EU Commissioner: We Cannot Allow ISP Disconnects

Fluffeh writes "The EU Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, has been making some interesting comments about privacy, copyright and many aspects of the digital age. Going so far as to quote the Free Software Foundation and Yochai Benkler, she says: 'Openness is also complex because sometimes it's unclear what it means. ... In the Arab Spring, many brave activists successfully used the open Internet to coordinate peaceful protests. In response, despotic governments sought to control or close down Internet access; and also used ICT tools as a tool of surveillance and repression. We cannot allow democratic voices to be silenced in that way. And I am committed to ensuring "No Disconnect" in countries that struggle for democracy. We must help such activists get around arbitrary disruptions to their basic freedoms.'"

Comments

So when it comes to 3 strikes....

[zarthrag]

Democracy for all....expect accused pirates?

Re:So when it comes to 3 strikes....

[Barabul]

They expect it too, except when they don't.

Re:So when it comes to 3 strikes....

[GameboyRMH]

No no, she said no disconnects for countries struggling for democracy. Once a country has something that resembles democracy you knock those fuckin' pirates right off the Internet.

Re:So when it comes to 3 strikes....

[MickyTheIdiot]

Seriously.. has democracy been redefined to mean "corporate state"?

What would happen if a "democracy" decides to ignore patents for the good of the people like some of the AIDS ravaged countries have done? Are they no longer a democracy?

The worst thing about living in the 21st century is the 1984-like twisting of words by governments to mean anything the heck they want them to me.

Re:So when it comes to 3 strikes....

[Anonymous Coward]

Seriously.. has democracy been redefined to mean "corporate state"?

Have you seen the laws that the UK has passed about the London olympics at the behest of the IOC? Criminalizing "unauthorized association" with the games? That's right, actually making it a criminal offense that the police will try to track down. All to protect the "sponsors", who pay about $800 million of the multi-billion-dollar price tag.

The modern Olympics are a cesspool of corruption hiding under the auspices of Sport.

Re:So when it comes to 3 strikes....

[Paracelcus]

It's OK to shut down access to the outside world if you are a bastion of "freedom" and "democracy" just like it's OK to torture, to imprison without trial, and kill without judicial oversight!

USA, USA, USA!

Re:So when it comes to 3 strikes....

[mspohr]

They have a lot more guns than you.
and bigger guns.
If you have a gun, it just gives them an excuse to kill you right now.

She's right

[Compaqt]

Europe and the US can't lecture 3rd world countries (and China) about democracy, openness, and freedom when they're cutting out all three.

What was really funny was the way the UK govt. wanted to shut down Facebook and Twitter because they thought that contributed to the recent riots. What's even more funny is how Iran's state news services called it an uprising, and not riots. Britain just lost all moral right to lecture anybody after that. (Of course, Iran had its own riots/uprising propelled by social media. Same thing.)

Overthrowing a government is fine ...

[DanZee]

Apparently, using the Internet to overthrow a government is allowed, but downloading a MP3 file will get you 10 years and a $250,000 fine!

Re:Overthrowing a government is fine ...

[GameboyRMH]

Apparently, using the Internet to overthrow a government is allowed

Only if it's a Western-unfriendly government. Try even protesting around a G8/G20 meeting and see how much cell reception you get.