Activists on Facebook need protection: senator

[IDemo]

Sorry if this is a dupe..

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Facebook has become an important tool for democracy and human rights activists and it needs to do more to protect them, including allowing the use of pseudonyms, a US senator said Thursday.

"Recent events in Egypt and Tunisia have again highlighted the significant costs and benefits of social networking technology like Facebook to democracy and human rights activists," Senator Dick Durbin said in a letter to Facebook co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg.

"I commend you for providing an important tool to democracy and human-rights activists," the Democrat from Illinois said.

"However, as millions of people around the world use Facebook to exercise their freedom of expression, I am concerned that the company does not have adequate safeguards in place to protect human rights and avoid being exploited by repressive governments," Durbin said.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/02/11/activists-facebook-protection-senator/

[jp11]

1. The internet kill switch is more of a problem than FB

while there are probably issues with FB it means little if it can get shut down or our government uses its many powers to exploit it on their own in some future oppressive government trying to put down protestors/revolt. Laying the groundwork to further swell government power to do whatever it wants is more important than a single site.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. Oppressive governments already have a kill switch

This is a different issue, and the solution is in different hands. Rather than being in the hands of this government or that one, it is a company which could alter policies to favor users at will. This is, like many other issues, about the entire world, not just my block. The OP does not make the comparison you do, it does not place status on the issues, it simply says Facebook could increase user security. No one said 'more important' or 'less important' but you. Both things can be very important, the world is like that.
And to repeat, a 'kill switch' was used in Egypt. They shut it down. What Durbin is speaking of is about protecting those who use FB and other sites from their own governments or other political factions.
It is a very valid issue, as is the other. Both very important.