Iran blocks out Google's services

Iran has announced that they blocked out Google's services, including Gmail. Some Iranians have said they've been blocked for some time after the Iranian elections, including YouTube. The anti-Islamic film may not have been the motive on this, it's Iran's new National Intranet plans.

The Iranian regime is appearing to go after HTTPS, that what makes online websites secure from hacks and malicious software that intercept data. The key here to make the Net easier for the Iranian regime to spy on its own citizens.

With Iran's National Internet, or Intranet, Iran could be cut off from the rest of the world by establishing its own private, inside network, and blocking websites on the current Internet may not matter much to the Iranian regime anymore. With an inside network, the Iranian regime can set up their sites and servers (their own search engine, email, news blog, etc.) that they approve of, and have easier control on what gets posted on their networks and systems.

Source: Ars Technica

Can Apple shut off your iPhone in remote areas?

It appears that Apple may be prepared to shut off your iPhone in certain areas, such as areas where cell phone use isn't permitted, such as schools, libraries, medical centers, just to name a few. Apple would need to deploy such technical means to render their cell phone products useless at a particular location. With the bid for control over cell phones by governments, you can bet the local, state and federal governments in the US are willing to get their hands on this Apple technology.

Google, Facebook and others join forces to create the Internet Association

Facebook, Google, Amazon and a few others have joined together to create an e-lobby called the Internet Association, that will help preserve your Internet freedoms. But whose internet freedoms are they fighting for, yours or their own?

NY judge tells Twitter to reveal identities of OWS protesters

A NY judge is demanding the Twitter disclose the identities of Occupy Wall Street protesters, otherwise it could face some legal trouble.

This comes after a protester was arrested last October during a march at the Brooklyn Bridge.

Video from Russia Today:

Congress expands spying on Americans, thanks to FISA

Thanks to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the US House is looking to expand it to include wiretapping of Americans without warrants. It's hard to say whether how many Americans will be spied on, or what will be spied on - the cell phones, Internet, etc. if this gets amended.

Indian regime restricts mass cell phone texting

The Indian government is telling its cell phone providers to restrict mass cell phone texting, so that text messages can be sent to a few people at a time, and scan social media sites for inflammatory content, mainly content coming from Pakistan. This was because of rumors spread on the Internet about the ethnic unrest in the country.

Al Jazeera video on this story:

New Hampshire man gets jail time for filming cops

After recording a case of police brutality at a New Hampshire high school, Adam Mueller, a journalist, was sentenced to three months for wiretapping. A huge personal risk for documenting an incident involving a school student. A website called CopBlock.org is taking the lead in this case.

See RT America’s video on the case, with footage from the New Hampshire school.