Internet Controls To Be Put In Place During Pandemic (ATS SHUTDOWN?) , page 1
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ATS Members have flagged this thread 39 times
Topic started on 28-10-2009 @ 02:05 AM by AllSeeingI
Reuters: Internet Controls To Be Put In Place During Pandemic
Experts have for years pointed to the potential problem of Internet access during a severe pandemic, which would be a unique kind of emergency. It would be global, affecting many areas at once, and would last for weeks or months, unlike a disaster such as a hurricane or earthquake.


"An expectation of unlimited Internet access during a pandemic is not realistic."


H1N1 swine flu has been declared a pandemic but is considered a moderate one. Health experts say a worse one -- or a worsening of this one -- could result in 40 percent absentee rates at work and school at any given time and closed offices


"The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for ensuring that critical telecommunications infrastructure is protected."


BLOCKING WEBSITES: Private Internet providers might need government authorization to block popular websites, it said, or to reduce residential transmission speeds to make way for commerce.


While I believe maintaining internet capabilities is a legitimate problem, I am suspicious of this being used as a guise to restrict or control the Internet (more than it already is).

Limiting bandwidth? Who gets the bandwidth? When TSHTF (the stuff hits the fan) will it be the financially powerful maintaining bandwidth control and watching their weaker, unconnected competitors suffer by the lack of business capability.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT....
During a major pandemic ETC ETC, I imagine websites like ATS would be the first shut down... seen as UNNECESSARY internet traffic.

ATS shut down when we need it most. Everyday this threat hangs over us.

Who would get to make the choices about which NEWS sites to remain active?
Would it be all? None? Some? If some... which?
FoxNews Yes? Infowars No?

I say it is time to get the bandwidth capabilities in place so this is NOT an issue.

My gut tells me this really is NOT an issue and that technology and capabilities exist to safeguard from Internet failure... but is just being used to place more Draconian controls on the Internet.

[edit on (10/28/09) by AllSeeingI]


reply posted on 28-10-2009 @ 02:25 AM by iamsupermanv2
reply to post by AllSeeingI



the bandwith problem would be used as a guise as i see it, and if that happens, i think we all know what the real problem is. if a flu outbreak of any kind really happens...internets should be on the bottom of the list to take care of..so why shut it down? the logic used doesnt make sense to me. so if it is shut down,we know something more is up.


reply posted on 28-10-2009 @ 02:27 AM by AllSeeingI
reply to post by ghaleon12



True.

However, and I am not a computer or internet expert, but if 40% of workers and students stayed home sick as is suggested in the article, would not that be enough increased home traffic to slow it down for everyone?

You said what takes up bandwidth is the videos. If everyone is at home watching YouTube and Hulu.... wont that slow things up?

Besides that... would not Internet News and communications SKY ROCKET during a extreme event like a pandemic. Similar to what happened during 9/11/01 with the system overload failure of cell phones. EVERYONE flooded the system seeking communication and information.

Given a worldwide pandemic, is it not logical to assume that the Internet would be affected dramatically?

[edit on (10/28/09) by AllSeeingI]


reply posted on 28-10-2009 @ 02:49 AM by AllSeeingI
reply to post by Dramey



I dont know about you but I rely on the internet as my sole source of News information. I hate TV and news papers. Like any good journalist I require as many varied sources of information I can get my hands on. Ones of MY OWN choosing. Not what someone else wants me to see.

While I agree with you that ATS access does not overshadow my need for health, food, shelter, security, etc.... I feel ATS and the Internet as my connection to the world is invaluable.

If a major event is going down in some other town, the only way I will hear about it is on the Internet.

It is a critical tool for maintaining communications and informational freedom and should not be scoffed at as you have done.

[edit on (10/28/09) by AllSeeingI]


reply posted on 28-10-2009 @ 03:01 AM by honkusbobo
reply to post by Unregistered



Well, I think the theory is that, in such an event, all impediments to emergency communication ought to be seized, in a similar fashion to the Emergency Broadcast System for cable and aerial-based communications in the United States. We would see YouTube shut down, World of Warcraft, etc...news outlets would probably be allowed to remain up. All the stuff you need; none of the stuff you don't.


reply posted on 28-10-2009 @ 03:10 AM by AllSeeingI
Originally posted by honkusbobo
reply to
post by Unregistered

All the stuff you need; none of the stuff you don't.


Exactly! But who gets to decide WHAT we need? Who makes the determination between a news site and something like ATS.

I can see countless websites being unnecessarily shutdown under the blanket of being so-called: stuff YOU dont need... cause the Government says so.

These days YouTube is a major player in news. Everyday people becoming citizen journalists. Many important discoveries and footage have been shared via YouTube. I would be disappointed to see any site shut down.

Because once they start, where does it end?

[edit on (10/28/09) by AllSeeingI]



reply posted on 28-10-2009 @ 03:12 AM by honkusbobo
reply to post by AllSeeingI



Why not? I think it would be unlikely that the Internet would have bandwidth problems that would prevent emergency messages from getting across but it certainly could happen. Thank God we're just dealing with theoreticals, though.
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