Internet Society Statement on Egypt’s Internet Shutdown

Source: The Internet Society Newsletter Volume 10 Number 1 January 2011.

On 28 January, Lynn St.Amour President and CEO, and the Internet Society Board of Trustees issued a statement on the Egypt’s Internet shutdown:

“We are following the current events in Egypt with concern as it appears that all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic has been disrupted. The Internet Society believes that the Internet is a global medium that fundamentally supports opportunity, empowerment, knowledge, growth, and freedom and that these values should never be taken away from individuals.

“The Internet Society considers this recent action by the Egyptian government to block Internet traffic to be an inappropriate response to a political crisis. It is a very serious decision for a government to block all Internet access in its country, and a serious intrusion into its citizens’ basic rights to communicate. If the blockage continues, it will have a very detrimental impact on Egypt’s economy and society. Ultimately, the Egyptian people and nation are the ones that will suffer, while the rest of the world will be worse off with the loss of Egyptian voices on the net”

For the complete statement, see:

http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=3091&utm_source=nl&utm_medium=txt&utm_campaign=201101

For a Q&A on the shutdown, its impact, and implications see:

http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=3100&utm_source=nl&utm_medium=txt&utm_campaign=201101

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