Ask HN: Is it possible to cut off the internet for ISIS occupied areas?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10586642

by SePP • 11 years ago

3 4 11 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

It seems a lot of coordination for attacks or recruiting is done through the web, why don't we take that away? Is it that difficult to do? Or is it a bad idea?

seren• 11 years ago

It is a double edge sword : some volunteers are still in contact with their family at home via Skype or other mean. If you cut them off totally, you have no hope of winning them back.

Another point is intel, there might not been a lot of sources in occupied territories, but at least some of them are sending information, likely via internet.

According to wikipedia [0], SOHR has 200 informants in Syria. It is not said where exactly there are, but for example, there are reporting this morning that 33 jihadists were killed last night in Rakka. Obviously this is coming from someone in Rakka.

And lastly, there is also a large population of civilians in there, this is why as far as now, no one is bombarding critical infrastructure like water, electricity.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Observatory_for_Human_R...

It might be technically possible but not necessarily a net gain in the end.

brudgers• 11 years ago

Go with your gut, it's a bad idea.

runjake• 11 years ago

This is an awful idea.

ISIS uses the same infrastructure that innocent people use across multiple countries (Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, the EU, etc etc etc). They are not isolated in caves using their own infrastructure.

anand_r31• 11 years ago

Wouldn't a more connected world be better? Those suffering under Isis would finally get a voice. Potential Isis recruits might find better opportunities on the web... Imagine girls from Isis controlled states sitting at home learning through Khan Academy. Just feel that the internet does more good than bad.

Ask HN: Is it possible to cut off the internet for ISIS occupied areas?

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