BlackBerry gets bounced from Pakistan after saying no to backdoors by John Zorabedian.
From the post:
BlackBerry is saying “no” to government backdoor access to communications on its services and devices, in actions that speak louder than words.
Earlier this week, BlackBerry announced it is shutting down its operations in Pakistan and will leave the country by 30 December, after refusing to provide Pakistan’s government with backdoor access to its customers’ communications.
Marty Beard, BlackBerry’s chief operating officer, wrote on the company’s blog that the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority told mobile phone operators in July that BlackBerry would no longer be allowed to operate in the country for “security reasons.”
Beard said that Pakistan wanted unfettered access to all emails, BBM messages and other Blackberry Enterprise Service (BES) traffic, but the company refused on principle:
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Finally, a viable alternative to bombing countries back into the Stone Ages. Just leave them technologically in the Stone Ages. See how their citizens, businesses, crime lords, etc. feel about that!
If Pakistan was demanding backdoors from BlackBerry, you have to wonder what demands have been made on other communication service providers. Yes?
One hopes that such service providers, including those that control the pipes in and out of Pakistan will take stances like that of BlackBerry.
Would be sad to see Pakistan suddenly go dark on the Web but choices do have consequences. Isolated from the modern communications networks used by other countries, government officials will have lots of time for their paranoid fantasies.
Best prepare for a sudden exit of capital and bright minds from Pakistan once it goes dark. Not altogether sure communications should be restored even if the government changes. Let it stay dark as a lesson about governmental over reaching for the rest of the world.
PS: If you want a less extreme lesson first, cut Pakistan off of the Internet for a week, just as a warning to its government.