[Chapter-delegates] internet restriction in and social media ban in Sri Lanka.

Fri Mar 16 00:39:49 PDT 2018

Sagarika,

there may be further arguments which are of use with different parts of the
authorities (assuming they are not monolithic, and each office has
different drivers):

1. Blocking access to basic, widespread services used for people
communicating may cause further irritation and protests, and close channels
that could help reduce tensions and eventually allow for the diffusion of
new agreements between the contending parties;

2. There may be a significant econonomic hit, not only to the parties that
the government wishes to shut off, but also to those they want to support.
Some estimates have been made - see for example
https://www.websitebuilderexpert.com/cost-of-shutting-down-the-internet/ or
https://www.brookings.edu/research/internet-shutdowns-cost-countries-2-4-billion-last-year/
or the detailed paper referenced in there,
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/intenet-shutdowns-v-3.pdf

It may be that you can't convey this points directly to a government office
that will listen, but that business representatives may take the second
one, and those concerned with education or the delivery of health and
social services will be sensitive to the first one.

Hope you get this bad situation fixed soon. What you learn will be valuable
for all; one more reason we should all find ways to support you and ISOC
Sri Lanka.

Alejandro Pisanty

On Fri, Mar 16, 2018 at 1:27 AM, Sagarika Wickramasekera <
sagarika.wickramasekera at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks Nicolas this is very useful.
>
> On Thu, Mar 15, 2018 at 6:10 PM, Nicolas Seidler <seidler at isoc.org> wrote:
>
>> Hi Sagarika,
>>
>> Thanks for sharing these disturbing news on the list. Blocking platforms
>> seems like a shortsighted solution for real problems that need to be
>> addressed.
>>
>> I hope our technical piece on content blocking
>> <https://www.internetsociety.org/resources/doc/2017/internet-content-blocking/>,
>> as shared by Richard, can be of help in engaging the government.
>>
>> If there is anything else we can do to be useful in supporting your
>> efforts, please do reach out to me.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Nicolas
>>
>>
>> On Mar 15, 2018, at 11:32 AM, Richard Hill <rhill at hill-a.ch> wrote:
>>
>> Dear Sagarika,
>>
>> Thank you for this. You are right to flag the issue.
>>
>> As it happens, I was in Sri Lanka last week and was surprised when
>> WhatsApp suddenly stopped working. I later found out that the government
>> had blocked access to WhatsApp and to Facebook because of the unrest and
>> potential violence in Kandy.
>>
>> As you know, ISOC opposes blocking, see:
>>
>> https://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2011/09/blocking-intern
>> et-content-harmful-or-efficient
>>
>> And the more recent paper at:
>>
>>   https://www.internetsociety.org/resources/doc/2017/interne
>> t-content-blocking/
>>
>> ISOC Switzerland made a statement back in December 2016 regarding
>> blocking, see:
>>
>>   https://www.isoc.ch/archives/2430
>>
>> Best,
>> Richard
>>
>> *From:* Chapter-delegates [mailto:chapter-delegates-boun
>> ces at elists.isoc.org <chapter-delegates-bounces at elists.isoc.org>] *On
>> Behalf Of *Sagarika Wickramasekera
>> *Sent:* Thursday, March 15, 2018 07:03
>> *To:* Chapter Delegates
>> *Cc:* Subhashish Panigrahi
>> *Subject:* [Chapter-delegates] internet restriction in and social media
>> ban in Sri Lanka.
>>
>> Dear All,
>>
>> We are facing a critical situation of  restriction internet in some part
>> of the country and social media ban.
>>
>> As internet society Sri  Lanka chapter we raise our voice by conducting
>> open discussion forum for multi stake holder community and  today we are
>> going to handover the summary document to relevant authorities along with
>> the press release.
>>
>> We are not agreed on any kind of control on internet and we believe in
>> the net neutrality.
>> Please do join your hands with us with supporting ideas where you have
>> the similar situations.
>> Sagarika Wickramasekera
>> Asst.Network Manager
>> SriPalee Campus,
>> University of Colombo.
>> BSc.(Nat.Sci) CCNA,CCSP,MBA
>> President  ISOC  Sri Lanka chapter
>> LKiNG Advisory board member
>> _______________________________________________
>> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
>> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
>> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org
>>
>>
>> Nicolas Seidler
>> Senior Policy Advisor
>> Internet Society
>> seidler at isoc.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Sagarika Wickramasekera
> Asst.Network Manager
> SriPalee Campus,
> University of Colombo
> BSc.(Nat.Sci) CCNA,CCSP,MBA
> President  ISOC  Sri Lanka chapter
> LKiNG Advisory board member
>
> _______________________________________________
> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org
>

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