CUBANS DISAPPOINTED BY MICROSOFT; INSPIRED BY IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 000361

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
DEPT FOR EEB/ESC/TFS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2029
TAGS: EINT PREL ECON CU IR
SUBJECT: CUBANS DISAPPOINTED BY MICROSOFT; INSPIRED BY IRAN

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Classified By: COM Jonathan Farrar for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) The decision by Microsoft and others to block certain
internet communication services in Cuba works directly
against U.S. goals to advance people-to-people interaction.
The growing Cuban virtual community has privately and
publicly expressed its disappointment. Bloggers remain
undeterred, however, in their effort to break Cuba's
information blockade and are inspired by current events in
Iran and the expanded use of mobile phones to receive and
transmit information. This cable contains an action request
in paragraph 6. End Summary.

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DOING THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT'S WORK FOR THEM
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2. (C) Cuban bloggers Yoani Sanchez and Claudia Cadelo
recently expressed disappointment in Microsoft's decision to
block access to Windows Live Instant Messenger for internet
users in Cuba (and other state sponsors of terrorism) through
their respective blogs, Generacion Y and Octavo Cerco. The
Cuban Government strictly controls internet usage and
restricts access to several internet sites (including many
blogs),even for tourists in Cuban hotels. In shutting down
Instant Messenger, both bloggers commented that Microsoft is
in effect doing the work of Cuban Government censors for
them. The bloggers worry that potential further action to
avoid violations of the U.S. embargo by foreign internet and
software companies may negatively affect the growing cyber
community in Cuba. Tech savvy Cubans can get around the
restrictions by using proxy servers based outside Cuba or
third party messenger hosts, but most Cubans are simply
forced to do without.


3. (C) Microsoft and other providers of similar free,
downloadable software (Note: Google Talk is also blocked.
End Note) claim that the encrypted code used in these
programs is restricted by U.S. Export Administration
Regulations. The Cuban official press predictably (and
hypocritically) took advantage of the situation to criticize
Microsoft's decision as "the latest turn of the screw in the
United States' technological blockage against the island" and
"a truly harsh violation" of Cuba's rights. Publicity around
Microsoft's decision comes at a critical time in U.S.-Cuba
relations as we await the pending implementation of the
policy changes announced by the White House on April 13 to
"authorize greater telecommunications links with Cuba to
advance people-to-people interaction at no cost to the U.S.
government." Furthermore, Claudia Cadelo wrote in her June
10 blog that she had heard rumors that the social networking
site Facebook may follow Microsoft's example. Operating a
Facebook account does not require the user to download any
software. Thus, Facebook does not share the same concerns
related to export restrictions as the downloadable messenger
sites. Per conversations with the Department, Facebook
reported this week that it blocks Cuban access to
applications and advertising, but not to normal social
networking operations. We understand from Cuban contacts
that Cubans continue to successfully access Facebook
accounts, although a local USINT employee tried to sign up
for an account at a hotel on June 17 and received a message
from Facebook that he was "ineligible to sign up."

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INSPIRED BY IRAN
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4. (C) At the same time, Cuban bloggers are paying close
attention to current events in Iran, in particular the use of
social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and mobile phones to
inform and influence domestic and international opinion.
Yoani Sanchez wrote in her blog on June 17 that what is

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happening in Iran and its dissemination through the Internet
is a lesson for Cuban bloggers. Sanchez told us separately
that the use of mobile phones (including iphones) to transmit
information, share blogs, and even access the internet is a
significant and growing phenomenon in Cuba. As a great
source of information hidden by the official press, she also
praised the new service called "Granpa" (www.granpa.info)
that sends news articles to Cuban mobile phones via SMS text
messages (Note: USINT staff have since signed up for this
service and receive several articles a day. As of yet,
neither we nor our contacts know who runs Granpa. End Note.)
She lamented, however, that Cuba was clearly not yet at the
same level of connectivity as Iranian society.


5. (SBU) Cuban dissidents are also following developments in
the cyber community. Well known dissident Oswaldo Paya
published, through the blog Bitacora, a message of solidarity
with the Cuban blogger community in early June. Paya urged
bloggers to "be the voice of those who have no blog" and
congratulated them for "this initiative to proclaim the
people's right to the internet and for their courage in the
struggle for the liberation of truth, which is imprisoned in
Cuba."

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COMMENTS AND ACTION REQUEST
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6. (C) The Cuban government continues to see the internet as
a threat and remains committed to restricting and controlling
access. Internet communication and social networking sites
are becoming more and more popular in Cuba as a means of
communicating across the island and accessing family,
friends, and information from off the island. This new media
is important not just for increasing people-to-people
contact, but also for helping Cubans share their stories and
as a way to inform, organize, and mobilize civil society.
ACTION REQUEST: Post requests Department assistance in
removing any regulatory obstacles that limit Cuban access to
free internet communications without jeopardizing national
security.


7. (C) Cuban state telecommunications monopoly ETESCA
announced earlier this year that it hopes to add 250,000 new
mobile phone users in 2009, which is nearly twice as many new
subscribers as in 2008 and a 50 percent increase over the
current total (about 470,000). We hear that within days
ETECSA may announce a significant drop in prices for
initiating service and making international calls in an
effort to capture more hard currency. In this context, a
liberal implementation of the changes in U.S. policy
announced on April 13 regarding telecommunications may help
facilitate Iran-style democratic ferment in Cuba.
FARRAR