Internet Kill-switch : Can any democratic country legitimately have or use one?

I don’t know, let’s ask our benevolent leader.

I can think of no reason, ever, for the Internet to be taken down.

@marinelife Of course you can’t, you’re not a tyrant I hope.

I suppose when they declare martial law.
But at that point they cease to be democratic countries anyway.
Just ask our benevolent leader.

They could take away the internet…but they could never take away our freedom! Anyway, I’m sure some genius hacker will find a way to turn it back on.

@listener Yea, that’s sort of what happened in Egypt. Plus, a lot of people in this country possess CB and Ham radios, including many members of any potential resistance (particularly after the Egyptian and Tunisian revolts). Anonymous circulated guides for what to do when the government shuts down the internet.

Which reminds me, I should pick up some CB radios.

Yes, because switching off electric power in certain regions usually implies switching off the Internet too. DSL and PDAs accessing the Internet cannot work without infrastructure.

This is happening in parts of Japan right now.

Benevolent? One would like to think so, it is their mechanism to keep the pulse and control of the people. They can either choose to stop it, which isn’t possible at this time, or to control it. This is difficult enough, but the government and it minions (corporate supporters that keep them in the public sector) will eventually control. They will control it, directly or indirectly in the next 20 years and be the wiser, more powerful and richer for it-that I guarantee. Unless people in this country wake up from be being pissed on and told its raining and liking it, no chance.