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Libya Warns Against Use of Facebook

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the don't-do-that dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Many Libyan Internet activists have declared their support for the pro-democracy movements and revolutions in the Middle East. After seeing the power of the people succeed in Tunisia and Egypt, they created groups on Facebook to call for political and economic reforms in Libya. Libya's dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, has responded by warning against the use of Facebook."

7 of 146 comments (clear)

  1. There are many reasons to beware of Facebook. by Kenja · · Score: 4, Insightful

    But this isn't one of them.

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
    1. Re:There are many reasons to beware of Facebook. by ElectricTurtle · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think you wildly conflate "support" with "acquiescence". A dictator can maintain power so long as the majority would rather not act against him. They don't have to like, let alone act positively toward, that administration.

      --
      I support the Slashcott and will not be reading or commenting from 2/10/14 to 2/17/14. Beta is steaming pile of dog shit
  2. Here we go again by Lyrata · · Score: 5, Funny

    Help, help, I'm being repressed!

    --
    50,000 characters used to live here.
    1. Re:Here we go again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      LIKE!

  3. Then Warn Against the Internet! by BoRegardless · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The "old guard" has no clue. Stiffling communication today will not work much longer.

    The free information exchange makes people want to be free.

    1. Re:Then Warn Against the Internet! by LWATCDR · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I wouldn't bet on that. You sure do not hear about any protests in North Korea.
      I fear that the dictators of the world have learned well from this. If you are going to be a dictator be a brutal ruthless dictator. Watch the news and will see that now when protesters show up tanks will too and not a show of force but as brutal force.
      It is easy to talk about an uncrushable human spirit when you do not have a tank crushing your, your wife's, and or you children's bodies. Yep the old guard has learned well. No half measures anymore. If you are going to rule then rule with a brutal iron fist. Welcome to the world of unintended consequences. The results of the Internet revolution may be getting ride of the just moderately bad dictators but creating more really brutal ones.
      BTW just to be clear I REALLY HOPE I TURN OUT TO BE WRONG.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
    2. Re:Then Warn Against the Internet! by Turn-X+Alphonse · · Score: 4, Insightful

      People don't want to be free, they want the illusion of freedom while being kept safe, The Internet isn't making people want freedom, it's showing them behind the curtain and the corruption there.

      --
      I like muppets.