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Communications

Lebanon Withdraws Plan To Charge a Fee on WhatsApp Calls as the Country Faces Its Biggest Protests (firstpost.com) 6

Posted by msmash from the making-amends dept.
Demonstrators and police clashed in Lebanon this week as thousands of people rallied against the government's handling of an economic crisis, in one of the biggest protests the country has seen in years. From a report: The government-backed down from plans, announced hours earlier, to tax voice calls made through the Facebook-owned WhatsApp messaging software as people vented their anger at the political elite in the second nationwide protests in less than a month. Protesters blocked roads across Lebanon with burning tyres and security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators in central Beirut early on Friday, Lebanese media said. Dozens of people were wounded, the Red Cross said. Lebanon's internal security forces said 60 police were wounded. "I was sitting at home and I saw the people on the move and so I came out," said Cezar Shaaya, an accountant protesting in Beirut. "I am married, I have mortgage payments due every month and I am not working. It's the state's fault."
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Lebanon Withdraws Plan To Charge a Fee on WhatsApp Calls as the Country Faces Its Biggest Protests More

Lebanon Withdraws Plan To Charge a Fee on WhatsApp Calls as the Country Faces Its Biggest Protests

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  • Why mention WhatsApp? That has nothing to do with the protests.

    • It's relevant because people are using the app to discuss the economic situation, and such a move would have a chilling effect on speech.

      Also because what, their plan to get out of an economic hole is to tax WhatsApp? That part is hilarious.

      • Um no. I am not sure why WhatsApp was even mentioned. That was just a minor detail. They are rioting because the economy is collapsed, not because of some random app.

    • There are definitely other issues, but you need to keep in mind that the Lebanese use WhatsApp for _everything_. It's seriously the primary means of communication for almost everyone in the country. Texts and voice minutes are still very expensive so everyone relies on WhatsApp messages and voice calls which use (relatively) cheaper 3G/4G data. Such a tax would apply to like 95% of the population every single day.

  • The last time I looked, WhatsApp hadn't caught on much in the States, Messenger was still the de facto go to for messeges and free phone calls, WhatsApp is the go to for Europe and Middle East.
    If you've never compared a phone call on Messenger to WhatsApp , the difference is substantial, WhatsApp is a clear winner.

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