Google reactivates Speak2Tweet after Syria shuts down all internet and phone services - Polidicks

[t]http://imgkk.com/i/ue5l.jpg[/t] [url]http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57556368-38/google-reactivates-speak2tweet-for-syrian-internet-cutoff/[/url] [quote=CNET]Google and Twitter have restarted their Speak2Tweet service to let people disseminate voice messages over Twitter as a way to sidestep Syria's Internet blackout. The Speak2Tweet service got its start during Egypt's Internet blackout in February 2011 but has been largely dormant since then. Late yesterday, Google announced on Google+ that it's brought the service back online: [quote=Google]In the last day, Internet access has been completely cut off in Syria. Unfortunately we are hearing reports that mobile phones and landlines aren't working properly either. But those who might be lucky enough to have a voice connection can still use Speak2Tweet by simply leaving a voicemail on one of these international phone numbers (+90 212 339 1447 or +30 21 1 198 2716 or +39 06 62207294 or +1 650 419 4196), and the service will tweet the message. No Internet connection is required, and people can listen to the messages by dialing the same phone numbers or going to [url]twitter.com/speak2tweet[/url].[/quote] The illustrates Google's continuing political efforts at maintaining Internet openness. It also has opposed Net censorship in China and last week launched a "free and open" public lobbying campaign to try to preserve today's Internet governance and not cede powers to a United Nations agency called the International Telecommunications Union. "Some governments want to use a closed-door meeting in December to increase censorship and regulate the Internet," Google said, exhorting people to sign a petition opposing that move. Companies that offer back-end Internet data-transfer services detected the sharp cutoff of traffic to Syria yesterday. According to Reuters, Syria's minister of information blamed the outage on terrorists, not state actions. But one Internet firm, CloudFlare, said that explanation was "unlikely to be the case." For one thing, there are four cables providing Internet service to Syria, and cutting all of them at the same time would be difficult, CloudFlare said in a blog post. For another, the nature of the cutoff suggested it was the result of configuration changes to the routers that transmit Internet data into and out of Syria. "The systematic way in which routes were withdrawn suggests that this was done through updates in router configurations, not through a physical failure or cable cut," Cloudflare said. The company offered a video showing Syrian Net connections being severed. "We don't believe our role is to take sides in political conflicts. However, we do believe it is our mission to build a better Internet where everyone can have a voice and access information," CloudFlare said. "It is therefore deeply troubling to the CloudFlare team when we see an entire nation cut off from the ability to access and report information."[/quote]

Google is such a nice company. Seriously.

[QUOTE][IMG]http://imgkk.com/i/ue5l.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] Christ, it can all be cut off just like that?

Randian heroes, tirelessly working against statist oppression.

If only I understood arab.

-snip i see-

[QUOTE=jamzzster;38653886]Christ, it can all be cut off just like that?[/QUOTE] Yes, and the government blames 'terrorists' for having cut off every internet connection and phone network in the country for several days and counting how

[url=https://www.google.com/voice/s2t/getaudio/ALzLAKrhW2Mz4anLNSRcHfaiOsHoRu9amxmdtQ2zOwYcgG2YWkeoAg-VLinE_hQfFSpiFOSqZhcVgdlMh4Z9so03Y7akXunQm2AYJ1AFah-igHQsAcgviSa1d6e2A7USAjLG40Kf-vkY]This[/url] [url=https://www.google.com/voice/s2t/getaudio/ALzLAKqTRWHy5jK_cWyxlkSb24b17RYkZd6cv4iXlvZPUcpFnlGrtQzjVuLr1BqS319xH5uc6ik4-5Nd1yuDFa2v0U-3Wn_RLmX1NGpNt9ZpJ3TFyLzd84PFEQ_c2onoyWOCmQBa8r8u]is[/url] [url=https://www.google.com/voice/s2t/getaudio/ALzLAKqOl7-pZoFm4f62km1bQLehFiyXOS4F-2XinkDytxkO5sfcahnEDQOPJbf8dGu4DJYXbLZSLn_zGnAm5PFzAGefqtH8TTqam1CWU5RPDqm9ToEPeb7VofM7VYMvceihatXgGagw]how[/url] [url=https://www.google.com/voice/s2t/getaudio/ALzLAKqF9uRrEjyw5ZXqcHiDiH_QcMk-8hSZvX3WSzquYyygsS55gsEltwa-ebJPLRfGlG0dO-jp_kHfArftOPADu-2DwZZWLEerF9LEl5IN7M-i7yJhcUjuTXE3lri27k7GO-v6-TSp]you[/url] [url=https://www.google.com/voice/s2t/getaudio/ALzLAKpJJBLMrFK-YEvSB6aaf91Z_hBFAWAO23DZHxo6LvVA6kyq0hXaSu38mZAs3Zy-VvHu1NuBtPGV5JySiQvrF72OnTwT1bi2N8D2ccNic7AD4icQD7btwauIPM_QJJWNARHpF-tx]use[/url] [url=https://www.google.com/voice/s2t/getaudio/ALzLAKqNMxWXPHZgInOficWUUZx1PeODFOoLPAAJ-jeNCTpndmj9ZH7hDTj64uQG73qCmqvx-_V7BXkXiOBUc6ysPt2Ivh9CewDznap-xxzHFDV-8cAcPhC6hwbck6jWkjiJK9T2VWta]it[/url] [url=https://www.google.com/voice/s2t/getaudio/ALzLAKqfSpGLIi3EEOlPwNYXhidpaq8XL4QZCKOCcXQ0dCfcHHXX0nf12lNcNhsGeJaPtMvCTstqlYPIPBv8fmcD_k0rMJXmJj7v-1R8dctLtr7E3x9vHKgjhrArSmX-E3RupoILAp1p]wrong.[/url]

[QUOTE=jamzzster;38653886]Christ, it can all be cut off just like that?[/QUOTE] It's literally that simple for the bulk of it. It's incredible to see google and twitter offer these services to circumvent censorship to get the word out there about what's really going on through first hand accounts.

[QUOTE=mysteryman;38654440]It's literally that simple for the bulk of it. It's incredible to see google and twitter offer these services to circumvent censorship to get the word out there about what's really going on through first hand accounts.[/QUOTE] I agree, but its unnerving to know how easily it can be done, not implying its a simple push of a button.. but more how that it is actually possible to cut everything off.

Syria only have one internet provider, and it's state run. Hence why it was so easy to turn off.

[QUOTE=jamzzster;38653886]Christ, it can all be cut off just like that?[/QUOTE] Squeeze plastic retainer clip and pull. [img]http://images.crestock.com/20000-29999/29750-xs.jpg[/img]

I guess its spring all year round.

[QUOTE=jamzzster;38653886]Christ, it can all be cut off just like that?[/QUOTE] The internet is nothing but powered wires. Once the power goes, so does the internet.

[QUOTE=axelord157;38655855]The internet is nothing but powered wires. Once the power goes, so does the internet.[/QUOTE] Unless you have a BGAN

[QUOTE=axelord157;38655855]The internet is nothing but powered wires. Once the power goes, so does the internet.[/QUOTE] No. Its a series of tubes.

[QUOTE=abananapeel;38659437]No. Its a series of tubes.[/QUOTE] If you think about it, the actual copper or whatever wires are inside of a rubber/plastic tube.

[QUOTE=jamzzster;38653886]Christ, it can all be cut off just like that?[/QUOTE] Syria apparently connects to the outside world with four peers. I get the feeling it really is as simple as unplugging 4 cables. [editline]1st December 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=smurfy;38658024]Unless you have a BGAN[/QUOTE] I don't think that many people actually have a BGAN system to hand, hence why when Sky used it last year it was seen as being amazing and revolutionary.

[QUOTE=Jsm;38662182]Syria apparently connects to the outside world with four peers. I get the feeling it really is as simple as unplugging 4 cables. [editline]1st December 2012[/editline] I don't think that many people actually have a BGAN system to hand, hence why when Sky used it last year it was seen as being amazing and revolutionary.[/QUOTE] CloudFlare analyzed it, it's more likely they remotely reconfigured the routers than anything else. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZHKeYwnALc[/media]