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US Forces Coursera To Ban Students From Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria

Posted by Unknown on from the knowledge-is-a-controlled-export dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Coursera is an online website that offers free courses from many of the world's top universities. Now, all students from Syria, Sudan, Iran and Cuba will no longer be able to access Coursera. The official blog provides more info regarding the ban: 'Until now the interpretation of export control regulations as they relate to MOOCs has been unclear and Coursera has been operating under the interpretation that MOOCs would not be restricted. We recently received information that has led to the understanding that the services offered on Coursera are not in compliance with the law as it stands ... United States export control regulations prohibit U.S. businesses, such as MOOC providers like Coursera, from offering services to users in sanctioned countries, including Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria. Under the law, certain aspects of Coursera's course offerings are considered services and are therefore subject to restrictions in sanctioned countries, with the exception of Syria.'"

4 of 306 comments (clear)

  1. This is novel but it's not new by cultiv8 · · Score: 3, Informative

    The US has enforced digital trade sanctions for years, even LinkedIn has blocked users before in fear of violating export sanctions. However, this is the first case I've heard of the US blocking access to a free service offered online.

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    sysadmins and parents of newborns get the same amount of sleep.
  2. For those who didn't know what the acronym meant by kent_eh · · Score: 2, Informative

    For others (who (like me) weren't familiar with the acronym MOOC:

    Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

    Would it be so hard for submitters to expand their acronyms in the posts?

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    "I can't complain, but sometimes still do..." Joe Walsh
  3. Re:How short sighted... by CanHasDIY · · Score: 4, Informative

    If, as a national government, you decide...

    FTFY. Most of us, especially those who were born after the Cuban Missile Crisis, have no problem with either Cuba or the people living there.

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    An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
  4. Re:Business leaving USA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    No man is an island. What I see as a foreigner in a country not banned (yet) is that the US is a capricious and arbitrary bull in a china shop. You are a petty nation seemingly hell-bent on destroying yourselves and I want to do as little business with American companies as practically possible.