Restrictions or...
In more and more countries there are.
It is not a Russian thing and not only exists in China. Is is a myth to think the Western World is as free as a bird. Rules are everywhere. To guide us, to protect us but most of all to control us.
Sometimes governments do not want you to surf the world wide web or blockchain. "Bad influence" is what they call it and "it is for the people their own good, they need to be protected against..." is another phrase.
Are governments the only ones who care about "our safety"?
No, they are not. Cities, organizations, providers and our " beloved friend" google do the same. They ban you or block you, tell you you are not allowed to use the site, app, play the game.
Social media do the same. Facebook and Twitter control what you write and if it is accepted. A webmaster deletes your post because he says you violate the rules, those rules you never heard about and they never shared with you.
Using social media, no matter, if it is the world wide web or the blockchain, means you are seen by some big brother and this big brother can make your life miserable even more as you can imagine.
There are tools you can use to escape, join, be invisible but I have doubts they work. It is easy for a government, scammer, and hacker to find you. Google and Facebook both give a hand.
Can WhatsApp be trusted?
The fact many free Wifi points ban this app is a sign. YouTube is on the list too. I can imagine downloading videos cost too much but sending a WhatsApp home if you visit a Supermarket to ask if more shopping is needed...
- If you know what good for you is you do not go out in the open, you do not show yourself and you make sure your name cannot be found on the internet or blockchain.
- If you know what good for you is you stay single, without children and pets and have no family alive or friends.
- If you know what good for you is you do not share your opinion with others because you know you are watched and we all, no matter where we live, have a nasty or sneaky neighbor who loves to betray people and enjoy to see others in need.
Spies, traitors you find among all people, in each nation, and through the ages.
The Gestapo is not typically for Nazis you find them in each country in this world.
Western world - a free world.
Am I a free person? No, I am not. I am raised by the government, school, media they tell me what is right or wrong. Being objective is hard.
School forced me to read certain books for my examination.
My employers told me what to do and how to think.
I learned not to discuss subjects like politics, religion, soccer, discrimination, racism, the rights of a woman (all good for starting a fight or be punished).
The government controls me and so does the bank.
I am a number, a security number. This number tells everything about me. My name, my parents, my children, my health insurance, my medical record, my educations, it knows the times I emigrated and immigrated and at what age. It knows my bank account number, my income, the amount of taxes I pay, the car I drive, how much road taxes I pay. They know my phone number, my e-mail address, my address, my ID, my driver's license number. They can take my ID since it does not belong to me but the government although I pay for it.
The government is not the only one who knows everything about me.
Thanks to a new law an organization or seller can have a look at your bank account too. Check what your income and bank balance are... (the government wants us to connect our bank account to our social service number account.).
Because the Dutch government knows what good for us is we lost our right of referendum, we can only go in court to get our right if we have enough money and we lose our job if we dare to say/vote for a political party that differs from what our present prime minister stands for.
Is there freedom of speech?
Yes, as long as you know when to speak, what to answer and when to keep silent.
Do I live in a free country?
Yes, as long as I stick to the rules and pay my taxes.
Can I join the web/blockchain?
Yes, as long as providers let me and I can find ways to avoid google.