Nauta vs. Gmail, and the Stupid Strategy

Nauta vs. Gmail, and the Stupid Strategy / Somos+, Javier Cabrera
Posted on January 3, 2016

Somos+, Javier Cabrera, 30 December 2015 — As a result of the Paris
attacks, many governments have put growing pressure on the technology
companies to have "backdoors" in order to access users' information
without needing a judicial order. In the U.S., the debate is at its
highest point, openly, with the citizens aware of the fight and the
technology companies giving their opinions. Such is the case with Apple
and others that have announced they won't deliver users' data for an
increase in security, and the government isn't taking it easily.

China also is trying to take advantage of the debate, although with a
focus a lot more twisted and behind the backs of its citizens, wanting
to compel by law all the technology companies to give them whatever
information they request, and threatening grave consequences for the
economy and the competition.

Recently the Cuban trolls attacked us in the article, "The Cuban
Government is stealing your digital information," saying that it's
something that happens in the whole world, forgetting the fact that
citizens and companies are aware that backdoors have ended. In Cuba,
everything is backdoor, since it's the Government itself that constructs
and manages technology security, preventing the development of
independent companies and limiting access to the Internet.

There is a gmail.cu with email service. The Government would have to ask
Google through a judge for the emails of a specified person, in a range
of closed dates, with a formal accusation that wouldn't be tied to
crimes of thought or fabricated. This would limit much of the control
they think they now have, and would leave in evidence the methods of
State Security.

For that reason, Cuba spends between 3 and 5 million dollars a month,
according to conservative estimates, to maintain Nauta.cu as a way of
having total access to the correspondence of Cubans. In spite of the
large cost, the service suffers "leaks" thanks to poor management. A
gmail.cu is perfectly viable today with today's infrastructure, at zero
cost, and with a service that would never drop, break, be interrupted
and would cover or exceed the expectations of a public that wants to use
more technology. I repeat: It's completely viable, but as the New York
Times says,"It only lacks political will."

To this we must add that everyone I know in Cuba has an alternative to
Nauta for matters where they don't want the Government sticking its nose
in. This strategy limits the real capacity of State Security's spying
but doesn't lower the cost of Internet services, so desperate people
have to use Nauta at moments of urgency. In the real world this is
called "competitive barrier and unfair monopoly."

The Socialist Government Technology is defined in Cuba by the lack of
clarity about who has access to your data, the non-existence of defense
mechanisms, the lack of transparency in the system, the very high cost
and very poor service…with citizens looking for real alternatives to
break the control and to show how stupid and unnecessary the whole
system is.

We young Cubans must continue to push. We can't remain indifferent,
conforming to what they give and sell us as technology. We are paying
for the service; we can make demands. Let's fight in 2016 for a REAL
INTERNET, independent of the Government. We have the right, as does the
rest of the world, to discuss our security and to know who has access to
our communications. Let's demand full respect for our privacy and leave
it clear that no captain, lieutenant or mercenary of the University of
Informatic Sciences (UCI) can give a damn about what we say with our
family or friends.

Translated by Regina Anavy

Source: Nauta vs. Gmail, and the Stupid Strategy / Somos+, Javier
Cabrera | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/nauta-vs-gmail-and-the-stupid-strategy-somos-javier-cabrera/