[eigen-vector]

This is quite unfortunate. In countries where whether the people have access to internet or not is under the control of the government, this was a neat work around to get voices heard. In the recent history, an 'internet lockdown' has been the MO of many (oppressive) governments, including India.

edit: removed a comment on about 2-FA as it takes away from the intended point.

[pjc50]

I don't think there are any countries with government controlled internet that don't also have government controlled mobile networks, and SMS is sent in the clear?

[saagarjha]

They'd have to remember to shut down the SMS network.

[mtnGoat]

dont have to shut it down entirely, just block twitters shortcodes and numbers.

[saagarjha]

Which is work, especially if you're the kind of government that just shuts down the internet rather than blocking undesirable content.

[dontbenebby]

Unfortunately there's often no one in the decision making process with skin in the game WRT free expression when it comes to axing a feature.

It frustrates me that often folks who express support for HK independence so fiercely can't even tell me who Modi is.

Best wishes friend.

[searchableguy]

I am confused. Why is modi relevant here?

[dontbenebby]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/04/world/asia/india-protests...

>The protests began in December when the government passed a law that uses religion as a criterion for determining whether illegal migrants in India can be fast-tracked for citizenship. The measure favors members of all South Asia’s major religions except Islam, India’s second largest faith. Muslims worry that the law will be coupled with a citizenship test and used to strip them of their Indian nationality.

They're very different situations, but the common thread is people feeling their rights are not being respected, and protesting that.

It's pretty well discussed among those who actually care about free expression and/or censorship circumvention.

[joombaga]

This wasn't about 2FA via SMS. That still works.

[eigen-vector]

I intended it to be a comment on how security is a reason why this was purportedly removed and that I understand, but I see that I muddled my statements there.