On air: Is Saudi Arabia right to restrict the use of Blackberrys?
|
Friday, 8 Aug. 2010
|18:00 - 19:00 GMT
Saudi Arabia says it will suspend BlackBerry services today as concerns spread across the Middle East and parts of Asia over security issues with them. It's not just Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, India and Algeria are all considering restrictions.
The U.A.E. says some BlackBerry features operate outside the country's laws, "causing judicial, social and national security concerns." It boils down to governments not being able to monitor communications between Blackberrys on it's messenger service.
The security concerns stem from the Mumbai hotel attack, when security forces in India captured several BlackBerrys used in the operation. Logs showed that the raid's mastermind controlled events via a BlackBerry server in Pakistan. All the world saw pictures of a young BlackBerry toting gunman with his device in his hand, taking orders from far away.
Mobile phones were also used by the london bombers who killed 52 people and injured more than 700 when they blew up tube trains and a bus on 7th July 2005.
Is it a country's right to monitor it's own citizens? Blackberries themselves aren't being banned, so people can still email and text. Isn't a little inconvenience a fair price for your country's security? Or is this another example of a government's attempt to control it's people?
Your comments
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:57
113631290
Tahar emails - I strongly believe that any country has the right to ban Black Berry servcies that can afect its security.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:53
113631290
Hugh emails - Blackberry is right not to drop encryption. If the UAE and Saudia Arabia want to snoop on conversations they need to hire some brains. In WWII the UK managed to decrypt the Enigma encryption with one-millionth of the computing power that every household has today.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:52
113631290
Sanousi posts on Facebook - For blackberry makers not to lose one of their biggest markets in the World, they should strike a compromise with Saudi and other countries that have raised security concerns over the use of blackberry in their countries. I think they have a legitimate concern which needs to be addressed.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:48
113631290
Abdul emails - I definitely agree with the decision. our national security is a highly priority. we need to support this ban.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:45
113631290
Peter commented on Facebook - The Middle East has a lot of security issues to deal with. Technology allows monitoring of threats to a greater level.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:44
113631290
Mawdo emails - Ii think this makes no difference because there are 100s of messaging applications for smartphones which can subtitutes the Blackberry Messaging.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:41
113631290
George emails - The ban is ridiculous and actually a decent security tech can crack RIM and de-crypt. Something is odd about this entire brouha.
Comment sent via SMS
18:39
114509376
There are other ways to communicate
Comment sent via SMS
18:39
114509376
You can ban the Blackberry services for security, but how long will that be an effective way to reduce national security risks?
Comment sent via Facebook
18:37
113631290
Lane said on Facebook - It makes you wonder what the Blackberry users are doing that they need privacy?
Comment sent via Facebook
18:36
113631290
Sanousi posted on Facebook - How can a country's telecommunications system be unable to view encrypted messages that are being sent in and out of its country? That is indeed a security violation and a cause for alarm.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:35
113631290
Gabriel emails - I thoroughly disagree with Saudi Arabia and the UAE's decision to ban RIM's Blackberry smartphones fromt these countries. They have no place to restrict a country's communication, commerce, and business operations as this will undoubtedly do. Instead, they might do better to improve communications with Canada, the database for RIM's smartphone data transfers, to allow a better degree of oversight over the data sent back and forth in these countries.
Comment sent via host
18:34
113631290
On air now discussing the restrictions being imposed on Blackberries by the Saudi authorities.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:29
113631290
Gabe emails - think the oil spill is dramatically overhyped. I believe that the devastation to the Gulf Coast region is extensive, and the cost to American jobs, the economy, wildlife, and the environment is extensive, which is most unfortunate. However, I see the attack against Tony Hayward, British Petroleum, and "Big Oil" in general by President Obama and environmentalists is completely unnecessary.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:24
113631290
Colin emails - It is always good to bring accidents before the public notice by finding out or investigating whether the cause was due to negligence or oversight or lack of concern or greed etc. But this far is too much.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:19
113631290
Saint-Paul said on Facebook - It was over-hyped and served a good purpose. The Gulf of Mexico received the attention necessary to clean it up.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:18
113631290
Jay posts on Facebook - OVERHYPED!! Seriously?! The BP spill is still a disaster no matter how you measure it.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:13
113631290
Tom commented on Facebook - Politically, Obama wanted to use it to make himself look like a hero. Practically, it showed the power of nature and the minute impact of man. The response of BP has been excellent.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:12
113631290
Isaac commented on Facebook - It wasn't over-hyped at all. The pressure created by this helped facilitate a solution to the problem.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:11
113631290
Mariana posts on Facebook - No way, they are trying to downplay it now, but they've polluted the sea with chemicals and we don't even know yet what the real damage is to the sea and animals.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:11
113631290
Geoffrey in Zambia emails - Maybe not,but then the Obama adminstration had to come out strong on BP, or lose the hearts of the citizens.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:09
113631290
Ryan emails - If the leak wasn't hyped then it is quite possible the consequences would have been more dire and there may have been more environmental damage. Being stabbed in the arm is not serious, being allowed to bleed to death is.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:07
113631290
Sarah writes on Facebook - No it wasn't over-hyped, and the implication of the question is offensive! Almost 5 million barrels of oil poisoned our Gulf coast.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:04
113631290
Saidu says on Facebook - Over-hyped? I don't think so. People's livelihood is hampered, the ecosystem is damaged. That coverage needed more air time.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:03
113631290
Uzondu responding to the Daily Email says - Well if people are saying that the Oil leak was overhyped, I think it was right. We learned a lot about the dangers that all these activities pose us if we don't take all the necessary precautions. I personally learned a lot.
Comment sent via host
18:02
113631290
On air now asking whether the BP oil spill was ''overhyped''. Let us know what you think.
On air: Is Saudi Arabia right to restrict the use of Blackberrys?
| Friday, 8 Aug. 2010 | 18:00 - 19:00 GMT
Saudi Arabia says it will suspend BlackBerry services today as concerns spread across the Middle East and parts of Asia over security issues with them. It's not just Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, India and Algeria are all considering restrictions.
The U.A.E. says some BlackBerry features operate outside the country's laws, "causing judicial, social and national security concerns." It boils down to governments not being able to monitor communications between Blackberrys on it's messenger service.
The security concerns stem from the Mumbai hotel attack, when security forces in India captured several BlackBerrys used in the operation. Logs showed that the raid's mastermind controlled events via a BlackBerry server in Pakistan. All the world saw pictures of a young BlackBerry toting gunman with his device in his hand, taking orders from far away.
Mobile phones were also used by the london bombers who killed 52 people and injured more than 700 when they blew up tube trains and a bus on 7th July 2005.
Is it a country's right to monitor it's own citizens? Blackberries themselves aren't being banned, so people can still email and text. Isn't a little inconvenience a fair price for your country's security? Or is this another example of a government's attempt to control it's people?
Your comments
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Tahar emails - I strongly believe that any country has the right to ban Black Berry servcies that can afect its security.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Hugh emails - Blackberry is right not to drop encryption. If the UAE and Saudia Arabia want to snoop on conversations they need to hire some brains. In WWII the UK managed to decrypt the Enigma encryption with one-millionth of the computing power that every household has today.
Comment sent via Facebook
Sanousi posts on Facebook - For blackberry makers not to lose one of their biggest markets in the World, they should strike a compromise with Saudi and other countries that have raised security concerns over the use of blackberry in their countries. I think they have a legitimate concern which needs to be addressed.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Abdul emails - I definitely agree with the decision. our national security is a highly priority. we need to support this ban.
Comment sent via Facebook
Peter commented on Facebook - The Middle East has a lot of security issues to deal with. Technology allows monitoring of threats to a greater level.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Mawdo emails - Ii think this makes no difference because there are 100s of messaging applications for smartphones which can subtitutes the Blackberry Messaging.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
George emails - The ban is ridiculous and actually a decent security tech can crack RIM and de-crypt. Something is odd about this entire brouha.
Comment sent via SMS
There are other ways to communicate
Comment sent via SMS
You can ban the Blackberry services for security, but how long will that be an effective way to reduce national security risks?
Comment sent via Facebook
Lane said on Facebook - It makes you wonder what the Blackberry users are doing that they need privacy?
Comment sent via Facebook
Sanousi posted on Facebook - How can a country's telecommunications system be unable to view encrypted messages that are being sent in and out of its country? That is indeed a security violation and a cause for alarm.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Gabriel emails - I thoroughly disagree with Saudi Arabia and the UAE's decision to ban RIM's Blackberry smartphones fromt these countries. They have no place to restrict a country's communication, commerce, and business operations as this will undoubtedly do. Instead, they might do better to improve communications with Canada, the database for RIM's smartphone data transfers, to allow a better degree of oversight over the data sent back and forth in these countries.
Comment sent via host
On air now discussing the restrictions being imposed on Blackberries by the Saudi authorities.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Gabe emails - think the oil spill is dramatically overhyped. I believe that the devastation to the Gulf Coast region is extensive, and the cost to American jobs, the economy, wildlife, and the environment is extensive, which is most unfortunate. However, I see the attack against Tony Hayward, British Petroleum, and "Big Oil" in general by President Obama and environmentalists is completely unnecessary.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Colin emails - It is always good to bring accidents before the public notice by finding out or investigating whether the cause was due to negligence or oversight or lack of concern or greed etc. But this far is too much.
Comment sent via Facebook
Saint-Paul said on Facebook - It was over-hyped and served a good purpose. The Gulf of Mexico received the attention necessary to clean it up.
Comment sent via Facebook
Jay posts on Facebook - OVERHYPED!! Seriously?! The BP spill is still a disaster no matter how you measure it.
Comment sent via Facebook
Tom commented on Facebook - Politically, Obama wanted to use it to make himself look like a hero. Practically, it showed the power of nature and the minute impact of man. The response of BP has been excellent.
Comment sent via Facebook
Isaac commented on Facebook - It wasn't over-hyped at all. The pressure created by this helped facilitate a solution to the problem.
Comment sent via Facebook
Mariana posts on Facebook - No way, they are trying to downplay it now, but they've polluted the sea with chemicals and we don't even know yet what the real damage is to the sea and animals.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Geoffrey in Zambia emails - Maybe not,but then the Obama adminstration had to come out strong on BP, or lose the hearts of the citizens.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Ryan emails - If the leak wasn't hyped then it is quite possible the consequences would have been more dire and there may have been more environmental damage. Being stabbed in the arm is not serious, being allowed to bleed to death is.
Comment sent via Facebook
Sarah writes on Facebook - No it wasn't over-hyped, and the implication of the question is offensive! Almost 5 million barrels of oil poisoned our Gulf coast.
Comment sent via Facebook
Saidu says on Facebook - Over-hyped? I don't think so. People's livelihood is hampered, the ecosystem is damaged. That coverage needed more air time.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Uzondu responding to the Daily Email says - Well if people are saying that the Oil leak was overhyped, I think it was right. We learned a lot about the dangers that all these activities pose us if we don't take all the necessary precautions. I personally learned a lot.
Comment sent via host
On air now asking whether the BP oil spill was ''overhyped''. Let us know what you think.