What if Governments Shutdown the Internet?

[h3nchm19]

I doubt a government can shutdown the internet, particularly in the developed world were you can't do a single thing without a list of restrictions, laws and public attention, this isn't Castro Cuba or Syria, The internet won't be shutdown on whims, and asking "what if" is the same as asking about a Zombie or Alien invasion etc.. highly unlikely and next to impossible, a waste of time to consider.

[Basmic]

The event will bring the government more harm than good. Bitcoin is still too infrequent to affect the country's economy, and the collapse of government without the Internet may come now. Way back in the stone age for the man anymore.

[Taki]

If the government turns off the internet, it will not happen any online transactions in the world, and it will be very much a problematic system, because most systems currently use the internet, so not just bitcoin, even the airport will also be problematic.

Man, EVERYTHING will be paralysed. Modern world is so used to be on the net (which is appeared not so long time ago actually) that shuting down the Internet will become just a catastrophe.

[olubams]

Saying its not possible is not what I would subscribe to because when the benefit of shutting down the internet is more than the cost of leaving it on due to some extreme situations, then they will because they can and that means that everything will be on stand still with several businesses put on hold, flights aborted, shipping line stopped, train stations stopped working, banks in crises in short the world in turmoil but let's hope it didn't get to that because under extreme cases, survival is paramount and internet is secondary.

[DoublerHunter]

If the government turns off the internet, it will not happen any online transactions in the world, and it will be very much a problematic system, because most systems currently use the internet, so not just bitcoin, even the airport will also be problematic.

Man, EVERYTHING will be paralysed. Modern world is so used to be on the net (which is appeared not so long time ago actually) that shuting down the Internet will become just a catastrophe.

I also think that the whole world will be on a chaos if they will shut down the internet because almost all the people and businesses and other activities are connected in the internet and government doesn't have the right to shut down the internet because there is a lo of people will get angry of that and it will be a bad image for the government.

[Biggapp]

I honestly think Bitcoin isn't decentralized enough considering that government still controls the Internet and can easily censor or shut them down (is this even possible?) anytime.
The move by government to make us go cashless by gradually phasing out cash is even more worrisome, could make them have absolute control over us.
We need some sort of decentralized "physical Bitcoin" that doesn't depend on the Internet and can be exchanged for online Bitcoin.  It is too risky not to have offline alternatives to Bitcoin to act as backup plan for online Bitcoin in case something big goes wrong.




Pls I need to know something,  Is it possible to exchange Bitcoin with other people without being connected to the Internet?
Let say the government bans the Internet and you have your Bitcoin offline(in cold storage right?), can you exchange the Bitcoin to the next person by simply transferring some Bitcoin from cold storage to his/her computer, phone or even data storage devices(like SD Card, USB, Hard drive etc)?
If this is possible then no need for the "Physical Bitcoin"

This is true.  It also worries me.  I also think that it is possible for the government to shut down internet access.  I believe the reason that cryptocurrencies are working and is in the market is because governments are allowing it.  
They wont allow anything that they cant control and would cause future problems.  I guess there has to have any back ups with this online money.  

well it sounds a little funny, If you want to go back to the oldest era then ban internet. Without internet we are nothing in this world. Through internet we are communication different people, dealing people getting information. Getting more benefits so i will say about this question as a stupid question and stupid step by government.

[skyline247]

I am all for freedom of speech, etc. However, I really wish the government would censor pornography.

[BeGoods]

I doubt a government can shutdown the internet, particularly in the developed world were you can't do a single thing without a list of restrictions, laws and public attention, this isn't Castro Cuba or Syria, The internet won't be shutdown on whims, and asking "what if" is the same as asking about a Zombie or Alien invasion etc.. highly unlikely and next to impossible, a waste of time to consider.

Lol yeah that's the impossible thing to happen. Might happen if there is an interplanetary war or the like lol. But that is not possible. I think the internet has become part of the future and needs. Impossible to turn off the internet while all human need internet today

[marcuslong]

this could be impossible thing to do with our government we are not in north korea when the year of they having real time to limit there selves to visit internet because if they do they will got arrested for violaing that law to be honest in my country it is really impossble for our government to shut down the internet we are now at the new world and new technology that runs the whole world.

[Aztek]

Most of the transactions not just on bitcoin are driven by internet. So government can evenly put their hands to control the access of internet because all the sectors of the economy will be affected and that will be a great lost to them. Also, if the government will do that thing it will be a wide global economic issue because many people will rant that can lead to a big chaos. Government must do their part on a proper manner, and I think doing that thing just to stop bitcoin transactions is unethical way to do so.

[investinator]

It would be impossible to get all governments to agree to shut down the internet and even if they did it would cause a depression worse than ever seen before because literally every single company on the planet is dependent on the internet nowadays.

But if we imagine they did then crypto will obviously be dead. I do think however the internet would survive in some form even if it was actually banned.

[DoublerHunter]

It would be impossible to get all governments to agree to shut down the internet and even if they did it would cause a depression worse than ever seen before because literally every single company on the planet is dependent on the internet nowadays.

But if we imagine they did then crypto will obviously be dead. I do think however the internet would survive in some form even if it was actually banned.

Government will not shutdown the internet just because of the cryptocurrencies because most of the people and businesses are now dependent in the internet and i think they will just ban cryptocurrencies in their country rather than shutting down the internet because it might cause a huge damage on the economy of different countries that will be affected.

[CreditM8]

I am all for freedom of speech, etc. However, I really wish the government would censor pornography.

Lol wait what.


The Gov shutting down the internet would be pure madness. Esp if its just to deal with crypto.
As people have already said above, it would mess with the current economy way too much to warrant it.

[NEWGOODOUBLE]

this could be impossible thing to do with our government we are not in north korea when the year of they having real time to limit there selves to visit internet because if they do they will got arrested for violaing that law to be honest in my country it is really impossble for our government to shut down the internet we are now at the new world and new technology that runs the whole world.

Lol even in north korea though. Their government will not be too dare to take risks by turning off the internet in their country. The internet is the technology of the future. A country will not be able to remove the internet because it will cause unrest and chaos to the citizens. Because all citizens today use the internet

[gilangIDR]

this could be impossible thing to do with our government we are not in north korea when the year of they having real time to limit there selves to visit internet because if they do they will got arrested for violaing that law to be honest in my country it is really impossble for our government to shut down the internet we are now at the new world and new technology that runs the whole world.

Yes only the government does not think that will turn off the internet network in the country. A country will also be destroyed when they do not have access to the outside. There will be many people who fall into poverty as the economy declines. Maybe this is just a war that can make a country lose internet access . Internet is important today so this is a very vital thing.

[Barbarian]

That could happen but if it did, losing your bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies is probably going to be the last of our problems in a society that depends so much in being connected, the fact that governments could take such measure tells to us something way bigger is going to be happening at the time.

[BitcoinPanther]

If government shutdown the internet then I believe there will be an economic crisis.  There will be chaos on the transaction between different companies and banks.  Not only Bitcoin network that will be affected but the whole internet ecosystem.  Many providers will shut down since they cannot offer their services anymore.  Those that rely on internet selling will automatically stop and lots of people will be jobless and have no means of earning for some time until they find an alternative.  With this effect, I think the government will never shut down the internet but rather would only regulate them.

[eann014]

Do not overthink things.  Why would the government do that considering that companies who provides internet connection are great contributors on the economic of ones country.  That would call for a revolution since people are so attached to the internet.  Many jobs will be affected if that will happen.  Economy of the country would suffer.

That's true, a lot of company would really suffer if that will happen, but I don't think that it will happen because nowadays social media is very powerful and we can say everything what we want because its our freedom, we can do anything with the internet and we can communicate to other countries using internet in an easy way.

[naidray]

If the government turns off the internet, it will not happen any online transactions in the world, and it will be very much a problematic system, because most systems currently use the internet, so not just bitcoin, even the airport will also be problematic.

First of all we need to think that is it possible for the government to shut down the internet ?
Why will government shut down the internet when almost all the government institutions are using the internet for their operations ?

There is no possibility for the government to take any such action. Though the problems discussed will not happen but if something like it happened will not only cause a tension for the bitcoin but for the rest of the things as well.

[linkme]

I honestly think Bitcoin isn't decentralized enough considering that government still controls the Internet and can easily censor or shut them down (is this even possible?) anytime.
The move by government to make us go cashless by gradually phasing out cash is even more worrisome, could make them have absolute control over us.
We need some sort of decentralized "physical Bitcoin" that doesn't depend on the Internet and can be exchanged for online Bitcoin.  It is too risky not to have offline alternatives to Bitcoin to act as backup plan for online Bitcoin in case something big goes wrong.




Pls I need to know something,  Is it possible to exchange Bitcoin with other people without being connected to the Internet?
Let say the government bans the Internet and you have your Bitcoin offline(in cold storage right?), can you exchange the Bitcoin to the next person by simply transferring some Bitcoin from cold storage to his/her computer, phone or even data storage devices(like SD Card, USB, Hard drive etc)?
If this is possible then no need for the "Physical Bitcoin"

I don't think that it's possible for the governments to shut down the Internet. To shut down the Internet, they will have to give up a lot of benefits themselves and there're a lot of online service they're providing so if they shut down the Internet, they will take more disadvantages than advantages.