[ NNSquad ] U.S. Firm Acknowledges Syria Uses Its Gear to Block Web

[Lauren Weinstein <lauren@vortex.com>]

U.S. Firm Acknowledges Syria Uses Its Gear to Block Web

http://j.mp/TQWphg  (WSJ)

   "A U.S. company that makes Internet-blocking gear acknowledges that
    Syria has been using at least 13 of its devices to censor Web activity
    there-an admission that comes as the Syrian government cracks down on
    its citizens and silences their online activities.  Blue Coat Systems
    Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif., says it shipped the Internet "filtering"
    devices to Dubai late last year, believing they were destined for a
    department of the Iraqi government. However, the devices-which can
    block websites or record when people visit them-made their way to
    Syria, a country subject to strict U.S. trade embargoes."

 - - -

Yeah, they were *supposed* to be used to *block* the Web in Iraq, not Syria.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein (lauren@vortex.com): http://www.vortex.com/lauren 
Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info
Founder:
 - Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org 
 - PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info
 - Data Wisdom Explorers League: http://www.dwel.org
 - Global Coalition for Transparent Internet Performance: http://www.gctip.org
Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Google+: http://vortex.com/g+lauren / Twitter: http://vortex.com/t-lauren 
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com
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