Venezuela's Chavez To Limit Internet Freedom

terets1 writes "Reuters reports that Venezuela's leader, Hugo Chavez, issued a call on Saturday for 'internet controls' to prevent rumors and inaccurate reporting from spreading. He specifically cited a case in which a website incorrectly reported that a senior minister had been assassinated and kept the story up for two days. Many of Venezuela's opposition movements use social networking sites to communicate. It is not apparent at this time exactly what kind of controls Chavez has in mind or whether those controls will be similar to the controls in Iran that have been used to silence opposition movements. Chavez said, 'The Internet cannot be something open where anything is said and done. Every country has to apply its own rules and norms.'"

Comments

Context

[H4x0r Jim Duggan]

This sort of thing will not be considered in Europe or North America, and us residents of those places will pat ourselves on the back for our love of liberty...

The difference between Venezuela and our countries is that in our countries, the ruling class own both the media and politicians. In Venezuela, they just own the media.

Chavez has some bad policies, and we're right to criticise those policies, but the context is important for forming an accurate opinion rather than a knee-jerk chauvinist one.

Re:Not according to Sean Penn

[Scrameustache]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/11/sean-penn-hugo-chavez-venezuela

Wonder who is classified a dictator in his mind...

Since I don't think Chavez is a dictator, and I can't speak for Penn, let me show you an example of someone I think of as a dictator.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pervez_Musharraf#Emergency_declared_in_Pakistan
Emergency declared in Pakistan
On 3 November 2007 Musharraf declared emergency rule across Pakistan. He suspended the Constitution, imposed State of Emergency, and fired the chief justice of the Supreme Court.[87] While addressing the nation on State Television, Musharraf declared that the state of emergency was imposed in the country. In Islamabad, troops entered the Supreme Court building, arrested the judges and kept them under detention in their homes. Troops were deployed inside state-run TV and radio stations, while independent channels went off air.

Bush More Emphatic In Backing Musharraf
President Bush yesterday offered his strongest support of embattled Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, saying the general "hasn't crossed the line" and "truly is somebody who believes in democracy."
Bush spoke nearly three weeks after Musharraf declared emergency rule, sacked members of the Supreme Court and began a roundup of journalists, lawyers and human rights activists.

Re:Way to go

[Scrameustache]

Wait, wait, were you here when the coup happened?

Nope, saw the documentary filmed by those who were there, and then went and read every bit of old news I could find on the subject. Then I read up on the recent history of Venezuela, read up amnesty international reports from before and after the Chavez era. You know, good ol' book learning, 21st century style.

Now, the rest of you comment was incoherent, care to try it again?

Re:The same kind of policies...

[Runaway1956]

Anyone would be an utter moron, if he were to trust any single news source. An intelligent person will read as many different sources as he can find the time to read, and compare & evaluate what he reads.

Faux news exists for the convenience of the conservative utter morons.

Re:Way to go

[binarylarry]

I don't think you're going to be able to argument with this brainwashed nutjob.