Slack reportedly bans Iranian users, even if they're not in Iran

[agger_modspil]

@nodolra

A lot of people need to use Slack to do their job. Many of them are probably not in a position to influence their employer’s choice of communications tools.

I know. At my job, we used to use Skype. I categorically refused to be “online” on it for chat purposes, though, and only used it for scheduled meetings. We later switched to free software equivalents, Jitsi for video conferences and Rocket Chat for messaging.

As for messaging, our first iteration after Skype was IRC, but it was just a wee bit too nerdy for our non-technical staff. Rocket Chat seemed to be the best compromise. Slack is proprietary & uses a proprietary protocol, so it ought to be as much as a non-starter as Skype.

[nodolra]

IRC is also just… not very good. Any security was added as a total afterthought: if you don’t get the SSL configuration right (SSL is usually off by default and requires every client to explicitly enable it to connect) then everything’s sent in plaintext over the internet. Even with SSL there’s no real client authentication (it’s kind of hacked in by building chatbots into the server and sending passwords in the clear!!)…

I’ve used Mattermost at work, which is a Slack clone. It’s open-source, but there aren’t really any third party client programs and the official one is pretty bad. I’d rather be using Slack, from a usability point of view.

[beschizza]

@Mister44

I know a Persian living in the US. Not sure he uses Slack.

Not anymore.

[LorenPechtel]

@GulliverFoyle

Not impossible, but I’d have to see the receipts on that one. The limping Federal government has bigger fish to fry. And even if some bureaucrat told them they had to, the law still doesn’t require it. Either way, someone at Slack made the conscious decision to try, albeit hamfistedly, to identify and ban ethnic Persians outside of Iran. I’d be very interested to know who at the company decided that.

Think the current administration cares much for whether the law actually allows them to do something?

[GulliverFoyle]

@LorenPechtel

Think the current administration cares much for whether the law actually allows them to do something?

I think I’ll let my comment history answer that rhetorical question.

[redesigned]

all variations of deplatforming, most often with no repeal process, seem somewhat sketchy to me. it allows groups to be singled out and targeted. it feels wrong and like it sets a dangerous precedent even when it is a group i don’t agree with for reasons i think okay. the same tech that can be used to ban hate speech and political meddling can be used shut down the voices of actual necessary revolutions and oppressed groups. i’m nervous because we don’t have clear digital rights and us humans don’t have great track records with getting this type of thing right and not abusing the living daylights out of it for all the worst ends.

[euansmith]

Slack? I’ve never even heard of it until now, outside of religious meetings.

[FGD135]

“Slack. Because pouring money into Twitter is too mainstream.”

[FGD135]

Slap for Slack chat app after US, Canada chaps zapped in Iranian IP address map...

[anon32019413]

@Michael_R_Smith

I could travel to Iran, and get my employers account banned.

Correct. As it should be. Sorry if it seems inconvenient, but the US and Iran are not on friendly terms. I guess elect people who aren’t into overthrowing governments in the middle east

[Michael_R_Smith]

@anon32019413

I guess elect people who aren’t into overthrowing governments in the middle east

Or in my case, elect people who choose not to align themselves with people who are into overthrowing governments in the middle east.

But the truth is that the US gives us little choice, because their policies say you are either with them or against them.

[anon32019413]

@Michael_R_Smith

But the truth is that the US gives us little choice, because their policies say you are either with them or against them.

Not my problem. Write your congressperson.

[Flossaluzitarin]

That’s fun, but on the other hand the number of immigrants and business permits USA have with people who aren’t from anywhere else or no place seem to be plentiful and include maybe a million kind-of-Irani. Haven’t read into the difference lately, so it’s probably more fun to speculate on periodic love/hate conferences between Slackware (Only 1 vuln. in license coherence in the last month,) the Church of Slack (or is it Sub-Genius,) sl (the console steam locomotive) and Slack (which offers a month or three free, if not political asylum.)

[blaeceorcanstan]

I’ll add it to my list of reasons not to use Slack.