Freedom of Information

wizwor · 03-10-2013, 03:25 PM

from: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/03/0...#storylink=cpy

Quote:

Sanchez said underground blogs, digital portals and illicit e-magazines proliferate, passed around on removable computer drives known as memory sticks.. The small computer memories, also known as flash drives or thumb drives, are dropped into friendly hands on buses and along street corners, offering a surprising number of Cubans access to information.

“Information circulates hand to hand through this wonderful gadget known as the memory stick,” Sanchez said, “and it is difficult for the government to intercept them. I can’t imagine that they can put a police officer on every corner to see who has a flash drive and who doesn’t.”

This has a lot of implications for governments and Big Media in their war for control of intellectual property, ideas, and information. While it is convenient to share these things over public networks, it's entirely possible to do so without networks or via private networks.

I wonder what Gutenberg would have thought about so small a device able to hold a bible or the idea of making a copy in just a few seconds. Would he have been very excited about sharing information or very upset that he could no longer make a living printing bibles.

Today, the only thing standing between humanity and its collective understanding of the universe are a handful of people who control the people who write the laws and direct the armies that enforce them.

teh603 · 03-10-2013, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wizwor

This has a lot of implications for governments and Big Media in their war for control of intellectual property, ideas, and information.

You forgot the other main player for information control: big religion. Its been in the information control business for at least three thousand years, and doesn't really care what it has to destroy to get its way.

Elfwreck · 03-10-2013, 04:36 PM

And there are dead drops, anonymous P2P file exchange centers that are USB drives mounted in walls in public spaces.

If more computers get memory card readers, that'll become another common way to exchange data. Right now, flash drives are more universal.

Things like this are why I don't worry over-much about the "six strikes" contracts and laws like CISPA and ACTA. While I think they're oppressive, unreasonable, and likely unconstitutional, I don't think they'll remotely be effective in doing what the media industries want.

The last 500 years have been full of steady progress to make information exchange easier, faster and more accurate. It's a bit late to try putting the brakes on that.

Greg Anos · 03-10-2013, 05:43 PM

It is referred to as "the sneakernet"....

And at 64 GigBytes per micro sd chip, It'll carry anything...

taustin · 03-10-2013, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

It is referred to as "the sneakernet"....

And at 64 GigBytes per micro sd chip, It'll carry anything...

Or. to quote the old saying, "never underestimate the bandwidth of a guy with a station wagon and a box of tapes."

jgaiser · 03-10-2013, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

It is referred to as "the sneakernet"....

And at 64 GigBytes per micro sd chip, It'll carry anything...

Yep... We were using sneakernet long before pirate bay

wizwor · 03-10-2013, 07:25 PM

We all sneakernet. It's the idea that this may displace the internet as a means of sharing information in an age of Big Brother that I find intriguing.

jgaiser · 03-10-2013, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wizwor

We all sneakernet. It's the idea that this may displace the internet as a means of sharing information in an age of Big Brother that I find intriguing.

I doubt if it will "replace" the internet (even the Chinese and Iranians have found ways around the firewalls), but for very sensitive material it will be a real option.

patrickt · 03-10-2013, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teh603

You forgot the other main player for information control: big religion. Its been in the information control business for at least three thousand years, and doesn't really care what it has to destroy to get its way.

Pitiful and inaccurate.

Before there were thumb drives the copy machine caused a revolution in information availability.

cromag · 03-11-2013, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Pitiful and inaccurate.

Before there were thumb drives the copy machine caused a revolution in information availability.

Mimeographs -- the "copy machine" of my grammar school!

Ekaros · 03-11-2013, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgaiser

I doubt if it will "replace" the internet (even the Chinese and Iranians have found ways around the firewalls), but for very sensitive material it will be a real option.

Yes we do have TOR and rather strong encryption options. Not sure about some of those though might be accessible by big evil government...

Still, with internet available there is ways to make trafic more secure.

crich70 · 03-11-2013, 09:17 AM

And back in the day people shared information via sharing copies of pbooks and record albums. The media has changed and the availability of means to get a copy quickly has grown but the principle is very old.

frahse · 03-11-2013, 11:41 AM

Don't think that Big Brother is sleeping.

androidrooting · 03-12-2013, 09:49 AM

The technology nowadays are far more strict. Even a simple sharing of files may lead you to jail. This is how strict internet can be

Greg Anos · 03-12-2013, 08:42 PM

That's one reason (not the only one) old paranoids make certain that a lot of their gadgets don't have Internet access. You can't hack/track what you can't see....

(Some of them just want to be able to get away from automated tracking...)

03-12-2013, 09:49 AM	#14
androidrooting Enthusiast Posts: 48 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: United States Device: kindle	Freedom of Information The technology nowadays are far more strict. Even a simple sharing of files may lead you to jail. This is how strict internet can be

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03-10-2013, 04:36 PM	#3
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,187 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	And there are dead drops, anonymous P2P file exchange centers that are USB drives mounted in walls in public spaces. If more computers get memory card readers, that'll become another common way to exchange data. Right now, flash drives are more universal. Things like this are why I don't worry over-much about the "six strikes" contracts and laws like CISPA and ACTA. While I think they're oppressive, unreasonable, and likely unconstitutional, I don't think they'll remotely be effective in doing what the media industries want. The last 500 years have been full of steady progress to make information exchange easier, faster and more accurate. It's a bit late to try putting the brakes on that.

03-10-2013, 05:43 PM	#4
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,546 Karma: 37057604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	It is referred to as "the sneakernet".... And at 64 GigBytes per micro sd chip, It'll carry anything...

03-10-2013, 07:25 PM	#7
wizwor Wizard Posts: 1,068 Karma: 23867385 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: kindle, fire	We all sneakernet. It's the idea that this may displace the internet as a means of sharing information in an age of Big Brother that I find intriguing.

03-11-2013, 09:17 AM	#12
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	And back in the day people shared information via sharing copies of pbooks and record albums. The media has changed and the availability of means to get a copy quickly has grown but the principle is very old.

03-11-2013, 11:41 AM	#13
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,315 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	Don't think that Big Brother is sleeping.

03-12-2013, 08:42 PM	#15
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,546 Karma: 37057604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	That's one reason (not the only one) old paranoids make certain that a lot of their gadgets don't have Internet access. You can't hack/track what you can't see.... (Some of them just want to be able to get away from automated tracking...)