Slashdot Mirror
The Internet Black Hole That Is North Korea
Nrbelex writes "While other restrictive regimes have sought to find ways to limit the Internet — through filters and blocks and threats — North Korea has chosen to stay wholly off the grid. The New York Times discusses the total lack of 'net access facing the North Korean state, and what it means in the long term." From the article: "The South was illuminated from coast to coast, suggesting that not just lights, but that other, arguably more bedrock utility of the modern age -- information -- was pulsating through the population. The North was black. This is an impoverished country where televisions and radios are hard-wired to receive only government-controlled frequencies. Cellphones were banned outright in 2004. In May, the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York ranked North Korea No. 1 -- over also-rans like Burma, Syria and Uzbekistan -- on its list of the '10 Most Censored Countries.' That would seem to leave the question of Internet access in North Korea moot."
And the biggest issue here is the lack of internet access for citizens? That's really like no news. The internet hasn't been that long with us so how can you even think that it could be available in a such poor and controlled country. What you should be conserned about is their basic needs, food, healthcare, farming machinery etc. Of course internet, if it was available for them by some miracle, could help them break free from the crazy leader but still, that's like climbing to a tree backwards.
That's one less third-world country I have to add to my server's firewall blocking rules!
Funny thing you mentioned...
On the other hand, most (90% i guess) of my spam advertise services/products which the contact is someone in the U.S. (a so-called 1st-world country), despiste the fact I do not live there.
Considering this, I would say the root of the problem is not really those poor countries.
The Internet. Yeah. Gret thing. Usefull tool. Fun plaything.
Ultimate requirement as a definition of a states wellbeing? Hell no.
The arrogance of suggesting the internet supercedes items such as newspapers, phones (remember those things? No IP, just voice -> voltage -> voice), hell, even a decent postal service is laughable.
North Korea? Yeah, the place sucks. I haven't lived there, but I have visited, and even by what could be seen from the touristy approved areas it's not a good place. That's not the point of my post.
kartune85 : Incapable of reason, observation or learning. A kind of dim, drab, flightless parrot.
Cutting off Internet access is sort of like imposing economic sanctions on yourself.
In North Korea's case though, it's not like the citizens have any money that they'd spend on anything via the Internet though.
Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
Do not be born in a country ruled by a paranoid dictator.
Best of luck.
How many problems do they have with terrorists? I can see Bush trying to implement such a "security" plan. I mean, someone has to think of the children!
-Rick
"Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs
Nah. I think organized religion holds the title for that one.