General

“There’s no app” for fighting Internet repression, says Clinton

Hillary Clinton vows help for cyber dissidents

Popular demand for democratic reform is surging in the Middle East, and restricting citizens’ rights to the Internet will not change that, says U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. In a speech at a George Washington University on Tuesday, Clinton says the Obama administration is poised to help dissidents evade Internet restrictions in the name of promoting human rights and democracy in repressive states. “Those who clamp down on Internet freedom may be able to hold back the full impact of their people’s yearnings for a while, but not forever,” read an excerpt from her speech, released in advance by the State Department. “There is no silver bullet in the struggle against Internet repression. There’s no ‘app’ for that. And accordingly, we are taking a comprehensive and innovative approach — one that matches our diplomacy with technology, secure distribution networks for tools, and direct support for those on the front lines.” Central to that approach, officials say, is assisting civic leaders, students, and rights activists in overcoming government controls of the Internet.

Associated Press

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