Kiss Your Internet Goodbye!

Internet is the only thing I would be willing to fight for...
And if it goes bye bye I would actually have to find a real job

[edit on 21-7-2004 by Megaquad]

I'm assuming here that when you say shut down the internet, you mean only in the USA. The USA cannot legally shut down the entire World's internet access.

I doubt the US government would shut the internet down completely, but I can see highly restricted usage remaining.

There is a lot the government can do. Things a lot of people would never even consider or imagine. Quite devious things. What do you think would happen if the government declared martial law after a catastrophic terror attack, closed the borders and cut us off from power (like the black out last summer)? Anyone caught trying to leave the country would be rounded up and sent on a one-way trip to your local detention facility. We would all be disoriented, unsure of what was going on and unable to communicate with our own families and friends across the country. Forget about folks over seas.

I'm just speaking hypothetically, of course. You have to consider every scenario down to the worst to be even remotely prepared for what may be coming.

Shut the internet down.

The internet is just a collection of independant networks that have interconnects between them. It is not just a single network controlled from a single point that could be switched off.

Sure, in the US, the goverment could order the US ISPs to turn off their part but the rest of the world would just carry on without them.

As far as attacks over the internet go. Just what do you have in mind?

It's not as if you have a missile base connected to it where with a quick break through the firewall, you could launch a missile. If something is that important, it just isn't connected to the internet.

okay,

1. The internet cannot simply be "shut down" this entire country is wired to the tooth with cable and equipment so extensively you would literally have to go into every household and cut the wires to the phone lines, dig up ditches and so on and so forth. Don't forgot the rest of the world has this thing called the internet too. I'm not even going to get into wireless communications.

2. The person who said some zip codes are being blocked from certain websites is utter crap. I have worked for an ISP before as an engineer and it simply don't work that way.

3. The terrorist have already used ,and still do, the internet to send codes and information for 9/11, general communique and other attacks.

4. They don't want the internet to be shut down because you can track people down left and right if you have the know how, we want it to be open because it can give away peoples locations and names. So on and so forth.

Now what you do need to worry about are your digital rights. Your right for cryptography and privacy. Because the government DOES want to see all your information. Thats why they have crypto laws against sending anything encrypted to different countries. This is where they have difficulties regulating and this is where you probably want to worry. What if sending any information encrypted outside of your immediate organization is illegal? Such as a bank transaction, or very personal information, or simply just making a purchase online? Then you have no personal security against theft but the govt have the right to charge you for using it. The only other solution is if you use a govt approved crypto method so they can view ANYTHING you send. Hrm, pennies off the dollar ay? Anyhow those are my thoughts and now I'm watching Clinton talk at the DNC so I am losing focus.

Oh, btw. This is my first post. I've been reading for a couple of days now and I think this site is pretty cool and I love all the opinions and views. Its good to meet you all!

It is IMPOSSIBLE to shut the internet down. Not only vecause the economy would be in RUINS (that main reason for the controling elite) but because the internet is NOT an "entity" that you pull a plug on.

The architecture of the internet can only be compared to the stars in the heavens, there is THAT many computers that are attached to and, most importantly, make it up.

The original concept of the internet was to create a nuclear holocaust PROOF communication system, it has been done. Unless you had the capability to unplug darn near EVERY computer on Earth you will never shut the internet dwon.

Assuming they quash the existing ISPs, no biggie in the long term, with WiFi and satellite you can pirate just about anything anywhere...

m...

In anticipation of losing the internet, we could always go back to shortwave radios ...
- talk about old school !

If the government tries to restrict the Internet, just watch -- hackers and other determined folks will come up with an alternative or a way around the restrictions. The Internet will survive one way or another, though it may (as noted above) revert to other protocols. Or switch to new ones.

Originally posted by SIRR1
Well I guess that if the gov had the ability to shut it down to prevent a terror attack that took out a city or country, then yes I think the gov should be able to control the internet.

I think I would like to be alive to live another day, than dead and and be able to use the internet.

The internet is a business and should be ran as one. no civil liberties when lives are on the line!

john

I'd rather die a horrible death than give up more freedom.
Move to China or North Korea you will be safe there.. Oh bring a big lunch.

Good luck

[edit on 26-7-2004 by Xeven]

Beware of he who will denigh you know age. For in his eyes he see�s himself as your master.... Or something likes that.

I haven�t read through all the post on this topic but I'm sure this has been touch on. The internet is being slowly repressed and controlled. We don�t see much of it cuz its being done very slowly. The old frog in a pot of boiling water routine.

What ever threat exists, the net is worth it. If you look at it historically speaking, sharing of ideas and knowages has pushed human cultural, technological and sociological speaking in leaps and bounds. IE printing press� nough said.

Im will to accept the good and bad. Sure there are some Nazi f*cks with their web sites. Sure their are some ash*le fanatic islamic f*cks too. I don�t give a sh*t, its worth it.

Originally posted by kogigaiden
the terrorist can not attack us through our computers so i see no need to shut down the internet.

First you must understand who would be behind such an attack on the citizens of the US. ONce you percieve that, things become much clearer.

Do not allow yourselves false hope and comfort. Remember the black out last summer? All it would take is a flick of the switch. No power, no internet.

Americans are very spoiled in that most don't have any concept of what life is like without power. We've always had it, we think we always will. It doesn't grow on trees. It is controlled and given to you.

Originally posted by build319

Oh, btw. This is my first post. I've been reading for a couple of days now and I think this site is pretty cool and I love all the opinions and views. Its good to meet you all!

Welcome to the jungle!

I too have been following this topic with much interest. And though I hate to voice this opinion, I feel that some of you may be in denial ragarding the issues concerned.

Of course it is highly improbable that the entire Internet would be shut down.That much I do agree with, as it would be naive to think otherwise. There would be no advantage to the Gov't in stymiing [sp?] the interests of Big Business & the megalopolies/multinationals, who after all, work hand in glove with the whichever governbent is in power, and in fact, exert a powerful influence - even to the point of "controlling" government to some extent. Money talks.

But the general public is controlled by manipulation, which in turn means all forms of the media. The Internet is not above this control. Think to yourselves about just how many freedoms have been lost or diluted by the ramifications of the Patriot Act for starters.

The government could easily pull a 'China' on the US. Complete control over content. Then it would be just about useless.

I'll say it again, the government can do more harm to its citizenry than we can imagine. One only needs to look at what's happened under Patriot Act. And that's just an appetizer of what is to come.

Originally posted by EastCoastKid
Americans are very spoiled in that most don't have any concept of what life is like without power.

I agree with you ECK. It's like my dad says. We as Americans take way too many things for granted. Having said that I don't want to see the internet shutdown. If it does I'll bet you there will be a huge protest around the country. Almost every business in America now relies on the internet including email, databases, networks, spreadsheets, ect...

They can't shut down the internet. Why would they want to? Think about how we get access, espically now in the age of broadband. The huge telecom companies are those who control the internet access. The same telecom companies which are controlled by the elite. The best thing the government can do to keep Americans off the internet would be to tax its access heavily until it's not economically feasible for the average person to afford it. Then non-Americans would have access to an invaluable resource that Americans don't. I fail to see how that is beneficial to anyone.

Originally posted by bspielburg
Why would they want to?

Because let's say for instance that the government truly is guilty of alot of things and the internet is providing the proof that that they are in fact guilty. However, the mainstream press doesn't know about the crimes being performed because ignorant. Well, slowly the mainstream press is starting to realize that the proof is coming out all over the internet. Undeniable proof. Well, the only the way the government is going to hide thier crimes is by shutting down the internet or the sites that show the proof. Or in your case what you said, tax us to a point where we can't afford to use the internet anymore.

I have seen documented evidence of crimes commited by the government. Let's take CIA drug laundering for example. Now if that evidence were to pop up all over the internet what do you the government would do to try and cover it up? I say shut down internet or sites that present the evidence.

Below are my many quoted posts I decided to do this other than to post many separate posts. If it�s annoying sorry about that. But this is a really intense discussion that I thought would be cool to do this in...

Anyway ECK this is a very interesting post you have going on here thanks for sharing it with us.

Originally posted by TheBandit795
In that article it says that they tried to take over Newsmax, the drudge report and world net daily.

I would love to see them even try to take over ATSNN, so they can get wacked silly by all our beloved paranoid members here on the site...

Funniest thing I ever read.

Originally posted by EastCoastKid
I think they would at least try and pull something off along these lines. The eventual outcome would probably be a second Revolutionary war.

I have been thinking about this since I started researching about things..

Like you said Earlier, We shouldn�t give up our rights for security. I think sooner or later the US people will get a clue and realize what is going on and take action against the government. But then again we can just be stupid and let it happen. But I think if they keep taking and taking people will start realizing things aren�t going right and we will put a stop to it sooner or later.

Originally posted by kogigaiden
the terrorist can not attack us through our computers so i see no need to shut down the internet. we vastly outnumber the terrorists as far as internet activity, we can spread important information much faster we have the upper hand. the terrorist we are all so afraid of probably use camels to deliver letters. yeah i know there are select few who run pro-terrorism sites, but really how many muslums use the internet?! even if they did use it they probably don�t have such a cool discussion board like this one. maybe if the flow of information through this little digital world becomes to violent and hateful of the american government then yes i do see it being shut down.

[edit on 21-7-2004 by kogigaiden]

This part I can say one thing, not to many tech savvy people on this planet so let�s say for instance someone blows up the YMCA with 3000 people in it. The Government can come and say terrorist installed a bomb on a computer and detonated it via internet. mass confusion all over. act gets passed kills the net.

And you know. Those tech savvy people are the ones that will kill the internet. Not many people actually know how the internet works most of them are on AOL which hand walks them thru everything and any site of trouble would be automatically inclined to think it was done thru the internet as Mainstream media said...

Originally posted by Hecate100
If the government tries to restrict the Internet, just watch -- hackers and other determined folks will come up with an alternative or a way around the restrictions. The Internet will survive one way or another, though it may (as noted above) revert to other protocols. Or switch to new ones.

I agree here, Alot of good hackers will not stand for this crap. I believe they will find away around these filters like they find their way into everything else.


--------------------------------------
My words

If the government decided to one day to kill the internet, I think alot of people would be mad over it.. (can�t swear so goto think of cheezy words to suffice..)

I do think this would end in massive rioting and such. but then again this will turn the US into a Police State, which someone said above. Then well that will be the end.. I do believe in that statement I made earlier about the terrorist thing.. You have to understand Only reason why I know this is I was on AOL for a few months helping out in a tech chat room.. and lots of people came in to ask really common sense questions.. so if the government does say well this building was blown up by some guy�s computer while connected to the internet I think alot of people would actually buy it... just like they bought 9/11 without actually thinking about anything that happened..

The part about the economic impact.. I think that would be a major part of the uprising.. which in case there is alot of things that people use the net for other than playing video games and porn. I am a 3d artist and if I decided to sell my art I wouldn�t do it in the newspaper I would do it online because of the majority of the people who come on here... Alot of people would be mad about that.. everyone from bobsparts.com to XXXseethiscrap.sex or whatever..

I was going to post something really lame but decided to contribute than to post something lame. but I was going to say jokingly this.

Now what would we do without our daily fix of video games and porn.. God life would suck.


[edit on 9-8-2004 by ThichHeaded]

I've been saying the Internet will be shut down soon. It will be available to government offices, officials, etc.

I remember when celebrities used to mock presidents and it was funny.
Now they're fired.
I remember when bumper stickers and Tshirts bashing presidents were in and it was freedom of expression. Now, try to get on an airplane or even go to the mall wearing Anti--- something or other, They kick you out.
NOW YOU'RE UNAMERICAN AND A TERRORIST FOR SUCH FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

Now those of us who post here and everywhere are really risking it. On AOL boards, they plain tell you they'll turn you into the FBI. (low class element)
This is just the beginning. I think the end of the Internet will be coming soon- too much is said. The whole world is at your fingertips and the powers that be dont like it.