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US Forces Coursera To Ban Students From Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria
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.'"
Because obviously less education is the solution. [/irony]
News flash! The U.S. has some strict laws that bar trade, even free trade, with a short list of countries classified as enemies of the state. Those mooks, running this MOOC, thought it was OK to ignore that?
It seems perfectly reasonable to me that the United States not share its knowledge and higher education with its enemies.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
Why doesn't the US do business with communist Cuba but they do with communist China?
The US is mad at governments, not the people of countries. Are they insinuating that all citizens are potential terrorists? Why not ban it from Americans too because the US seems to think that every American could be a domestic terrorist -- especially those darned Tea Party and Libertarians. Mention the word constitition and you go on a watch list.
If, as a nation, you decide that some other nation is an enemy, how better to influence their youth and upcoming generations to become your friend than offering them a good education? All this does is worsen the divide and entrench the relatively few 'bad guys' said other nation may even have running the show into their positions against us. *headdesk*
Because there are outspoken anti-Castro cuban immigrants that form huge voting blocks in south Florida.
Why doesn't the US do business with communist Cuba but they do with communist China?
If Cuba could beat China on the price of cheap electrical goods, toys, etc. I think there would be a quick change in policy.
Because of people, like my parents, who are from Cuba and came to the US in '75. They live in Northern Florida and want nothing less than the Cuban government destroyed and won't vote for ANYONE who even waivers in their distain for Cuba.
Myself? I think it's silly.
Oh, right... I forgot Coursera offers ONLINE courses!
So say we all
:( "We have a problem with your government, so we'll punish you instead." brilliant.
More than half of the excellent courses I've taken on Coursera were offered from non-US universities... isn't it lovely that these juristictions must once again bow to American short sightedness in thanks for having graciously provided their services on an American platform.
There are a few nice US courses also, but now I'll gladly look elsewhere for alternatives to avoid American taint; just as I now more actively than ever look elsewhere for internet hosting/cloud services.
Great news for everyone on the internet in North Korea, they seem to still be able to take Coursera classes! I bet the 1970's Film Appreciation instructor is happy to still have all their students.
Then, just maybe, some of them might question whether a "God of Peace" would choose a pedophile warlord for his message of love.
How does Obama fit in to the course you are talking about?
Not at all. I was thinking about a straight comparison of beliefs of various religions together with looking at an impact of each belief on society.
Last time I checked it was the Occupy people that got put on a terrorist watch list not tea party of liberterian types but don't let the facts in they way of your trolling.. carry on.
for what it's worth - https://petitions.whitehouse.g...
We need someone new to step up and challenge the DoC export restrictions on published website content as unconstitutional interference with free speech, like we had with DJ Bernstein challenging cryptography export restrictions.
Because obviously less education is the solution. [/irony]
What we have here is that the US politicians representing a bunch of UN-EDUCATED FOOLS !
The US politicians don't seem to care that businesses are leaving USA.
By banning students from specific country to take ***FREE*** university courses offered by top universities from ***ALL OVER THE WORLD*** the United States of America is signifying to the world that "We Do Not Need Your Business Here".
With this kind of attitude coupled with the Snowden revelations, businesses _are_ leaving the United States.
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
Because everyone knows knowledge and education breeds intolerance!
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.
sysadmins and parents of newborns get the same amount of sleep.
Does anyone else see the ridicule of this attempt? People on the banned countries that really want to continue their courses will use proxies and other technological measures to bypass it?
It's better to be the foot on the boot than the face on the pavement. ~~ tkx Kadin2048
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
And there's not as many feelgood stories about Chinese refugees being picked up by the Coast Guard while swimming across the ocean on a raft made out of an old Chevy to escape their homeland.
If MOOC believes that offering education from the world's top university benefits all of humanity, there is a simple solution. Move the company offshore, or obtain a foreign partner.
The irony with treating this as banned with regards to certain countries that we are not on good terms with is that educational opportunities are very limited in those countries. Having access to education and the exposure to new ideas it brings is an opportunity to change those societies from within. Other than the industrial-military complex, who doesn't benefit from that?
Exactly. Big block of single-issuer voters in a hugely important swing state.
And there's not as many feelgood stories about Chinese refugees being picked up by the Coast Guard while swimming across the ocean on a raft made out of an old Chevy to escape their homeland.
"Feelgood," not so much; when it comes to Chinese illegal immigration, you get more stories like this one.
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
Last time I checked it was the Occupy people that got put on a terrorist watch list not tea party of liberterian types
A) [citation needed]
B) You should check again.
C) "Tea Party" != Libertarian.
That is all.
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
Cowardice. China could do real harm to the US if China embargoed the US. Cuba is too weak to hurt the US. Therefore Cuba can be punished but China must be left alone.
Oolite: Elite-like game. For Mac, Linux and Windows
Certain 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...
Facebook is a "U.S. business" that is "offering services" to users in sanctioned countries. Only it's the Iranian government that tries to block it and redirects you to a page informing users the Web site they are trying to access is "bad for your health." I suppose the difference is that Facebook can be used to help people organize to overthrow the regime the U.S. government does not want, so that makes it OK. Plus, more people using it in a sanctioned country gives the NSA a clearer picture of the trends, attitudes and threats in that country.
I'm not saying Facebook should be restricted from offering services in countries like Iran. I'm saying laws should be applied equally, not politically.
erm the link you posted had nothing to do with Tea Party or Libertarians unless you are implying that TP and Libertarians are "Right Wing Extremists". It seems you are lumping in TP and libertarians with the folks at StormFront and the like.
I must for one state that I am as indebted to my country education system as to good will of american educators.
Even though Europe is considered more socialist than the USA most of the thesis's and papers I read are from USA. Examples in my field are the publications of programs and theory documents from Professor Mark Drela.
Europe does good research also, but when it can have practical and commercial applications it is rarely published or highly redacted. America may have lots of problems but I have found their openness in education a true beacon for the whole world. It is a pity this measures are enforced because they don't actually defeat an adversary government but do hinder the young minds that try to follow knowledge and civilization against barbarity.
It is true that knowledge does not preclude some kinds of backward thinking but it sure as hell influences positively. For one, I am terribly influenced by the American society yet in Europe culture is quite different. How was that? Not through isolation surely.
...than being denied particular coursework on an Internet they're not allowed to access anyway. Things like surviving on $20 a month and avoiding getting arrested for owning unauthorized shrimp.
Lawrence Person (lawrencepersonh@gmailh.com (remove all "h"s to mail)
http://www.lawrenceperson.com/
Yeah, this site needs some editors!
The road to tyranny has always been paved with claims of necessity.
erm the link you posted had nothing to do with Tea Party or Libertarians unless you are implying that TP and Libertarians are "Right Wing Extremists". It seems you are lumping in TP and libertarians with the folks at StormFront and the like.
Not so much me, as the Department of Homeland Security.
Regardless of what you preferred media outlet tells you, a group of people who protest armed very much is a group the feds want to keep an eye on. To try and imply otherwise indicates intellectual dishonesty, ignorance, and/or good ol' fashioned bias.
So, your turn - how about that citation I requested?
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
Most of the replies here assume that the US has banned providing courses to these countries. That's not the case. The embargos ban providing SERVICES to these countries. It's not that anyone thinks restricting education is a good idea. The law is just ham-fisted. "Don't provide any services to Syria" means ANY services, including educational services.
That law is ham-fisted is a good thing to keep in mind generally. "You may not hire anyone for less than $10 / hour" means the retarded kid can't be hired as an apprentice, for example, because his work only generates $6/ hour.
We're number 1! usa! usa! USA!
putting the 'B' in LGBTQ+
Well we can imagine all we want about who may be on a watch list however the documents that have come to light clearly shows that the feds and other police infiltrated the occupy movement. Hardly a libertarian or Tea Party group.
So, the feds performed surveillance.
I disagree with them doing it, but that's hardly the same thing as putting the members on a terrorism watch list.
Congratulations, you've committed the same hyperbolic sin you lambasted me for. Hypocrisy, thy name is andydread.
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
And they will use a proxy, and everything will be as it was. Just as with non-international television streaming and just as with the nationwide piratebay-block.
"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."
Simple solution: Stop being a U.S. based business. The über paranoia, hubris and bullying attitude of the U.S. government has gotten out of hand. They are single-handedly destroying American technology businesses by eroding potential and existing customers trust (through the abuses of the NSA) and increasingly want to us U.S. corporations as a pawn in their geopolitical manipulations. In the era of globalism (promoted by that selfsame government on behalf of corporations over the welfare of its own citizens), now that same government demands adherence to nationalistic agendas. Pure hypocrisy and one that represents increasing risk to our fragile GLOBAL economy.
Void where prohibited by law - since 1798
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
"Coursera is an online website that offers free courses..."
TL;DR
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
Thanks for the informative post. I'm sure many will benefit from it.
Would it be so hard for submitters to expand their acronyms in the posts?
Yes -- what is this "U.S." thing that's mentioned in the summary and headline? I spend a bit of time searching, and I discovered it's actually an abbreviation for United States! How about that! It makes things so much clearer if submitters expanded every abbreviation -- I'm still not sure what this RADAR thing is that people talk about -- and while we're at it, maybe we should include definitions for every single technical term that ever occurs.[/sarcasm]
In all seriousness, I'm happy that you posted an explanation that clearly was helpful to some people. On the other hand, I think your idea that submitters need to explain well-established concepts goes a bit too far.
MOOCs have probably been the subject of dozens of stories on Slashdot in the past 2-3 years. They are perhaps the most important technical innovation in higher education in decades. What ultimate effects they will have are still to be determined, but they clearly have been receiving a HUGE amount of buzz for quite a while. The article you linked to even mentions that 2012 was dubbed by the New York Times as "The Year of the MOOC." This is hardly an obscure topic.
I don't at all mean for my reply to you to come across as mean-spirited. I only used sarcasm above because of your "Would it be so hard?!?" venting in your response. No, it's not so hard -- but it probably isn't necessary in this case. It's not like the days before the internet when an unfamiliar term might send you to multiple dictionaries or encyclopedias to figure out what's going on. Now, it merely takes 10 seconds to search for a topic this prominent and figure out what it is.
That's how you learn about stuff going on around you -- unfamiliar terms, abbreviations, acronyms, place names, public figures, etc. appear in Slashdot summaries all the time... at least they're unfamiliar to someone. Look them up. Learn something.
Also, use "context clues." The first sentence of the summary says "Coursera is an online website that offers free courses from many of the world's top universities." It's pretty clear from the rest of the summary that MOOCs are what Coursera offers -- hence MOOCs are probably "free courses from many of the world's top universities" or at least a concept very close to that idea.
If the summary had just randomly started talking about Coursera and MOOCs without mentioned anything that either did, that would be one thing. But I think this is pretty clear, at least as Slashdot summaries go.
The summaries are just that: they are summaries. They are not full news articles. If a full lengthy news article didn't explain what a MOOC was, that may be more of an issue. If the summary didn't link to any full news articles that explained what it was talking about, that would also be an issue. But this is a summary -- it needs to be abbreviated, and it can't explain everything. Especially when it's a topic that has been discussed many times here. We don't define what a "Tesla" or a "Bitcoin" is in every summary about them either.
Please -- continue to post helpful explanations of obscure terms or acronyms or whatever when you think they are useful. If they are, someone will mod them up. But I don't think anything about this summary was unclear, and even if it was to me, I could have figured it out by 10 seconds of searching. Frankly, I do that all the time on Slashdot -- I read about some concept I'm unfamiliar with in the summary, and then I look it up to figure out what's going on. That's what learning is about.
I submitted the very same information a 11:39 AM. (http://slashdot.org/firehose.pl?op=view&type=submission&id=3301675) My submission never saw the light of day... Again. Since I won't go on Facebook asking anyone to vote on my submissions, and it simply doesn't show being presented later by someone else, coming here to post is a waste of time. So, I won't waste time with the pointless task of trying to share on Slashdot.
Actually no. take a look here They went even further the designated them terrorists. I don't see anywere where TP and Libertarians treated that way. Just saying its not as simple as you make it out to be the feds are targeting conservatives. Just saying.
I reckon it's pointless and symbolic, like congress trying to impose more sanctions on Iran AFTER they'd agreed to come to negotiations.
All the countries on that list have internet censorship regimes and so people there are more likely to be familiar with censorship circumvention techniques. Wanna study a US MOOC? Use TOR or whatever tools suit your purpose.
This. It's not as if Coursera has a monopoly on knowledge on the Internet.
No sig today...
Actually no. take a look here They went even further the designated them terrorists.
Where does that article confirm your claim that the OWS protestors were put on an official terrorist watch list? The term, "watch list," only appears twice on the page, and both times it's in an uncited comment someone left.
The article confirms what I already said. Next time you post a link in an attempt to bolster your argument, you might want to read more than the headline.
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
But will, judging on the comment above, be resolved in a matter of only one generation.
Nihil in publicum sputa.
Why not ban it from Americans too because the US seems to think that every American could be a domestic terrorist -- especially those darned Tea Party and Libertarians.
I'll quote the GP that i was responding to before you decided to interject with your snide comment. You can split hairs about "terrorist watch list" or being labled "terrorists" or whether being designated "terrorists" means you are on a watch list all you want, the fact remains that the GP referred to TP and Libertarians being designated terrorist by the US. I think everything i've posted bolsters my arguement that it was the Occupy movement that was and not the TP and Libertarians
Why not ban it from Americans too because the US seems to think that every American could be a domestic terrorist -- especially those darned Tea Party and Libertarians.
I'll quote the GP that i was responding to before you decided to interject with your snide comment. You can split hairs about "terrorist watch list" or being labled "terrorists" or whether being designated "terrorists" means you are on a watch list all you want, the fact remains that the GP referred to TP and Libertarians being designated terrorist by the US.
I think everything i've posted bolsters my arguement that it was the Occupy movement that was and not the TP and Libertarians
Worst.
Concession speech.
Ever.
Look, all your goalpost relocations and poorly thought out 'source citations' aside, perhaps you'll find this quote from President Obama, said during a summer 2013 speech given in Tanzania, in response to a question about how he defines domestic terrorism, particularly enlightening:
Note that I found said quote on a site that's dedicated to mocking the Tea Party, and even they found it to be over the line.
As for the alleged 'snide-ness' of my comment, keep in mind that your original post (which has been proven wrong, repeatedly, at this point) accuses the GP of trolling right out of the gate. Pot, meet kettle.
Face it, dude - you're wrong. You were wrong in your initial reply to GP, you've been wrong in every response to me, and you're wrong now. Stop doubling down on being wrong - act like an adult and either admit your error, or just shut up. Continuing to argue an already decided point is not helping you.
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
The Georgia Institute of Technology Physics class has practical labs.
Syria, Sudan, and Iran I understand.
But when is the last time Cuba has threatened anyone with an invasion or an attack? When is the last time they mowed down protestors in the country with machine guns or fired gas weapons at them?
This perverted prejudice against Cuba has got to stop. The US should be ashamed of their bullying attitude. It's been a long, long, long time since the Cuban missile crisis. Let it go already!
I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
Yes, it did agree to allow Russian missles. After the US cut off all trade it desperately needed assistance, and Russia was willing to offer it. But first the US cut off all commercial ties and tried to blocade them to anyone else (maily via diplomatic channels rather than military, but that's how Iran was blocaded, so it's a fair usage).
I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
You have an odd definition of the word "debunked," given that your article "debunking" the statement "usually enough to eat" starts with the statement "Nobody starves" in the opening paragraph. Occasional periods of tight supplies, but still enough for everyone to eat, sure sounds like "usually enough to eat" to me. Nor does the fact that Cuban hospitals are often short on medicines and advanced equipment "debunk" the idea of universal healthcare --- everyone still has access to doctors and basic health services, which, while low-tech, succeed in producing decently good health outcomes that rival those in much-higher-budget nations. But, I guess Capitalist apologists like you have a different definition of "facts" unrelated to realities on the ground (like whether or not people actually starve or suffer from medical problems at disproportional rates).
I think I made my point.... you are rambling...carry on.
"In fact, we have evidence from repeated past experiences, that educating our enemies invariably causes them to use their educations against us."
What are you talking about?
I think the problem only arises when you educate only those that the enemy's government has hand-picked to become educated. When you make the education available for free to anyone in the country, including the government's opposition, without restriction, the results will be as good as the quality of the education you're providing.
So provide the best education you can, to anyone, without restriction.
If your point is that you don't know what point you're trying to make, then yes, you've succeeded.
Funny how you're the one who brought up 'terrorism watch lists,' then said you weren't talking about terrorism watch lists.
Funny how I mentioned that the feds have performed surveillance on the TP, to which you respond that the feds performing surveillance on OWS was something completely different.
Oh, wait - that's not funny, it's evidence that you're talking out of your ass in a failed attempt to try and paint Group A in a different light than Group B, even though it's obvious to the casual, non-biased observer that both A and B are dealing with similar treatment.
But hey, if being childish and unwilling to admit that you made a mistake is what makes you happy, I'm glad to stop trying to help you not be wrong.
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
In fact, we have evidence from repeated past experiences, that educating our enemies invariably causes them to use their educations against us. That might not be good.
The evidence from repeated past experiences shows that when you educate someone and then try to "bomb them into stone age", they become enemies. I think that this is not exactly sufficient grounds to conclude that education is the problem.
a sanction is a sanction, start making exceptions and you might as well tear the policy apart to begin with.
laws are never going to be anything but blunt, 600 elected officials are never going to come up with the different things 300 million will do, nuance is added later by the judiciary.
"Don't provide any services to Syria" means ANY services, including educational services.
Except, of course, banking services!
Sorry for the late response.
I was always taught that it is just good writing to expand your acronyms when you first use them in any writing.
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"I can't complain, but sometimes still do..." Joe Walsh