MEPs slam Nokia Siemens for aiding Iranian censors MEPs singled out Nokia Siemens for criticism over selling censorship and surveillance systems to Iran on Wednesday, charges the networking firm said are unfounded. A European Union Parliament resolution "strongly criticizes international companies, and notably Nokia/Siemens, for providing the Iranian authorities with the …
While the MEPs are at it, could they also complain about the same way that this is being used against residents of the EU (who they are supposed to represent, not Iran!)
It seems that there are several companies either making, or allowing the use of systems for censorship and surveillance of individuals and their freedoms for no other reason than they don't agree with their point of view.
So, it's perfectly okay for the EU to use agreed upon 3GPP standards for legal intercept but it not's okay for Iran? From my understanding of other countries, it's pretty much a legal requirement that the authorities can intercept calls, subscriber movements, text messages, etc. ... and if they can't then there's big trouble. Or am I mistaken and 3GPP standards apply only to "nice" countries?
Lawful Intercept has been part of the GSM spec for how long now?
These MEPs haven't a clue what they're talking about, it should be fairly easy for El Reg to show them how their own countries have used the exact same technologies on their own citizens.
I'm looking at you Britain.
"A European Union Parliament resolution "strongly criticizes international companies, and notably Nokia/Siemens, for providing the Iranian authorities with the necessary censorship and surveillance technology, thus being instrumental to persecution and arrests of Iranian dissidents"."
Pot, meet the kettle. MEPs are using exactly same hardware for exactly same purposes _in EU_.
Call it "searching for IP infringers" or whatever, basic facts won't change: It's surveillance and censorship. Same suppliers also.
Nobody wonders who were the first customers ordering these equipment from Nokia Siemens? First UK, then the rest of the EU, mandated by a UK-orchestrated directive.
Now selling same stuff to elsewhere is worth condemnation? MEPs seem to be double-standard, BS-talking hypocrites, who ought to be shot.
Hardly a news, unfortunately.
"Legitimate" == legal.
When discussing governments, the word is meaningless, as governments define themselves as "legitimate". Hitler and Stalin were both legitimate, as Hamas in Gaza is legitimate. If the people have chosen these governments, the people are responsible for the consequences. Certainly that is the position of Hamas vis-a-vis the people of Israel.
Having lit the blue touch-paper, I shall now retire a safe distance.
"If the people have chosen these governments, the people are responsible for the consequences. "
When every choice on the ballot paper is hell bent on increasing government surveillance, the people's choice (sic) is totally irrelevant.
Nokia/Siemens must have upset some European government to be taking this sort of flak.
I looked it up in the dictionary. Legitimate is also rightful: legitimate sovereign, so it's more than just 'legal'. The Iranian people hasn't just 'chosen' its government, it kicked out the Old Guard, and replaced it with a revolutionary one. How much more 'legitimate' do you want it to be?
And yes, the Iranian people is responsible for the consequences, not Nokia/Siemens. That was actually my point.
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