Top 10 Technology Bans

Top 10 Technology Bans

#10 $exy Apple Apps

With apps like these, I’m sure Apple does Care.  Well, they cared so much that in 2010 Apple banned apps that were too risqué. One of them was an app called iBoobs that gave users the ability to skim through wobbling breasts. This step was an obvious display of the heavy hand Apple was going to use in its iTunes store.

 

#9 Google Street View

The addition of street maps to online maps like Google has been a great boon to all users, even those with GPS systems. But a few countries see the pictures as an invasion of privacy, namely Greece and Austria. Both countries banned Google from coming to their streets and taking pictures for their street view maps. The ban was enacted in 2009.

 

#8 Marathons without Music

Those tunes you listen to while running may help keep you in rhythm, interested, and motivated but according to some race officials, they’re also unsafe.  In 2007, USA Track and Field banned headphones and other portable audio players from all of its official races leaving runners with nothing but the wind to listen to during their 26 mile treks.

 

#7 Cuban Cell Phone Ban

Fidel Castro hated the US and all it stood for so much he banned pretty much anything having to do with it and that included cell phones. Eleven million Cuban citizens were banned from even owning cellphones as one of the sacrifices the Cuban people had to make in the disagreement against the US.

 

#6 iPad Ban in Israel

iPads are useful, but not in Israel, at least not for a time.  During a period of 2 weeks in April 2010, if anyone was caught trying to enter Israel with an iPad, it was taken from them and the person was charged a fee for each day it was held.  The reason?  Apparently the wifi posed a threat to the country due to possible interference with military frequencies.  Once they realized they really had no evidence of this threat, the ban was lifted.

 

#5 Napster Ban in Colleges

Napster is banned in one third of all US colleges and universities across the country. The music trading software cannot be used over campus servers.  There are legal and ethical issues related to these restrictions and the fight is still ongoing.

 

#4 Laser Pointers Ban

It’s all fun and games until someone puts an eye out.  Or laser points a soccer goalie’s eye. Or brings down a plane by aiming a laser pointer at the sky.  You laugh, but those are two of the reasons Australia and many countries in Europe banned laser pointers in 2008.  Apparently someone in the audience of a World Cup qualifier game pointed a laser at a goalie and bam. Laser pointers are banned. That’s how much they love their soccer over there.

#3 Internet Bans in China

China isn’t exactly a bastion of freedom with their strict laws on childbearing, living arrangements, jobs, etc.  They upped the ante a bit when the internet came along and they realized that their citizens may realize how much freer other people are in other countries. Since they like to keep their citizens in the dark and make sure they never see a bad thing about their own government or a good thing about any others, they took control of the internet in their country. Many sites are banned and blocked and citizens can only access information their government deems is safe.

 

#2 Facebook Ban in Pakistan

Facebook users are people from across the world with many different views and opinions.  Most of them like to express those views and opinions and use Facebook to do it.  This is an affront to some groups of people, namely militant, hard c0re Muslims in Pakistan. So, they banned Facebook so that their citizens couldn’t read other people’s opinions. At least temporarily, since it was allowed once again.

#1 BlackBerry Ban in Saudi Arabia and UAE

Blackberries are convenient for many tasks, but according to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, they’re also a threat to national security.  What this meant was that they couldn’t monitor all of the transmissions their citizens or visitors were making on the devices, so they banned the devices altogether.  They wanted Blackberry to release all information about their users and when Blackberry refused, they banned the device in 2010.

 

10. Apple’s Sexy Apps

Such applications would have taken the notion of AppleCare to a whole new level. In February of 2010, Apple formally banned applications that were deemed too coarse and lascivious from its iTunes store. Among the applications considered out of bounds was iBoobs; it allowed users to toggle through wobbling bosoms on display. Techies saw the move as a sign that Apple would maintain a heavy hand in regulating its marketplace.

9. Google Street View

Technology is advancing at an enormous pace no doubt, and with the compilation of street maps into a single application would have been a tremendous improvement in GPS systems and related technologies, but due to privacy related issues, the governments of both Greece and Austria banned Google from deploying its street-level cars in the countries. The ban took place in May of 2009 and is pushback against Google’s interfering eyes.

8. Music-Free Marathons

You might have experienced the feeling of not having your iPod when you set out for a long journey, now imagine ‘running’ 26 miles on a track without listening to music. In the year 2007, USA Track & Field, the governing body for running and race walking, banned headphones and portable audio players at its official races. The measure was meant for the runners’ safety.

Read more at http://realitypod.com/2012/03/top-10-technology-bans/#yTkJqzYcCZeKwwXC.99

10. Apple’s Sexy Apps

Such applications would have taken the notion of AppleCare to a whole new level. In February of 2010, Apple formally banned applications that were deemed too coarse and lascivious from its iTunes store. Among the applications considered out of bounds was iBoobs; it allowed users to toggle through wobbling bosoms on display. Techies saw the move as a sign that Apple would maintain a heavy hand in regulating its marketplace.

9. Google Street View

Technology is advancing at an enormous pace no doubt, and with the compilation of street maps into a single application would have been a tremendous improvement in GPS systems and related technologies, but due to privacy related issues, the governments of both Greece and Austria banned Google from deploying its street-level cars in the countries. The ban took place in May of 2009 and is pushback against Google’s interfering eyes.

8. Music-Free Marathons

You might have experienced the feeling of not having your iPod when you set out for a long journey, now imagine ‘running’ 26 miles on a track without listening to music. In the year 2007, USA Track & Field, the governing body for running and race walking, banned headphones and portable audio players at its official races. The measure was meant for the runners’ safety.

Read more at http://realitypod.com/2012/03/top-10-technology-bans/#yTkJqzYcCZeKwwXC.99