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Internet Cubans Enjoying Freedom of Internet
Michael Barkoviak - October 14, 2009 7:31 AM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 22 comment(s) - last by Yawgm0th.. on Oct 15 at 12:02 PM
The Cuban Internet revolution is now taking shape

Cubans are using their newfound ability to use the internet to blog and discuss politics and other topics that were not allowed to be openly discussed under Fidel Castro's reign.

Despite the growing openness, many bloggers are still very careful not to criticize the Cuban government directly.  Political advisers note bloggers do not want the government to begin a crackdown on internet content and blogs.

"The bloggers, mainly young adults from a variety of professions, have opened a new space for free expression, while offering a fresh glimmer of hope for the rebirth of independent ideas in the country's closed system," the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in a statement.

Similar to the current internet revolution taking place in Iran, the Cuban internet movement is led by the younger, more technologically savvy generations.

Even though interest in the internet is high, only 2.5% of Cubans reportedly have access to the internet -- and 11.5% have access to Cuba's intranet.  Despite not many citizens having internet at home, there is access available in internet cafes, universities, hotels and other public locations.

The U.S. government has given permission to a small tech firm to install a new fiber optic cable between Miami and Havana.  The new cable, assuming the Cuban government approves the plan, will be in place by mid-2011.


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This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
By Bateluer on 10/14/2009 8:21:46 AM , Rating: 5
Is to provide the people with a voice that cannot be easily shuttered. I'm thinking that the Internet will probably be responsible for some of the biggest regime changes in Cuba in 50 years.




By theslug on 10/14/2009 10:16:34 AM , Rating: 3
There is a big difference between free speech and an outright threat against a person's life.


By BladeVenom on 10/14/2009 11:54:01 AM , Rating: 5
We don't have free speech as long as there are still obscenity laws in this country.


By LeftFootRed on 10/14/2009 12:56:51 PM , Rating: 2
Are you having trouble getting access to porn?

Or are you just annoyed that they can't advertise it on Nickelodeon?


By BladeVenom on 10/14/2009 2:23:50 PM , Rating: 3
Welcome to the internet. This must be your first day on the internet if you think anyone has trouble finding porn.

I object the government enforcing other peoples morality on everyone. I think it's wrong that anything on the internet can be prosecuted by the community standards of the most prudish counties in the country.

I find it objectionable that the government will throw people in prison for importing Japanese comics. And prosecute/persecute people for what they write on their blogs and websites.

I'm just for freedom: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom from religion.


By LeftFootRed on 10/15/2009 11:22:34 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Welcome to the internet. This must be your first day on the internet if you think anyone has trouble finding porn.


Ever hear of 'tongue in cheek'?

quote:
I object the government enforcing other peoples morality on everyone.


Reality check. Somebody's morality is always enforced. If your morality includes "Anything goes during kiddie hour on TV" then, good or bad in your mind, legalizing that is forcing your morality on everyone who disagrees with it.

The devil's in the details and I think should be discussed based on what society wants as a whole.

What I object to is the moral relativist statement that the US has no freedom of speech b/c of limits on nudity and language, which the general society supports (apart from the young unmarried male demographic which is disproportionately represented here), putting it on par with countries where citizens cannot criticize the party in power without risking everything.


By Yawgm0th on 10/15/2009 12:02:21 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Ever hear of 'tongue in cheek'?
Your question was blatantly sarcastic and rhetorical, but not tongue-in-cheek. It would have to be much more subtle to be tongue-in-cheek. Sadly, that just makes the poster look dumber for responding to it as a serious question.

quote:
What I object to is the moral relativist statement that the US has no freedom of speech b/c of limits on nudity and language, which the general society supports
I agree with you in that I think people like to take their objections to an extreme. Everything is on a spectrum and the U.S. is still among the freest of nations in terms of speech. Still, just because censorship in this country isn't on political speech doesn't make it right. As Clemens puts it, "Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak because a baby can't chew it."


By Yawgm0th on 10/15/2009 11:55:18 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Are you having trouble getting access to porn? Or are you just annoyed that they can't advertise it on Nickelodeon?
I can't be heard on TV by 90% of the people that watch it if I use bad language. Broadcast television is still one of the better mediums for the expression of free speech - better than the Internet, in some ways.

Porn is completely different. Porn should be legal to make, distribute, and even broadcast. It is not an affront to free speech that it can't be aired on network television.


By sigmatau on 10/14/2009 6:53:37 PM , Rating: 1
I vote you get a -2 for that one.

Making a threat on the President's life is a felony.


By Reclaimer77 on 10/14/2009 7:02:18 PM , Rating: 3
I think there is a difference between making a threat and just saying you wish someone were dead or killed.

Of course under Bush it was ok, even stylish, to do so. Hell even movies were made about him being assasinated. But under Obama, oh no, we can't have that !!!


I want to be excited, but I'm not.
By Xavier434 on 10/14/2009 8:49:23 AM , Rating: 2
I suppose that no matter how you look at it, the Cubans having more access to the internet cannot be a bad thing entirely. Risky due to potential government intervention...maybe, but not bad. The main issue is that hardly any Cubans can afford computers let alone an internet connection.

The article also mentions things like internet cafes and other methods of accessing the internet outside of the home. I am not saying that statement is false, but I hesitate to believe it entirely because there are TONS of "nice things and places" in Cuba but the actual Cubans are not even permitted to enter those areas of town. They are restricted because those areas are for the tourists and the Cuban government doesn't want those areas to become any less attractive by having the less than wealthy Cubans wandering around.

Lastly, just because someone mentioned it earlier, make no mistake that Cuba is NOT a Communist country by definition anymore no matter what they claim to be. They are much worse. They are some kind of strange blend between Communism and Fascism. I do not believe there exists an actual classification for what they really are. It is really terrible no matter what we decide to call it though.




RE: I want to be excited, but I'm not.
By Bateluer on 10/14/2009 9:36:24 AM , Rating: 2
Doesn't that describe all communist governments though? Despite claiming to be all about the workers and the proletariat, the party leaders inevitably become dictators that stifle freedom and expression.


By thurston on 10/14/2009 7:50:06 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
the party leaders inevitably become dictators that stifle freedom and expression.


That doesn't only happen in communist governments.


By gcouriel on 10/14/2009 11:32:58 AM , Rating: 2
It's called Fidelismo, and you are absolutely right!


By omnicronx on 10/14/2009 12:39:06 PM , Rating: 2
Haha, I love how Americans (99.99999999% of which have never been there), make judgments about Cuba, yet have no idea what it is really like. I have to say for the resources available and the population densities, Cubans do alright. If I were Cuban, I would rather live there in a Fascist/Communist country any day then live in say the Dominican republic. Sure they don't have the same liberties as other Domocratic nations, but the quality of life (including healthcare) is better than most Caribbean islands and south American countries that ARE democratically run.


Give them enough rope...
By SublimeSimplicity on 10/14/2009 7:59:38 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Political advisers note bloggers do not want the government to begin a crackdown on internet content and blogs.


Yeah, why do I get the feeling this "freedom" is a setup.

After all in communist Cuba network takes you down!




RE: Give them enough rope...
By Bruneauinfo on 10/14/2009 9:22:12 AM , Rating: 2
Cuba is learning from other communist countries like China and post-USSR countries. internet = good stuff

despite the freedom it affords


Malware
By Maza13 on 10/14/2009 10:54:00 AM , Rating: 2
Cuba meet malware...Malware meet Cuba.

I wonder how long it will take before Cubans are bombarded with phishing and Nigerian scams. Ads for Viagra, and of course male enhancement products. Oh, and of those I wonder how many will actually get taken in. Of course productivity will go down once they discover WoW...hahahaha!




RE: Malware
By DarkElfa on 10/14/2009 2:03:03 PM , Rating: 2
When are they going to revamp the ridiculous ratings system here on Dailytech? How many times have many of you posted your opinion her only to have it down voted by members with opinions different than yours? I understand its use to weed out spammers and the like but its all to often used to stifle real opinions and that I can't help but feel is an abuse of the system. For example, when the opinion is liberal and the conservatives vote it into -1 or visa versa. Or when its a Windows/Mac debate. I don't think there are many members here who haven't suffered through this kind of crap.

On the Cuba side, I cant help but feel that with Cuba's record on freedom of speech that it will be cracked down on slowly but surely and that is sad in the modern age.


Now...
By krichmond on 10/14/2009 9:57:40 AM , Rating: 2
All they need is power, and PCs and they will be able to log right on..




alternative headlines
By Gul Westfale on 10/14/2009 7:22:51 PM , Rating: 2
1. "Cubans are now looking at all the stuff they can't buy on eBay."

2. "Cubans: We never knew there was so much gay midget porn."

3. "Cubans have internet, but no computers."




"Let's face it, we're not changing the world. We're building a product that helps people buy more crap - and watch porn." -- Seagate CEO Bill Watkins

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