NetBlocks
⚠️ Confirmed: #Syria has imposed a nationwide internet blackout this morning as a countermeasure against cheating and paper leaks in school exams, joining Iraq and a handful of other countries who implement this disruptive policy; incident duration ~5 hours
May 26, 2024 at 2:54pmWeb
Show threadb9AcEMay 26, 2024

@netblocks Entirely friendly intended suggestion:

I think it may be good to add an "allegedly [as countermeasures, etc]", "stated to be intended [as countermeasures, etc]" to the descriptions of all events similar to this, as it is true as you report that the people in power *claim* the rationale for their action that you state but it can and often is disputed if there may be ulterior motives in at least several past cases and therefore a description taking their claim at face value may unintentionally whitewash such acts of and thereby aid regimes that cut Internet for other reasons like repugnant repression against protests for freedom, etc.

Thank you for a very, very good service!

Show threadNetBlocksMay 26, 2024
@b9AcE Great point, noted! We usually qualify claimed rationales with wording like ‘purportedly’ though sometimes it slips through with these tedious cases. And indeed, exam shutdowns have coincided with protests in past so there can be more at play.
Show threadb9AcEMay 26, 2024
@netblocks Very good.
I guess it is easier to notice when something is missing that one thinks should be there, than to notice all the many times more occurrences of what you think should be there also being there. ;-)