Syria Bans the iPhone to Silence Citizen Journalists

[JMcEntegart]

The Syrian Customers Department has reportedly banned the use of iPhones in an effort to keep documentation of the current protests under wraps.

Syria Bans the iPhone to Silence Citizen Journalists : Read more

 

[Martell77]

hmm, so the people are protesting against the oppressive government and their solution is to further oppress them?

Its like that scene from the Dark Knight where the guy tried to blackmail Bruce. Lucius: You think your employer is a vigilante that beats criminals with his bare hands and your plan is to blackmail this person? Good Luck.

With the level of stupidity the government is showing, I'd say the iPhone is the least of their problems.

 

[joytech22]

"This just in.. Android phone sales go up 4% overnight"
Lol..

A more effective way to stop documentation would be to ban all smart devices.
BUT.. They won't do that. I think..

 

[bebangs]

samsung must be behind this. =)

 

[theconsolegamer]

One country down. The whole world is next.

 

[memadmax]

ROFL, the stupidity is overwhelming...

This is like my mom when she doesn't understand computers so she took away my first computer because it's "evil"................................................

 

[memadmax]

Oh, and that stopped me for like 5 mins too, I just switched to the 486 I had hidden in the basement =D

You will see the same thing regarding phones in syria.....................

 

[blubbey]

Quick Samsung, send them complimentary Galaxy S2's!

 

[Goldengoose]

Pretty sure that following the iphone ban if you were caught waving another smartphone around you'd be hit with the same punishment.

I've always thought it's weird that a government can ban a certain item no matter what it is. When you think about it, the majority of people will do what someone in authority says and not question it; look at the smoking bans in England, it just sort of got accepted after a small shoutout.

 

[kryojenix]

Steve Jobs' natural father was Syrian...

 

[del35]

This is smells of media propaganda for the iPhone. Why would they ban the iPhone and not all smartphones?

 

[stingstang]

[citation][nom]memadmax[/nom]Oh, and that stopped me for like 5 mins too, I just switched to the 486 I had hidden in the basement =DYou will see the same thing regarding phones in syria.....................[/citation]
Ah hah! So, that wasn't your first computer after all! I've caught on to your little ruse, sir.

 

[eddieroolz]

The Syrian government obviously does not realize that it's not necessary to use iPhones to share information.

 

[Rayman161]

im Syrian citizen who live in Australia, this is old news they only banned it for 1 day by mistake and now the iPhone is ok to use in syria

 

[ojas]

Blackberry, anyone? They're supposed to be secure and stuff...

 

[alyoshka]

What a bunch of dumbass comments on advising the govt to ban XYZ devices when they can just shutdown all cell networks within 24Hrs. Television stations within 6 Hrs and other media within 48Hrs.
The Govts of any country don't need to ban any device regarding this sort of a thing.
In all countries of the world, a threat to it's sovereignty and security can be got down with force, not requiring any sort of ministerial discussions for ages.
911.... remember, it took them 3 hrs. to stop everything. Mumbai Attack, it took them 6 hrs to
get stuff to a standstill, london metro threat & shooting, 1 Hr. total media blackouts. No one gives a crap about citizens journalism just the opposition who need a thing to get down the government. People, rarely have had a say in any government or national movement after the french revolution.
Libya didn't go down in history for it's people, it goes down for french dual standards, the uk recent riots go into history for civilian unrest and has led to nothing other than a few people getting crazy sentences. desert storm the first, was the rise of CNN..... get it??? who's behind the curtain doing what is not dependent on silly iPhones, they've got way to sophisticated equipment if they really wanted to show the world what's happening there.
France has the eye in the sky for rent.....
It's only politics and capitalism that are causing all this crap. Not stupid Tech.

 

[doron]

[citation][nom]Rayman161[/nom]im Syrian citizen who live in Australia, this is old news they only banned it for 1 day by mistake and now the iPhone is ok to use in syria[/citation]

By mistake? Oh and they kill protesting civilians by mistake as well right?

 

[Rayman161]

[citation][nom]doron[/nom]By mistake? Oh and they kill protesting civilians by mistake as well right?[/citation]
where did i say that the government not killing its own people? im just saying its not banned anymore. they just lifted the ban the next day.

 

[willwayne]

[citation][nom]kryojenix[/nom]Steve Jobs' natural father was Syrian...[/citation]

Doubly rejected by Syria. Sad day...

 

[rawful]

In reality, this move wasn't to stop Citizen Journalists, it is because the Syrian government recognized the threat of people becoming apple fanboys, and annoying everyone else with horrible commercials and forming groups of smugness at all the local coffee shops. They are just trying to defend their citizens!