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]