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I'm completely in support of those types of measures - especially sanctions - but cutting off the internet means the only information many Russians will have is

I'm completely in support of those types of measures - especially sanctions - but cutting off the internet means the only information many Russians will have is domestic propaganda. The Russians have already cut off most non-state-TV stations and are instituting 15 year prison terms for derogatory remarks about the army. The young folks in Russia are using TikTok et al to find out what's really going on. These are the ones who will most be hurt. Those seeking the truth. We need those folks to have information so they can push back. This is why the BBC has a Tor service. [1] [1] https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50150981 https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50150981

earleybird 5y ago
The BBC also have shortwave - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30553243 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30553243
bogomipz 5y ago
>" ... but cutting off the internet means the only information many Russians will have is domestic propaganda." I think the Roskomnadzor watchdog has pretty much preemptively done that already though no? And it's not just social media but things like the BBC and Deutsche Welle etc. See: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/04/russia-completely-blocks-access-to-facebook-and-twitter https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/04/russia-complet... and https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-rferl-bbc-facebook-google-twitter-blocked/31735597.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-rferl-bbc-facebook-google-twi...
- miohtama 5y ago
  (Posted this earlier on another story.) If someone is going to disconnect Russia from Internet it is going to be Russian themselves, to limit the free flow of information that might be conflicting with the official truth. But like with the Chinese firewall, information find its way. Unless Russia wants to set itself back to 70s, they still need to access Github, Cloudflare, Amazon Cloudfront, etc. For the Russian IT business to work. It is going to be very inefficient to run anything with a pen and a paper. Software development and Internet were built on scientific principles, criticism, criticial thinking. This requires free flow of information. You cannot have one without the other, or you are going to end up with very inferior and inefficient software ecosystem.
  - justsomehnguy 5y ago
    > they still need to access Github, Cloudflare, Amazon Cloudfront, etc LOL. Do you really think the brass even know what it is? Putin doesn't even know how the modern mobile phones look, he didn't needed one for more than 20 years. To give you a slight idea how long it is - the famous Nokia 3310 was announced 9 months later than his (acting) presidency.
    - gspetr 5y ago
      They do: https://scooptrade.com/mintsifry-called-for-stimulating-the-transition-to-domestic-software/ https://scooptrade.com/mintsifry-called-for-stimulating-the-...
    - CRConrad 5y ago
      Well, at least that carries the immense benefit of him not incessantly tweeting on his smartphone even from the loo.
exclusiv 5y ago
> We need those folks to have information so they can push back. They can't. And they won't. Nice in theory but it's 2022 and here we are. Nobody is pushing back at all, in any meaningful way over there.
- tiahura 5y ago
  Why can’t they? They threw out the commies in ‘91.

earleybird 5y ago

The BBC also have shortwave - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30553243 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30553243

bogomipz 5y ago

>" ... but cutting off the internet means the only information many Russians will have is domestic propaganda." I think the Roskomnadzor watchdog has pretty much preemptively done that already though no? And it's not just social media but things like the BBC and Deutsche Welle etc. See: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/04/russia-completely-blocks-access-to-facebook-and-twitter https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/04/russia-complet... and https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-rferl-bbc-facebook-google-twitter-blocked/31735597.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-rferl-bbc-facebook-google-twi...

miohtama 5y ago
(Posted this earlier on another story.) If someone is going to disconnect Russia from Internet it is going to be Russian themselves, to limit the free flow of information that might be conflicting with the official truth. But like with the Chinese firewall, information find its way. Unless Russia wants to set itself back to 70s, they still need to access Github, Cloudflare, Amazon Cloudfront, etc. For the Russian IT business to work. It is going to be very inefficient to run anything with a pen and a paper. Software development and Internet were built on scientific principles, criticism, criticial thinking. This requires free flow of information. You cannot have one without the other, or you are going to end up with very inferior and inefficient software ecosystem.
- justsomehnguy 5y ago
  > they still need to access Github, Cloudflare, Amazon Cloudfront, etc LOL. Do you really think the brass even know what it is? Putin doesn't even know how the modern mobile phones look, he didn't needed one for more than 20 years. To give you a slight idea how long it is - the famous Nokia 3310 was announced 9 months later than his (acting) presidency.
  - gspetr 5y ago
    They do: https://scooptrade.com/mintsifry-called-for-stimulating-the-transition-to-domestic-software/ https://scooptrade.com/mintsifry-called-for-stimulating-the-...
  - CRConrad 5y ago
    Well, at least that carries the immense benefit of him not incessantly tweeting on his smartphone even from the loo.

exclusiv 5y ago

> We need those folks to have information so they can push back. They can't. And they won't. Nice in theory but it's 2022 and here we are. Nobody is pushing back at all, in any meaningful way over there.

tiahura 5y ago
Why can’t they? They threw out the commies in ‘91.