A Taliban leader stops WiFi internet in the province of Balkh to "prevent immorality"

[thewayne]

This is just too stupid to not quote the article. Then again, we are talking about an Islamic fundamentalist state, which is so fundamentalist that it is quite stupid. So here's the quote: "It’s the first time a ban of this kind has been imposed since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, and leaves government offices, the private sector, public institutions, and homes in northern Balkh province without Wi-Fi internet. Mobile internet remains functional, however.

Haji Attaullah Zaid, a provincial government spokesman, said there was no longer cable internet access in Balkh by order of a “complete ban” from the leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

“This measure was taken to prevent immorality, and an alternative will be built within the country for necessities,” Zaid told The Associated Press. He gave no further information, including why Balkh was chosen for the ban or if the shutdown would spread to other provinces."

Good luck creating that 'alternative'. I'm sure there's lots of people willing to sell you copies of Novell Netware and can lay coax cable for you. Meanwhile, families will be leaving the province and I expect you're going to see more young people thinking about pulling a Russian Exodus and never returning.

While they talk about cellular WiFi being available, it's slow and expensive and apparently also failing due to 'technical issues'.

https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-internet-ban-balkh-0554049d724b8c8e0fb1e668ff34bbd2

Comments

[arpad]

I honestly prefer Taliban state without internet to Taliban state with it.

[ranunculus]

I prefer the leaders of a Taliban state to be without access to internet of any kind, but I'm perfectly happy for the rest of the people to have it.

[armiphlage]

Exposure to the rest of the world would hopefully improve attitudes and norms. Or at least let people know that there is a world outside to escape to.

[richardf8]

So, black market for Starlink receivers?

[armiphlage]

Or go back to the old days when people passed around floppy disks full of programs and files. Except that microSD cards can hold far vaster amounts of data, and can be slipped into a letter (or even be glued behind a stamp on an envelope).

[thewayne]

South Koreans attaching USB sticks to helium balloons and floating them over to North Korea is a big thing, they're filled with videos of SK TV shows and all sorts of books and things.  I think possession of them in NK is a shooting offense.

[disneydream06]

Please don't give The Felon and ideas. :o :o :o
Hugs, Jon

[darkoshi]

That may hurt women and girl students who haven't been allowed to go to school, and have been secretly taking online classes to get around the restrictions. As if they don't have enough problems already.

[thewayne]

The country is so utterly screwed and was just handed right back to the Taliban.  So sad.

[silveradept]

I can't imagine this will go over particularly well, especially since it would be more economical and useful to try and filter the Internet access instead of turn it off, but this is not a set of leaders who are known for either technical understanding or being bothered to worry about the consequences of what such a sweeping act would do.