> Imagine internet beyond the grasp of control freak governments

Radio jammers.

There are very few technological solutions to political problems.

Not to be too cute but by relying on corporations you're trading one dictatorship for another. Im not saying an oppressive government is the same as Comcast. Im just making the point that neither entity is accountabile to the people they 'serve.'

It will still be owned by a private company you have no control over, which isn't necessarily better

Things like Starlink won't remove a government's ability to cut off internet access. The radio signals aren't hard to jam.

Others have stated their objections to your comment, but... my belief is that once StarLink becomes operational, the American Gov. will have oversight & control of it, just like our current ISPs.

You'd think a headline like the one we're posting under would stop techno-optimism dead in its tracks.

A Starlink dish is a transmitter, which is a beacon that says "come arrest me!" or "drop bomb here."

Seriously though: as bad as Trump is, I still think Bush II was by far the worst president of the past 100 years. Trump would have to do something much worse than he's already done to match Bush's accomplishments.

The freedom to access information is one of the greatest and most sacred gifts the internet gave us. The longer we can protect that, the further the human race will progress. Bring on starlink!

And instead controlled by one corporation headquartered in a nation that also partially controls Iraq.

To anyone else interested, here's a link to a draft paper about starlink: https://mobile.twitter.com/MarkJHandley/status/1044621609120.... Apologies for not posting the direct link, for some reason my copy url gets hijacked on twitter mobile.

You're forgetting that governments, especially of the control freak type, tend to be the only entities that are entitled to the use of violence and coercion.

Good luck using Starlink or any other forbidden technology when your skull is being pushed to the ground by their boot

Imagine how difficult it must be to drive through a neighborhood, and mark off anyone with a satellite dish on their roof as a political criminal.

Hint: Not very.

Also, how exactly do you plan to pay your bills to your ISP, when their service is illegal in your country?

Also, imagine it being much harder to verify that your systems are air-gapped.

Suggesting that revolted populace protesting about basic life amenities will have the ability to purchase and operate a starlink antenna is uneducated at best

satellite internet already exists

the internet, with most content and platforms by freak capitalists

Yet people pine for Net Neutrality.