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Tools behind Belarus internet censorship potentially revealed:
According to a Bloomberg report, the technology used to block much of the internet access during the recent presidential elections in Belarus has come from a US-based company.
The report states that Sandvine Inc., had supplied the necessary equipment to the Lukashenko government a few months earlier through an intermediary.
On August 9, Belarus held the presidential elections where Alexander Lukashenko was elected for the sixth consecutive time. However, the Election Day was marked by irregularities that cast doubt on the transparency of the elections.
In addition to the barricades built by security forces that prevented the passage of civilians to Minsk, Belarus' capital, the internet services in the country had a major disruption that affected access to websites such as social networks, news pages, and messaging applications.
The disruption lasted for up to three days, and there are still websites that are inaccessible in a normal way, so citizens need to use tools such as VPNs or specialized browsers.
[...] This would not be the first time the technology has been accused of being used to repress a nation. Citizen Lab, a Toronto security firm, had indicated that in 2018 equipment from this manufacturer was used in internet blocks that occurred in Egypt and Turkey. Sandvine Inc. said this investigation was false.
(Score: 1, Offtopic) by Tokolosh on Sunday August 30 2020, @02:54AM (6 children)
I look forward to the day when Mr. Musk airdrops UFOs on sticks to any place that has lost internet connectivity - naughty autocrats, natural disasters, incompetence, whatever.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 30 2020, @03:26AM (1 child)
Airdropped corndogs and beer beat UFOs on sticks any day.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Runaway1956 on Sunday August 30 2020, @05:36AM
QOTD: Take your Senator to lunch this week.
Can we just airdrop some senators and congressmen on sticks? We could think up a cool name - like - ohhhhh - how about "Shitkabob"?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday August 30 2020, @06:36AM (3 children)
Not just any place?
Elon Musk's plan to blanket Earth in high-speed internet may face a big threat: China [businessinsider.com]
This article in Hong Kong's SCMP (not long for this world?) is much more optimistic [scmp.com]:
But not this one: Does Elon Musk’s dream of satellite internet for all matter to anyone in China? [scmp.com]
Wherever governments are incapable of stopping it, it could flourish. Egypt [wikipedia.org] would be one example. All you need are smuggled in user terminals. Also, SpaceX has to get intersatellite links working, which they haven't done at all with v1.0 satellites.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Tokolosh on Sunday August 30 2020, @03:11PM (2 children)
A Chinese attack on Starlink would result in a Kessler syndrome and massive collateral consequences for China. I don't think they will risk it.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday August 30 2020, @03:27PM (1 child)
No Kessler syndrome in LEO.
China could also try jamming or tracking the users, or could exercise pressure on Musk some other way. Like booting Tesla out of the country.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Sunday August 30 2020, @03:37PM
If China starts blowing up satellites, I will assume theirs will be pulverized also. I doubt very much it is very one sided either way. The best thing for Musk to do is to put up a heavy swarm of satellites that are more difficult to pin down. That should work until the laser cannons are deployed.
No of these people care about "freedom", they do what is necessary to stay in business.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..