Blackberry dispute widens control debate

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    Date: 
    3 August 2010

    Research In Motion appears unwilling to weaken its BlackBerry security features to appease the government of the United Arab Emirates, even as a dispute between local authorities and the Waterloo, Ont.. smart-phone maker quickly turns into a geopolitical struggle over who controls wireless communication.

    On Monday, the U.S. State Department became the latest government arm to weigh in on the UAE’s threat to shut down several BlackBerry services in October, should the company not take measures to allow local authorities to monitor communication on the device.

    “We’re disappointed with [the UAE’s announcement],” a State Department spokeswoman told The Globe and Mail. “It's not about the Canadian company, it’s about what we think is an important element of human rights … and the free flow of information.”