The 'Internet in a Box' - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

dlish · 06-12-2011, 08:23 AM

US Government financing 'internet in a box' suitcase to help dissidents avoid censors, newspaper reports | Information, Gadgets, Mobile Phones News & Reviews | News.com.au

The US government is financing an 'internet in a box' for rebels and dissidents in countries that have internet controls. As of now, the US government has financed 2M USD for this sort of operation, and this is only what is being disclosed. I am sure that other avenues have been explored previously. There is even talk of a seperate mobile phone communication network withing those countries.

sheesh.

I'll be the first here to say, that out of the lot of you, i hate censorship more than any other person here. I live in a country where the internet is censored. Porn although accessible is harder to come by, as are sites critical of the government, or websites that do not conform to the cultural, religious and moral fabric of the country. I really do hate censorship with a passion.

However, i dont think that the US has a right to set up telecommunication network systems in other sovereign states in order to carry out covert operations in order to topple a government or give its dissidents access to information against its government. It'd be illegal to start with.

I know some of you may think that it may be worth it, but what if the shoe was on the other foot?

what if China decided to set up the same technology in the USA? it would be deemed illegal to set this sort of thing up, the americans setting this up would be locked up, branded terrorists and would be burnt at the stake. Real wars could start over this, and im afraid that diplomacy would go out the door. It could be a case of the chook coming home to roost.

Does the US have a right to undermine and destabilize other nations? if its ok to do it to other countries, is it ok to do it in the USA?

Its well known that the CIA has undermined many nations in the past, and i see this as just another attempt at doing just that - just with new technology. As much as i hate censorship, i also despise underhandedness.

This can get messy. really messy. I dont see how the US can control this thing. If it gets in the wrong hands, its dangerous, if its copied, its dangerous for the entire world.

Information is freedom, but the 'internet in a box' could be Pandoras box.

Thoughts?

Quote:

US Government financing 'internet in a box' suitcase to help dissidents avoid censors, newspaper reports

THE US Government is reportedly financing the development of "shadow" internet systems to enable dissidents abroad to get around government censors.

The New York Times said today the covert effort also includes attempts to create independent cellphone networks inside foreign countries.

The operation involves a fifth-floor shop on L Street in Washington, where a group of young entrepreneurs are fitting deceptively innocent-looking hardware into a prototype "internet in a suitcase", the report said.

Financed with a $US2 million ($1.9 million) State Department grant, the suitcase could be secreted across a border and quickly set up to allow wireless communications over a wide area with a link to the global internet.

The Times said some projects involve technology being developed in the US while others pull together tools that have already been created by hackers from the so-called liberation technology movement.

The State Department is financing the creation of stealth wireless networks that would enable activists to communicate outside the reach of governments in countries like Iran, Syria and Libya.

The US Government has also spent at least $US50 million ($47.2 million) to create an independent mobile phone network in Afghanistan using towers on protected military bases inside the country, according to the newspaper.

It is intended to offset the Taliban's ability to shut down the official Afghan services, the report said.

ASU2003 · 06-12-2011, 08:41 AM

Here is a private type of program. BUY THIS SATELLITE - Connect Everyone.
The Internet is suppose to be free. I have no problem with the US setting up uncensored (except for our monitors) WiMax or 4G, I just wish they would set it up here too.

Apple is working on this for their next OS. You will be able to easily transfer documents over WiFi between Mac computers without the government seeing them. If they would take it one step further and enable a 'rebelNet' type of distributed network to share info between people, without it passing through 'the government', it would be a good thing.

I would use a free Chinese WiFi network.

I would buy a 2TB hard drive (box) if it had Google Earth on it and I didn't have to stream it from the Internet. There are a bunch of big adult websites that should sell their movies on a hard drive instead of having to download or stream them.

Daniel_ · 06-12-2011, 09:45 AM

Reading the source article, there is a mention that this is intended for the specific case of hardening the net in Afghanistan to prevent the Taliban cutting it off.

There's no mention that this is intended to be rolled out to every state that the US disapproves of.

dlish · 06-12-2011, 10:08 AM

and do you think that the US is so clean cut that that's what they'll do? utilize it only in The Ghan?

Quote:

The State Department is financing the creation of stealth wireless networks that would enable activists to communicate outside the reach of governments in countries like Iran, Syria and Libya.

...countries like Iran, Syria and Libya..

what other countries are like Iran, Syria and Libya?

Cuba? China? Nth Korea? Venezuela?

ASU thats so funny, but its a little bit scary how close to reality this is. About 9 months ago now, the UAE was going to suspend the services of Blackberry because it couldnt get access to the BB networks messenger service. I dont know what sort of deal they struck in the end, but the governments excuse was national security. having people communicate on networks that they cant get access it is a recipe for anarchy and terror, and they couldnt accept that.

Craven Morehead · 06-12-2011, 10:10 AM

Radio Free Europe meets 2011

ASU2003 · 06-12-2011, 02:23 PM

Is it a problem because the US is supplying the equipment? Or if a bunch of hacker geeks in that country decided to securely connect their computers, would that be a problem? I could build a radio transmitter for voice transmission over a neighborhood, but I would be worried that that could be detected.

I think there are HAM radio networks, and sneakernet networks already if 'The Internet' gets shut down here (since we have given it to the big ISPs with gov oversight here because it is convenient). But this is a important issue if you are part of a group that wants freedom of speech or to receive information.

emoevo · 06-13-2011, 06:33 PM

I think you have something there. Radio free world! I'd just like to have some cell reception in Wyoming! I had mifi access and no phone reception wth? I do believe there is another network underground also. So go ahead turn off the internet and reboot, Gov.

06-12-2011, 09:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
Daniel_ Evil Priest: The Devil Made Me Do It! Location: Southern England	Reading the source article, there is a mention that this is intended for the specific case of hardening the net in Afghanistan to prevent the Taliban cutting it off. There's no mention that this is intended to be rolled out to every state that the US disapproves of. __________________ ╔═════════════════════════════════════════╗ Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air, And deep beneath the rolling waves, In labyrinths of Coral Caves, The Echo of a distant time Comes willowing across the sand; And everthing is Green and Submarine ╚═════════════════════════════════════════╝

06-12-2011, 02:23 PM	#6 (permalink)
ASU2003 immoral minority Location: Back in Ohio	Is it a problem because the US is supplying the equipment? Or if a bunch of hacker geeks in that country decided to securely connect their computers, would that be a problem? I could build a radio transmitter for voice transmission over a neighborhood, but I would be worried that that could be detected. I think there are HAM radio networks, and sneakernet networks already if 'The Internet' gets shut down here (since we have given it to the big ISPs with gov oversight here because it is convenient). But this is a important issue if you are part of a group that wants freedom of speech or to receive information. Last edited by ASU2003; 06-12-2011 at 02:27 PM..

06-13-2011, 06:33 PM	#7 (permalink)
emoevo Upright	I think you have something there. Radio free world! I'd just like to have some cell reception in Wyoming! I had mifi access and no phone reception wth? I do believe there is another network underground also. So go ahead turn off the internet and reboot, Gov. __________________ One day our cell tilted forum projects will be charged automatically with sound waves. Or is that even possible?

06-12-2011, 08:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
ASU2003 immoral minority Location: Back in Ohio	Here is a private type of program. BUY THIS SATELLITE - Connect Everyone. The Internet is suppose to be free. I have no problem with the US setting up uncensored (except for our monitors) WiMax or 4G, I just wish they would set it up here too. Apple is working on this for their next OS. You will be able to easily transfer documents over WiFi between Mac computers without the government seeing them. If they would take it one step further and enable a 'rebelNet' type of distributed network to share info between people, without it passing through 'the government', it would be a good thing. I would use a free Chinese WiFi network. I would buy a 2TB hard drive (box) if it had Google Earth on it and I didn't have to stream it from the Internet. There are a bunch of big adult websites that should sell their movies on a hard drive instead of having to download or stream them.

06-12-2011, 10:10 AM	#5 (permalink)
Craven Morehead Custom User Title	Radio Free Europe meets 2011