uae_1.html (UAE censoring Internet)

[Wayne Clerke]

I've checked the filtering out already ... it's pretty extensive. Far, far
more than Singapore's 'hundred' or so pages. The granularity is such that
things like http://www.domain/~user/main may be passed, while a link from
that
page to a subpage may be blocked. I guess they can afford to do
this with so few users and little traffic. Never thought I'd be real
interested in how Net Nanny worked ... but I am now.

I'd be happy to hear from anyone with good ideas (or (accessible) pointers)
about how to minimize the effects of this stupidity ... :-(

Regards,

Mail: <a href=mailto:wclerke at emirates.net.ae>Wayne Clerke</a>
PGP key ID: AEB2546D		FP: D663D11E DA19D74F 5032DC7E E001B702
PGP mail welcome.			Voice: +971 506 43 48 53
If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space.


----------
> From: Lynx_User at linux.nycmetro.com
> To: cypherpunks at toad.com
> Subject: uae_1.html
> Date: Tuesday, 28 January 1997 12:26
> 
> 
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>    Monday January 27 9:50 AM EST 
>    
> UAE Launches Service To Censor Internet
> 
>    DUBAI - The United Arab Emirates's monopoly Internet provider launched
>    a service Saturday to censor sites in cyberspace that breached local
>    moral values and traditions.
>    
>    Officials from state telecommunications company Etisalat said the new
>    Proxy Service would be compulsory for the UAE's 9,669 subscribers, who
>    will have to configure their web browsers that navigate the net by
>    February 2.
>    
>    "The service was launched today as part of our efforts to improve the
>    Internet service to our subscribers after lengthy study and research,"
>    said one official at Etisalat.
>    
>    "We were working on it before some official statements were made on
>    the need to control access to some sites on the service," he told
>    Reuters.
>    
>    The move follows repeated calls to regulate access to the Internet in
>    the conservative Gulf region, where most women are veiled, magazine
>    pictures revealing cleavage or bare legs are blacked out and
>    questioning the existence of god can be punishable by death.
>    
>    Some are worried about the spread of pornography as well as religious
>    and political material through the worldwide network of interlinked
>    computers.
>    
>    Last year, Dubai Police chief Major General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim
>    created a rare public row in the UAE saying the information ministry
>    and the police, rather that Etisalat, should be authorized to issue
>    Internet licenses as it was their job to monitor data coming into the
>    UAE and maintain security.
>    
>    Telecommunications experts say the Proxy Service will not be "fully
>    water-tight," but would help block access to known and unwanted sites
>    -- a list of which could be constantly updated.
>    
>    The proxy server will be pre-fed with Internet addresses where access
>    is blocked off, industry sources said. But the server will be unable
>    to block access if addresses of prohibited sites are changed, as
>    frequently happens.
>    
>    Etisalat says it will disconnect any customer who abused its Internet
>    services and violated "order and clear laws."
>    
>    "Singapore has succeeded to a great extent in its drive to control
>    harm done by the Internet," said another Etisalat official. "Why
>    cannot we?"
>    
>    Singapore government measures to regulate political and religious
>    content on the Internet and keep it free of pornography became
>    effective in July last year. They require all Internet service
>    operators and local content providers to be registered with the
>    Singapore Broadcasting Authority.
>    
>    Copyright, Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved

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