Curbing Social Meida

[Oleg Bach]

There seems to be an issue regarding social meida - and cell phone communication as far as the rioters organizing through such means. Some say that they must not meddle with the right to communicate and that shutting down cell towers in order to slow down the spreak of anarchy in the UK is a human rights violation.

Put it this way - If a group domestic or foreign wage a war on a nation and it`s institutions and infrastucture - and they were comminicating with old fashioned military type wakie talkies - would people say that the enemy has the right to communication....that is just plain stupid - if rioters are getting orgainized and striking hard with the help of communication devices.. You turn them off!

[charter.rights]

There seems to be an issue regarding social meida - and cell phone communication as far as the rioters organizing through such means. Some say that they must not meddle with the right to communicate and that shutting down cell towers in order to slow down the spreak of anarchy in the UK is a human rights violation.

Put it this way - If a group domestic or foreign wage a war on a nation and it`s institutions and infrastucture - and they were comminicating with old fashioned military type wakie talkies - would people say that the enemy has the right to communication....that is just plain stupid - if rioters are getting orgainized and striking hard with the help of communication devices.. You turn them off!

The first action of corrupt governments is to take control of the media. Sounds about right in this case...

[Shwa]

The first action of corrupt governments is to take control of the media. Sounds about right in this case...

Do you mean something like this:

SF transit agency’s cell phone shutdown: Shielding commuters or hints of Orwell?

SAN FRANCISCO — An illegal, Orwellian violation of free-speech rights? Or just a smart tactic to protect train passengers from rowdy would-be demonstrators during a busy evening commute?

The question resonated Saturday in San Francisco and beyond as details emerged of Bay Area Rapid Transit officials’ decision to cut off underground cellphone service for a few hours at several stations Thursday. Commuters at stations from downtown to near the city’s main airport were affected as BART officials sought to tactically thwart a planned protest over the recent fatal shooting of a 45-year-old man by transit police.

[Oleg Bach]

The first action of corrupt governments is to take control of the media. Sounds about right in this case...

So what! If a media device empowers and orgainizes crimminal activity - destroys infrastructure and homes - creates MORE poverty - increases taxes that are needed to repair damage...or as in the case of the three people run down by a car - kills - then turn off their damend phones. Is it better to have peace and security - or to have civil rights for those that attempt to take civil rights away through violence? What ever works - The rioters were no different that a small army that was bent on looting and pilageing - If you have the power to dis-empower this renagade army - you do it!

[GostHacked]

Do you mean something like this:

SF transit agency’s cell phone shutdown: Shielding commuters or hints of Orwell?

That came about because of the one BART cop shooting a man that was already in the process of getting cuffs on him. Many with cell phones were told to delete whatever content they got from that incident. One video survived it seems and is available on youtube somewhere. The video shows 4-5 BART cops detaining a man, he was already face down lying on the ground as they were putting cuffs on him. I am guessing the man was trying to resist in some way, so the one cop stood up, drew his weapon and fired into the back of the individual on the ground, which resulted in his death. As the cop was standing up to draw his weapon, the people observing were shocked, and even a couple of the BART cops end up backing off as the one cop drew his weapon. This is a video that the BART cops don't want out there. This is also another reason they want to crack down and allow cops and law enforcement to be able to scan/download/erase content on your smartphones. They don't like it when the surveillance system they built is turned so that it is looking back at them.

I do suggest people go find the video and watch it for themselves.

1984 is already here folks.

[Oleg Bach]

That came about because of the one BART cop shooting a man that was already in the process of getting cuffs on him. Many with cell phones were told to delete whatever content they got from that incident. One video survived it seems and is available on youtube somewhere. The video shows 4-5 BART cops detaining a man, he was already face down lying on the ground as they were putting cuffs on him. I am guessing the man was trying to resist in some way, so the one cop stood up, drew his weapon and fired into the back of the individual on the ground, which resulted in his death. As the cop was standing up to draw his weapon, the people observing were shocked, and even a couple of the BART cops end up backing off as the one cop drew his weapon. This is a video that the BART cops don't want out there. This is also another reason they want to crack down and allow cops and law enforcement to be able to scan/download/erase content on your smartphones. They don't like it when the surveillance system they built is turned so that it is looking back at them.

I do suggest people go find the video and watch it for themselves.

1984 is already here folks.

Don't be so chicken - 1984 arrived in 1984...big deal - we made the adjustments and we surived and are still free - IF you see a city block burning and you notice that it an orgainized crimminal event - pull the plug on all communications - then restore communications later...Cell phone - and internet links are now an ADDICTION - not a real or useful form of communication - take the dope away for a while and give it back when they are behaving themselves...all kids who text - or twitter - or use social media sites are addicts.

[Shwa]

Don't be so chicken - 1984 arrived in 1984...big deal - we made the adjustments and we surived and are still free - IF you see a city block burning and you notice that it an orgainized crimminal event - pull the plug on all communications - then restore communications later...Cell phone - and internet links are now an ADDICTION - not a real or useful form of communication - take the dope away for a while and give it back when they are behaving themselves...all kids who text - or twitter - or use social media sites are addicts.

So are you saying that people shouldn't record acts of police brutality on their cell phones?

If you are, I have a small phrase for you:

too late.

[GostHacked]

So are you saying that people shouldn't record acts of police brutality on their cell phones?

If you are, I have a small phrase for you:

too late.

Hey if the cops are not doing anything wrong, then they would not object to the general public taking video of a public officer. They use that kind of thing on us, so why not use it on them?!!

[Shwa]

Hey if the cops are not doing anything wrong, then they would not object to the general public taking video of a public officer. They use that kind of thing on us, so why not use it on them?!!

Well one of the arguments, being put forth by Gatineau bus driver after being photographed texting while driving, is that such recording is an intrusion on their work place rights.

[Sir Bandelot]

IF you see a city block burning and you notice that it an orgainized crimminal event - pull the plug on all communications

While I agree that dangerous rioters must be controlled somehow, and shutting down their communications is one effective way to do that, I think the BART incident shows us that organized criminal intent is taking place at all levels. Yes, even our so-called authorities.

Now the larger question is, with people today so aware of what's going on (thanks in part to the very same new communications technologies, internet, messaging) how is it possible to maintain civility, if people know they are being systematically screwed? I for one do not believe that the levels of corruption and manipulation are anything new at all, only the knowledge of it among the general public is. So in context of this thread, internet and social media have raised our awareness of what's going on, anywhere in the world almost instantaneously, and thus it poses a substantial threat to those in power.

[GostHacked]

Well one of the arguments, being put forth by Gatineau bus driver after being photographed texting while driving, is that such recording is an intrusion on their work place rights.

A bus driver is a public servant. The bus is a public place. He can be video taped.

[GostHacked]

So in context of this thread, internet and social media have raised our awareness of what's going on, anywhere in the world almost instantaneously, and thus it poses a substantial threat to those in power.

To me this is a very important point.

[Shwa]

A bus driver is a public servant. The bus is a public place. He can be video taped.

Well yes, almost. The little area where the bus driver sits is not a public place, it is a workplace for the bus driver. Intrude on that space and see what happens.

[GostHacked]

Well yes, almost. The little area where the bus driver sits is not a public place, it is a workplace for the bus driver. Intrude on that space and see what happens.

The real issue is why that driver was putting peoples' life at risk by texting instead of paying attention to the road.

[eyeball]

While I agree that dangerous rioters must be controlled somehow, and shutting down their communications is one effective way to do that, I think the BART incident shows us that organized criminal intent is taking place at all levels. Yes, even our so-called authorities.

Now the larger question is, with people today so aware of what's going on (thanks in part to the very same new communications technologies, internet, messaging) how is it possible to maintain civility, if people know they are being systematically screwed? I for one do not believe that the levels of corruption and manipulation are anything new at all, only the knowledge of it among the general public is. So in context of this thread, internet and social media have raised our awareness of what's going on, anywhere in the world almost instantaneously, and thus it poses a substantial threat to those in power.

I think there would be a lot less malfeasance and a lot more personal responsibility in the world if those in power were held to the highest standards and levels of transparency and total public awareness.

Concentrate accountability at the highest levels of our society's public and corporate governance and I think decency and honesty would trickle down through the rest - just the way wealth is supposed to and probably finally would for a change.

[Michael Hardner]

I think there would be a lot less malfeasance and a lot more personal responsibility in the world if those in power were held to the highest standards and levels of transparency and total public awareness.

As we saw with the eHealth issue in Ontario, though - people only pay attention to certain types of malfeasance. Theft, boorish behavior, and utter greed are things people can relate to but the problems of government are more often a mundane and persistent misalignment and misallocation of resources with objectives, executed poorly and with low efficiency.

[dre]

If protesting is still a legal activity then the government should not do anything at all to impeded people that want to organize them and participate in them.

What happened here is the government infringed on peoples right to free association because they predicted criminal activity MIGHT result from it. Its disgusting that they can get away with that and the only reason they can is because we are a generation of pathetic cowards, who inherited rights and freedoms that OTHER people had to fight for. It turns out that a generation of people thats had the easiest living in human history isnt up the task to keep their government honest. I guess its complacency and cowardice, and the fact the we are so obsessed with the false left/right dichotomy that one side actually will cheer the government on as it goes after the rights of people on the other side.

Generation Useless gets EXACTLY THE KIND OF GOVERNMENT IT DESERVES.

WE did this. Its no longer meaningful to just point your fingers at the government. We did this to OURSELVES. Its pretty damn hard to feel sorry for a rape victim, that applies lube to their own ass then sticks it up in the air and waits.

Edited August 16, 2011 by dre

[eyeball]

As we saw with the eHealth issue in Ontario, though - people only pay attention to certain types of malfeasance. Theft, boorish behavior, and utter greed are things people can relate to but the problems of government are more often a mundane and persistent misalignment and misallocation of resources with objectives, executed poorly and with low efficiency.

The buck still stops somewhere eventually. Having a means to produce an auditable record when that happens would probably cause anything from a ripple to a wave, depending how high up the chain you go, throughout any organization.

[bud]

if rioters are getting orgainized and striking hard with the help of communication devices.. You turn them off!

the iranian government fully agrees with you.