in covert operations and by military dictatorships throughout history and it's rather obvious why you wouldn't want the same people with the incentive to disable communications to be the ones who also decide when an "immanent threat" justifying disabling communications has arisen.

When it comes to power over other people's lives, whether it's in the hands of a politician, a corporate executive or a religious leader, it is prudent to assume the worst and enact procedural protections before there's a problem.
Click to expand...

That reminds me. Cutting off communications is an act of war -- it's what try to do to the enemy to hinder what they are trying to do.

Cutting off the communications of American citizens would be an act of war against itself. It just doesn't make sense. Unless, of course, as in the case of dictatorships like Burma, the government is the enemy of the people.
 
horizon_mj1

horizon_mj1

Well-Known Member
Another thing to consider if "the kill switch" is thrown, is that citizens would have no way to communicate information that could stop pertinent information reaching proper authorities as well as worried family members. I guess in this one you can say I have torn feelings.
 
9-10ths_Penguin

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
horizon_mj1 said:
Another thing to consider if "the kill switch" is thrown, is that citizens would have no way to communicate information that could stop pertinent information reaching proper authorities as well as worried family members. I guess in this one you can say I have torn feelings.
Click to expand...
Not only that, but the article talks about using the "kill switch" to prevent attacks on financial institutions or personal bank accounts.

But here's the thing: I don't know about you, but the vast majority of my purchases are cashless. I pay my bills online and buy my groceries on my debit card. Shutting down the internet would literally interfere with my ability to heat my home and feed myself.
 
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angellous_evangellous

Guest
horizon_mj1 said:
Another thing to consider if "the kill switch" is thrown, is that citizens would have no way to communicate information that could stop pertinent information reaching proper authorities as well as worried family members. I guess in this one you can say I have torn feelings.
Click to expand...

I wonder also how many "first responders" use the internet and cell phones for their own communications and data management?
 
9-10ths_Penguin

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
angellous_evangellous said:
I wonder also how many "first responders" use the internet and cell phones for their own communications and data management?
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Individual organizations usually have their own communication systems that can operate independently, but often, communication between organizations (e.g. from one fire department to another, or from the police to the ambulance service) uses the regular phone and internet lines.
 
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angellous_evangellous

Guest
Boy, these Congressmen have really gone loony tunes.

I wonder what will happen when they finally figure out that they can't watch their daily porn.
 
Kilgore Trout

Kilgore Trout

Misanthropic Humanist
I don't even want to imagine what would happen if people couldn't tweet or update their facebook status. It's too horrible to even contemplate.
 
Revoltingest

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
angellous_evangellous said:
I order pizza online.
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I bet that's how they'll justify it....people buy things across state lines using the internet, so the Interstate Commerce Clause would give the
fed some limited authority. The problem is that so many people are anti-"states rights", that politicians will seize more power than granted
in the Constitution, & control what can be communicated within a state. Taken to ridiculous extreme, states might need to control internet
traffic across state lines, thereby severing connection with the outside world to defeat federal authority. If they get away with this, what is
the future of cloud computing. I certainly wouldn't want my software & data available on-line only.
If the gov't can get away with the internet kill switch, what would stop them from ending phone service, broadcast TV/radio, roads, etc?
 
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9-10ths_Penguin

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Revoltingest said:
I bet that's how they'll justify it....people buy things across state lines using the internet, so the Interstate Commerce Clause would give the
fed some limited authority.
Click to expand...
They also buy things across national borders using the internet, so I wonder if NAFTA could come into play.

If it can be used to thwart Canadian environmental laws as "barriers to trade", maybe it could be used in this case as well.
 
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