

Internet Surveillance and Free Speech: the United Nations Makes the Connection - vy8vWJlco
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/06/internet-and-surveillance-UN-makes-the-connection

======
Apocryphon
Not since the words of Commissioner Pravin Lal has someone from the U.N.
conveyed the importance of digital freedom so well.

"As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century, free flow of
information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people
whose leaders at last lose their grip on information flow will soon burst with
freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on
public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism. Beware of he who
would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your
master."

~~~
spiritplumber
Please have one free internets on me.

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ChrisAntaki
If people are afraid of being overheard, they'll modify their statements.
Think about out of context quotes, and how they are used to attack
politicians. If the government sucks up all the communications & saves them
(which they do in the US), then they have dirt of everyone. It definitely
stifles freedom of expression. That might not be an accident.

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aridiculous
The official UN report that the article links to is actually a very
interesting read (I'm about 1/4 through). It feels like these issues are
finally getting formalized.

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rosser
Speaking from the perspective of the nation-state power structure, "This is a
bad thing ... _how_?"

EDIT: To clarify, I'm not advocating this. I'm saying that the UN pointing out
that surveillance correlates negatively with freedom of speech is not
something most nation states give two shits about — specifically including
many of those that talk a very good game about freedom of speech — and many of
them probably think it's a _good_ thing.

~~~
rhizome
Look for character attacks on the UN Real Soon Now. There is a strong
undercurrent among certain schools of thought that the UN is an aspiring New
World Order that seeks to give foreigners control over its constituent
governments.

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mtgx
Good. Just in time for this:

[http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/06/05/us-saudi-viber-
idUK...](http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/06/05/us-saudi-viber-
idUKBRE9540FH20130605)

So what is UN going to do about it? Also, what are they going to do about
their own ITU branch who's been pushing for the very same thing?

~~~
mhb
It could fund Tor.

~~~
negativity
TOR is not a perfect solution though. At least, not by itself. In many ways I
feel like TOR is about as secure and reliable as WEP is for wi-fi. Is that an
unfair assessment of TOR?

