Vietnam pulls the plug on online dissent

[dArKeR]

Hanoi - Vietnam has introduced tough new laws regulating the use of the Internet in an apparent attempt to silence online dissent.

The Ministry of Public Security's mouthpiece, the An Ninh The Gioi, said on Wednesday that the new rules were necessary "to tighten the management of Internet operations".

Under decision No. 71, which came into force in March, taking advantage of the Internet to disrupt "social order and safety" or to breach the communist nation's "fine customs and traditions" are "strictly forbidden".

"Storing on Internet-connected computers information, materials or data classified as state secrets," is also prohibited.

http://iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=3&art_id=qw1084354635874B213&set_id=1

Vietnam, China, USSR... engage. Cuba boycott. Where is Bush's Christian morality?

[cosmicdot]

1. and, has the White House voiced how this is an affront to democracy?

I doubt it, afterall ...

The White House pulled the plug on Somalia in 2001, and, as far as I know, the Somalians haven't been back online nor yahoo'ing ... I'm sure their economy sucks ... there could be some commerce on the Internet which would pump some life into their infrastructure ....

Yellow Sign Warning: compassionate conservatism-at-work

and, they sort of set the tone with the 'there should be limits to freedom' ... the word is out ...

Can the plug be pulled on general communications, allowing e-commerce to continue? We'll have to use "buying stuff" codes, or 'note' area when checking out, in order to communicate:

"one if by land, two if by sea".