Bangladesh Extends Social Media Ban, Blocking Twitter and Skype (thestack.com)

An anonymous reader writes: A month after temporarily blocking social media sites including Facebook and WhatsApp, the Bangladeshi government has now taken steps to take down online chat software Skype and social networking service Twitter. The decision came after a supreme court ruling which sentenced two opposition leaders to death, having found them guilty of crimes committed in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. The ruling rejected petitions to review the war criminals' death sentences. It divided the country, with many strongly protesting the decision. The social media ban is seen as a way to control any attempt at mass mobilization among dissidents.

Comments

Bangladesh will not be the last country to do this

[Thagg]

I believe that Facebook, and other third-party-edited-for-you content, will be seen by governments as attempting to sway the opinions of their citizens. And -- I don't think they're wrong.

but what about /.?

[turkeydance]

that comment section is sort of risky.

Block Youtube too!

[Anonymous Coward]

What about this politically subversive content? https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

You going to ban Force Awakens from the cinema too, Bangladesh?

OH NOES

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

And nothing, repeat NOTHING of value was lost.

In fact, the country's overall productivity was found to have risen by 8% overall, and most people seemed happier in general.

Some people actually spoke to each other (hard to believe, but it's true!) and no one felt the need to take a photo of their fucking lunch and upload it so everyone else could see it.

Maybe we could do the same thing here, just for a week or two.

Re:OH NOES

[barc0001]

I did not speak out for the social media networks because I didn't like social media networks....

What exactly makes you think they'll stop there?

And nothing, repeat NOTHING of value was lost. Except, you know, freedom to do as you choose.

Pick up that can, citizen.

Re:OH NOES

[Anonymous Coward]

But really, fuck you.

Re:OH NOES

[Tsolias]

Thank you good sir for stating the obvious that everyone oversees(it's not that obvious after all). Facebook,twitter and the rest of the social media, offer 0, that's _zero_, to the public. I wish there was a test before you were allowed to let your kids or yourself get exposed to that part of the internet.

Re:OH NOES

[Anonymous Coward]

what an idiotic statement, just because you only use social media to publish your penis selfie doesn't mean the rest of the world does the same. especially in the case of third world almost dictatorships, where this offers the ONLY freedom of speech.

Re:OH NOES

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

Except, you know, freedom to do as you choose.
Pick up that can, citizen.

Lol, "humor" and "satire" are foreign terms to you, aren't they? :)

Re:OH NOES

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

I wish there was a test before you were allowed to let your kids or yourself get exposed to that part of the internet.

I wish there was a test for being a humorless prick with no sense of satire, because you'd pass that with a score of 100.

Now run along and go post your outrage at my comment to facebook, twitter, pinterest, snapchat, and grindr.

Re:OH NOES

[Feyshtey]

Perhaps we should have a test to approve people to communicate between one another thru any digital media. We could establish some kind of government panel that can apply the test, and maybe do a quick background investigation to make sure you're not going to stir up any kind of trouble with your comments. After all, people can say stupid shit online in many places beyond social media. You've proved that.

proves 'social media' are just like other media

[sittingnut]

fact that even a resource poor government, like bangladesh's, can block and censor content in so called 'social media' as required, proves that they are not much deferent from all other media. much hyped claims about social media ushering in a new era, is just hype and marketing, plus spoutings of academics living in ivory towers removed from reality.

everywhere, when it matters, all mass media serves governments and establishments. sure there are dissident alternative media, but accessing them requires effort on the part of audience. both these facts are true off all media, both traditional and so called 'social media'.

time to drop the 'social', and refer to all as just 'media'.

Re:proves 'social media' are just like other media

[KGIII]

I realize the word 'media' has many definitions but, for the sake of clarity, I'd suggest we just drop the word media. It's social. Social media implies it's news done by a group and that might be a possibility but, as evidence has shown us, that's not the actual results.

It's the washer-room for modern women and the pot-belly stove for modern men. It's gossip and group-think. It's peer-pressure and conformity. It's your own created echo-chamber, a mental prison of your own choosing. I have been there and I have read quite a bit of content. No, I do not have an account and never have.

It's as social as Slashdot only I probably get more valid news from the comments here than anywhere else. I don't even *have* to give up a bunch of personal information, allow cross-site tracking, or even use a real name. Sure, I'm me and some of us know who I am. Yes, I've been pretty open with who I am. Yes, I elect to do so.

So, I guess, it's really not media so much as it's news media (as seems to be the implication by many) but it is social. Hell, I get more news here, even in the comments, than I suspect *most* people get on Facebook. Well, more valuable news to me, personally. Simply call it a social website and stop pretending that it's valid, vetted, or valuable media when that's only a fraction of a percent of the content.

MERRY FUCKING CHRISTMAS

[Anonymous Coward]

Well Look what time it is again this year!

My computer has become minimally responsive and my browser appears to have crashed. Wait, there it goes! With loud blasting annoying christmas tunes! ONE GUESS as to which browser tab is the source of ALL THESE PROBLEMS.

Re:MERRY FUCKING CHRISTMAS

[Zontar The Mindless]

Slashdot's started playing Christmas music?

Time To Awaken George . . . !

[Anonymous Coward]

And throw another Concert for Bangladesh!

Skype is "social media" now?

[Anonymous Coward]

When did that happen?

Re:Skype is "social media" now?

[unixisc]

Precisely! I thought that it was just a more complicated combination of FaceTime and iMessages

let's continue to centralize the internet!

[Anonymous Coward]

Guys, I got an idea! Instead of a distributed, open, peer to peer network under no central point of control as it was designed to be, let's continue to centralize all human communication on one of just a few commercial, closed, and proprietary services.

I mean, that seems like a good idea. Right?

Re:let's continue to centralize the internet!

[mars-nl]

This. People are asking for this by putting all their eggs in just a few, easy to censor, baskets.

Re:let's continue to centralize the internet!

[unixisc]

Looks like a good idea to push GNU Social and GNU Network in Bangladesh.

Woah, the people are upset

[penguinoid]

Let's prevent them from harmlessly venting online.

Re:Woah, the people are upset

[Zontar The Mindless]

What about "Let's make it a bit more challenging for hard-core religious nutjobs to form ad-hoc mobs for the purpose of hacking up secularists in the streets"?

That's "hack" as in "machetes", BTW.

Suddenly doesn't sound quite so bad, now, does it?

Re:Woah, the people are upset

[penguinoid]

In that case, better ban cars too. And shoes. And machetes. Anything to make it harder for someone to chop up someone else, right?

Re:Woah, the people are upset

[Feyshtey]

Wow. Just.... wow.
The article, and the links you provide discuss the fundamentalist Islamic nutjobs who hack bloggers to death. Did it occur to you for even a moment that the bloggers are being killed because they were the ones among the most vocal about keeping the Bangladesh traditions of secularism in government? Did it further occur to you that distribution of the ideas of those bloggers is heavily aided by social media?

So in order to suppress the nutjobs, you propose to suppress those in opposition to the nutjobs.

Who do you think wins in this equation?

You have a wonderfully apt moniker.

Re:Woah, the people are upset

[Zontar The Mindless]

I don't agree with censorship. But the threat to open society in Bangladesh (and other countries) is quite real, and the reactions of the government should be understood properly, in context, and not dismissed with hand-waving as done in the post to which I was responding.

For mine, the fundamental issue here is that there are folks who think it's perfectly okay--and perhaps even *required*--to kill those who don't agree with you, simply because they don't agree with you.

Re:Bangladesh will not be the last country to do t

[Impy the Impiuos Imp]

Of course you are not wrong, which is why freedom of speech (and the press -- the means of mass production and distribution of speech) are in the First Amendment of the US. Governments will censor to remain in power.

Wait...the web has sound?

[RandomFactor]

Most browsers can be configured to avoid such issues to a greater or lesser degree..

Why is blocking so easy?

[Anonymous Coward]

The internet shouldn't be so easy to "control". Let's hope for some quick circumvention. Hey Anonymous! Do something useful for a change and knock down the barriers. *Let my people go!*

Re:Pls grue's give codes, is URGENT

[Anonymous Coward]

Wrong country. Bangladesh is not India. Their English is far worse

Yeah well

[Anonymous Coward]

...just how many "just got back from my rag picking job only to find out my shack washed away and the arsenic level in the community well is well above toxic" posts do they want to ban?

heh

[Anonymous Coward]

twitter is ok, they can burn it down alongside with facebook... but Skype why lol...

Valid Measure

[Anonymous Coward]

This act is about maintaining order in the cities. Bangladesh is largely made of underdeveloped country, inaccessible to the outside world. The cities are where way too many people live crowded together, and have a history of violent clashes. The government is maintaining order while wrapping up punishment for 40+ year old war crimes - against perpetrators who should've been hanged 40+ years ago.

Like an Onion Headline

[swb]

Dirt poor, repressive government takes steps to reject technology, choosing staying dirt poor and repressive as best options for improving status of nation and people.

Re:Like an Onion Headline

[Kkloe]

I cannot see how facebook, twitter or skype would bring in any income to the country or be even be called "technology"

Re:Like an Onion Headline

[Ash-Fox]

I can see how Skype would, why can't you?

Re:Like an Onion Headline

[Anonymous Coward]

To be fair, they aren't doing this to improve the status of the nation or it's people.

They are doing it to simply ensure that they stay in power, by repressing any organized opposition to their power.

You can complain all you want about the government in the privacy of your home, but don't you dare use these tools to organize your outrage.

Re:Like an Onion Headline

[Kkloe]

Which one of the statements?

Re:Thank Allah

[KGIII]

No, you're not even *remotely* Libertarian - not even close to "pretty libertarian." I strongly suspect you aren't even remotely aware of the actual political ideology known as Libertarianism.

efficiency up, happiness index soars...

[Anonymous Coward]

LOL... In other news"... every country, that blocks "social" media, sees massive increase in production efficiency....
people feel happier, after quickly recovering from addiction to "social" media...

   

Re:Thank Allah

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't try to pin the blame on me, buddy--you did all this yourselves.

Kind regards,

Satan Lucifuge

Re:Bangladesh will not be the last country to do t

[Anonymous Coward]

If only the US constitution were still valid and in effect.