radicalization with belief systems. yeah, the ology are removed. it was very impactful. when someone finally came along with no fear, no judgement, you heard my story did nothing to challenge it validate time . i'm rick sanchez, and i'm here to plead with you whatever you do. do not watch my new shell seriously . why watch something that's so different. my little opinions that you won't get anywhere else work of it please. if you have the state department, the cia weapons makers, multi $1000000000.00 corporations, choose your facts for you. go ahead. i change and whatever you do. don't watch my show, stay main street because i'm probably going to make you uncomfortable. my show is called direct impact, but again, you probably don't wanna watch it because it might just change. and dwayne thing

the censorship is something that the west has long criticized china for. but now it is no longer just a chinese problem. it's a global one. internet black out, social media shut down and bandwidth brawling by governments. costs the global economy. $5500000000.00 in 2021. and not only that, but internet shut down are dangerous. as with it come censorship. information, regulation and isolation from the outside world. i'm because the i and you're watching the cost of everything. where today we're going to be looking at the dangers of internet censorship and what it costs the economy when the internet gets shut down and the citizens are disconnected. ah, the now, according to one study, the economic cost of government enforce internet shutdowns grew 36 percent last

year compared to 2020 estimates of almost $500000000.00 people were affected by these internet blackouts. now in 2021, there were a 182 documented cases of internet shut down across 34 different countries. and in africa, government directed internet shutdowns have threatened digital penetration and growth. me and mars economy was the most severely impacted by internet shutdowns in 2021 falling the military coup. this was followed by the extensive internet and social media shut down, as local journalist reported that they had been locked off of platform such as telegram and signal qu, leaders have imposed a near total internet, shut down and have introduced a draft cybersecurity law that would impose drug coney and rule and allow the government access to user data. as a result, miramar took a hit of $2800000000.00. now, ethiopia in northern te gray region has been in nearly 2 year internet and phone

shut down. after prime minister abbey ordered a military offensive on the break away region in november of 2020. these government now holds the record for the 2nd longest internet shut down in the world. this is estimated to have a cost of over a $165000000.00. when internet access is restricted in africa, everyone who is part of the fast growing internet economy, including online vendors who sell items on instagram, banks that rely on the internet to facilitate payments, personal communication, media, access, etc. everyone is affected. almost all internet shutdowns in africa for the last 5 years have been because of political protests. a studies show that these shutdowns occur joint times of political contestation, such as elections rising fuel prices in the country. and protests. nigeria was also

heavily impacted after it blocked access to twitter in june of 2021. and the estimated economic loss is around $1500000000.00. so what happens when governments cut the internet in their countries? the economic cost of internet shutdowns around the globe equated to about $5500000000.00 in 2021. and this includes over 30000 hours of government internet disruptions. twitter was the most walk social media platform with over 12000 hours of disruption, which is 60 percent more than facebook. and for more, let's bring in doctor a winston mano, author and university of winston professor. so professor, it seems like all the shut down occurred during times of political unrest, but does shutting down off access to communication and the internet. a good strategy to quell unrest or does it actually promote further dissatisfaction? i think it said the wrong moves by african governments and also other governments

in the world to think that they can just shut down the internet. ah, and is space at a block social media applications that are people that are popular with the members of the public? ah, i think our before internet people are used to we have, you know, add that will the tentative ways or for circulating information. so when they is that in that had sat down, it doesn't mean the clothes off, communicate santano's, it just means either tennis kick in, for example, people or was to be able to find each other. people still be able to psyche led to, you know, information there we f, white record, the peppermint radio in africa. little my meal, where the word of mouth can spread rapidly. ah, people can clearly weds and news and spread it. ah. and to have

such things here, it's still wrong in terms of election, or when we ever pandemic like cove it, i, it means sometimes the information that is circulating is that verified. it's actually can be very dangerous. can natalie to protest countries that lead to more dangerous environment? so in my view, shutting down is not the answer. keeping them open, but managing them and making sure the government promotes its one point of view alongside other perspectives. is a much more fruitful, that this should be the way to go. and are there ways to bypass internet shutdowns that are well known for citizens in these countries? yes, yes. they're like vpn, people deployed them. they, they, they dump the walls that they would get in that, that i put in. and then when the restrictions like in any kind of, for example,

the introduced, excite, touch on using what's up. and this, this, this, this was not productive. i mean, when people are using this, that can to share whatever comes through using either media tests, let's out. they are so many applications. so full politicians to target specific applications and shut them down. it doesn't or go away. but i also want to say, you know, this is why it's important to, to, to, to advocate neutrality for that these, the content there cannot be controlled to the content. it should be available freely. should be also multifaceted and people must have options and limitations when they are using the internet and how our business is affected

during these internet shutdowns, not just the local businesses, but the platforms like twitter, youtube, facebook, are there shutdowns a big hit to their bottom lines as well, yes, to some extent is quite a lot of business, but they get from using the internet. like for example, when they are reaching matching our customers or international customers in this day and age africa, us the opportunity to said with not only people with enough to care but outside. and when the internet is down, some use the internet is it's that gram. what's up and google, as you know, that will tissues here. and when there is no business coming through, say the lock or e bay, and then it means that they intake for the day will be limited. so how do

they negotiate these things? they normally would subscribe to more than one platform, they would say to maximize state prison in different platforms. it's a study that is very all in for telephone communications. most business is the telephone line that ran by different telecommunications company. if one telecommunication company is not available, then they go to another. and this has been that way. now, india had a massive internet blackout in 2020, that costs a country and estimated $2800000000.00 laws and $4000000000.00 in global losses. why we're the internet curves in india higher than any other country i in india, there they are very key in there, recreating in done it in ways that work for them. i think they are taking

a lift from dana, which is, are using in our lock our ups until you're seeing that the internet in order to live or is their own business or punishment. so in india, for example, when they head in 2016, a ban on facebook, they were very keen on protecting net neutrality so that their applications that they would lay one or and internet chat downs. oh, some dancer implemented fob litigants like when they say a political protest. our retire digger bay information on the internet. but like i said, the strategy of closing down for me does not wake you end up in a pin, amazing, even business, wending to deal with their political situation. so it needs their policy

environments that are much more it's punitive to the needs and it needs as tech ward, i kind of feel you know, approach where you talk to business especially, but also to see for society and wicker, to solutions that i agree with. everyone is not just about what the government wants or with the political party in charge, and this can be a lawyer, dr. winston model. thank you so much. dr. winston will be joining us again after the break when we discuss how the internet is most basic function of communication is used as a control and censorship tool in africa. since they're vastly dependent on just one tech giant will have more after the re ah,

ah, i think russia in the 21st century has taken several opportunities to try to see if there would be interested in the west to create new boundaries to create a new relationship and as you mentioned, time and time and time again, it would get flatly rejected because we have sort of pushed russia into this corner, ideologically attitude, way to say you're the adversary. you're the we may not be in a formal bipolar ideological cold war anymore. but we're not going to allow a new relationship to develop with ah

ah, welcome back. while most of us think about the internet as a valuable news outlet and a place to consume entertainment, one of the most basic functions of the internet is actually communication. meta old messaging app whatsapp is extremely popular internationally as it operates on a why fi connection for free african nations, argentina, malaysia, colombia, and brazil have some of the highest whatsapp user rates. and more than 90 percent of internet users are on what's up in these countries, what's up is basically the portal into the internet. what app allows people to communicate and chat with friends, receive news, updates, and media coverage,

as well as set up a merchant commerce account to operate a small business and receive payments. so when there is a communication black out on whatsapp, there is confusion and panic as citizens are suddenly unable to communicate with friends and family. and while we think of censorship as a power moved, that is often associated with political regimes trying to control the media. censorship at a basic level holds communication between people in a country. and because the internet in africa is basically meta, it is centralized and becomes very easy for those in power to enforce these shut downs. so how exactly do these shut down to work? while one way is for their authorities to issue a notice to the individual service providers, in this case meta to carry out their will. this is known as u r. l base blocking, which is a filter that prevents access to a list of band sites. user is trying to access these sites, might see that the server was not found. another method is called throttling,

where it's severely limits traffic to specific sites, giving the impression that the service is slow thereby discouraging access. it is more subtle because it is difficult to know whether these sites are being actively restricted, or whether or broadband infrastructure is to blame. and as a final measure, telecom companies can be required to shut down their services entirely, preventing all access. and because internet service providers like meta are licensed by governments, they risk fines or the loss of their contracts if they do not comply. and for more, let's bring back dr. winston mano, author and professor of the university of westminster. so facebook is not just an online social network, it is a big owner of the internet infrastructure in africa. so just how plug in is facebook to the daily lives of the people in africa. some of these businesses,

they enter the market like africa went down to clearly declaring that interest to, you know, to do business without telling the african that, look, we are here to, you know, we are here to look after our business. but we are also here to try to promote your business. so many africans the few that we need to end up africa. it is actually an investor, which is coming to provide employment, which is coming to provide solutions. but the solutions, what must understand this solutions out of your slee initially meant for them. so as the solutions that will promote the brand. and then so when facebook was banned in india, when asked the question, why was facebook the same free basics program? why was the accepted in africa? why is it going to be common in more than you know, to african countries?

there is something wrong because people have y explanation or understanding before that argument that was used by the intense in africa. it is growing without much hassle of this is that facebook is, seems, lend from its mistakes in india, in africa, they proceeded quietly, according to research they for example, patent civil society. and they have amplified their fight against the packers sat down. and so the discourse is not necessarily what facebook is doing, it's about something else. so it's about, you know, government behavior. it's about being dentist. i'm not saying they should not be focused on that. but facebook is used the, the kind of, you know,

issues in the african environment to mask some of it's just, it should declaim strategy. it should be much more forthcoming. so that is a win win intervention in africa. now kenya wants to ban facebook over hate speech raising fears of censorship. but what will life and can be like without facebook? i think when can you can, you know, if he shows or saying that they're saying, look, let's talk. these are issues that are really important. yeah. you saw that if you know data binding, twitter, you know, saying the, the issue is a new relation are conductivity. where by, you know, these tick giants, they need to just stop thinking of them. so it's, it's technology companies, they also have a lot of media, you know, a lot of communicative ability,

which is affecting or denied life. we all know about, you know, they can pre genetic are pro blame or no house. his book is no employee kitted. it's all good and so now we know influencing the way make decisions in elections. they can highlight that content at the expense of the content. and what you're saying is that the need for the test book to actually listen. i've seen some videos we max, who can big is sometimes brought to the congress to answer certain questions. we do have this policy power within africa in most african countries, is a lot of trusts that this to can come by this coming in good faith. but that good faith is not rewarded. so when can i say, look, we don't like the prediction of his speech on facebook. they had looking for it and

they're looking for at his point for facebook, we're facebook and does something positive about tackling it head speech. they need to to wait with lockers in order to identify the sources of speech. and if verified with local police, the players verified these should be taken down and promoted because we know that, you know, facebook like all the tech companies they benefit from, it's from eyes that come to visual content here. so you should remove, couldn't that, that mixed profit, but it's affecting local us interests here. and what's up is the biggest social media platform in africa. and it's clear that a lot of people get their news from what's up as well. is it dangerous? when all of this is centralized on one platform, so the meta can basically control all narrative and new sources. yes,

i think what's up is quite popular. are also increasingly now we chat is being popular, the chinese location. but to what's up is way, way i had and a list of people again, in africa we use what's up to really news. a lot of people are publishing newspapers for what's up the curate news stories they share to live with the large groups. but it's also a source of, you know, lice. it's also fake news to source of inaccurate information. so what's up is not just, you know, as social media for people saying hello to each other in africa in context which, you know, with that kind information or with and saved pain for mission. so media like what's become really important, get ways for people, they expecting quality information. so how do you recommend that the

movement, i think the functions of what that's what's out by a very controversial and in some cases you have some controls that are being used like care in symbolic way. i give you an example that came out this week. one woman with tissues was a man belonging to what i could have been. she complained about salaries and other colleagues to join it. and that discussion in a private group ended up with the police just because one of the this and mentioned did a group report the did the police and these and when police officials, i visited the woman so we can see how, what's up in vitamin that's going to have, you know,

3 don't are there to limited 3, don't away. people struggling with other basic issues. it can assume other dimensions that can enter my dreams of net internet. we don't that, do you know, the 5 does of, of i c, t, 's to wended with these technologies. what we have is a continuum continuing to kind of restrictions that, that they become non for, you know, awful, so falls within this context in so, so it's a real problem. i would, i can, is what's up shaping democracy in africa. we have a study here that shows that what's up has been both emancipatory, as well as destructive during election campaigns. in my view, in my hand, both view it is provided via information, which at us went to sent out. but it's also double we saw

in a way to also provides inaccurate information. and in most cases, if use us alert savvy, you will find that they may end up in aligning with blocks. but at the moment i would, i do days note much, you know, when i, when i go to in by, by see my relatives from what i already know, ro, areas or areas that are not fully saved by must media. they, they are in the know, they would know what is happening from messages that are 2nd letter. don't know what's up. so what's up is brought to his way, then the news kind of audience. it is in a way provided you know, and emancipatory function whereby people have access to the news decision that they make more research is needed. after looking at the us at the moment,

the decision they make, it doesn't necessarily lead to the, what's up, say activism. but in a way directive is him, is as taking ship where president used to lie and say things without challenge. i have written about this. sometimes the goals, say, you know what's up or twitter and claim to have done a, b, c, d, people replaced it. i always say, no, you are lying. i live in this area. you did not do this. so it is sort of force that new kind of politics where the does need to be much more, you know, accountable need to be much more straightforward in the data relationship with the electorate. doctor winston motto: thank you so much for your time and insight. now there are very few winners in an environment where access to information is restricted, but in these areas, demand for vpn services has skyrocketed as citizens sought to regain access to news

and communication. now another alternative is of course the, the centralized web $3.00. but that is still in its infancy and is not yet able to provide the same ease of access that people are used to. it also does not have enough users and content to match that of the traditional web either. but these centralizing the internet may be a lot harder than many realize, and even crypto is not the perfect solution. crypto company, elaborate ceo, is trying to raise awareness among the theory and validators running the flash bought software that they may be unintentionally contributing to censorship within the if the or him network. according to survey approximately 45 to 50 percent of all east walks currently being validated, run m e v boost relay flash bots and comply with the us sanctions. validators have a financial incentive to use these relays as they're being paid to use it. and

these findings were reinforced when another study found that of the 900400 blocks verified by flash, spots relay. none of them included a single tornado cash transaction and ornate cash, as you recall was banned by the us treasury earlier this year. censorship fears had deep and post merge, and as the power of it, if cost of becoming a validator could result in a consolidation of validate or nose to bigger crypto firms, who are much more susceptible to being influenced by government sanctions. so it is disturbing that in this day in age where we take our freedom of speech for granted, there is a trend where i find that freedom is slowly getting eroded away from all sides. i'm christy, i thanks for watching and we'll see you right back here next time on the cost of everything. oh,

at this hour, american and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm iraq, to free its people. and to defend the world from great danger. with food and medicine and supplies. and freedom with some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to a trial for these. another company,

the united states of america is different. wearable people long to be free. they will find a friend in the united states. ah, with you little bit about it all to everybody basie. so the city draw the look at the incentives of each cigarette. a few color revolutions is one among several means to reach the goal of conquering foreign lands and bringing them onto the help of u. s. western economic interests. people in sadie, i do not keep it to everybody. the democrats. yeah. during the training course. so no, we just say a soft power. i'm a get the final goal of these thing revolutions to ensure that there are no

independent players in the world. anymore ah ah, is raney settlers reportedly wait the palestinian town? who why are setting buildings in cars on fire? allegedly killing one person and leaving 98 wounded clashes supported the lapse between palestinians and he's waiting for his in jerusalem by the folks that's the and those to intimidation. maya the presidential and parliamentary elections in africa's largest nation, nigeria that they stop or freedom and peace is only possible if the germans, because independently from america were not an instrument to break out. yet another .