A San Francisco library is turning off Wi-Fi at night to keep homeless people from using it

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[–]hfxB0oyA 12 insightful - 1 fun12 insightful - 0 fun13 insightful - 1 fun -  (11 children)

Understanding that this is kind of against the whole principle of a library re: access to information, I can also see the local residents' side of things. I wonder if anyone has thought of using the problem to the city's advantage by locating an open wifi hotspot in another area where they would prefer to relocate the homeless population. Carrot rather than stick.

[–]newguy 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

You know what really hurts access to information? If everyone is too afraid to go there because homeless people took it over

[–][deleted] 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (9 children)

Yeah, I live in the bay area unfortunately. I don't have a 'side' on this particular incident, this is all bad. I am exasperated at the nightmare they have created here with their gross mismanagement and reactionary flip-flopping. This is indicative of a city that has no handle whatsoever on the problems they have created with their policies

[–]ID10T 6 insightful - 3 fun6 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 3 fun -  (3 children)

There's two sane people commenting on that story that the homeless people mainly use the wifi at night to jerk off to porn in public. Lol bleeding hearts are like oh noes the poor neighbors experiencing unhousedness won't get to finish their online college courses at night.

I'm not indifferent. I've been extremely poor and even homeless myself. But I worked my ass off to get to a better place. And I know how many resources are available in CA if you want help.

[–]awdrifter 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Block the porn sites then.

[–]jet199Instigatrix 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

unless it also blocks reddit and twitter then that's no good

[–]William_World 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

not realistic, there's so many, they can never block them all

[–]hfxB0oyA 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Sorry to hear that. Is it as bad in your area of the city as we're hearing vis-a-vis the drug use, street defecation, etc?

[–][deleted] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

In downtown SF it is indeed as you hear in the news, shit and passed out junkies on the sidewalks. Of course they also refuse to put in porta-potties lest it attract more of them to the area. Oakland and San Jose are more just littered with tent encampments under bypasses and on the sides of streets. Same issues, but the poop and drugs are a bit more out of sight. There's also illegally parked motor home and cargo van rows with semi-homeless people with jobs who can't afford $3000/month for a 1-bedroom apartment.

[–]jet199Instigatrix 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I guess you're just sticking around for the reparations.

[–]R51 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

and? they also turn the lights off at night. it costs max ~50 to get unlimited internet on mobile, which if you are trying to not be homeless you should already have a working cellphone. that isn't even a day of working at the lowest paying job. and they only shut it off at night, so anyone still has access in the day. if you are homeless having internet access at night should be the pretty far down on the list of priorities.

[–]shatabee5 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

The real problem is that people can't afford places to live.

No, it isn't mental illness, drugs and laziness. It's poverty and high prices.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

Homeless people are a plague.

[–]Blackhalo 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

3 plagues in 1. Drug addiction, mental health issues and lazy bums. You can't solve the problem with any one solution.

[–]Fourier 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

The solution is not to make them happen in the first place. I live in a country with literally no homeless people.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I live in a country where illegal immigrants are put in 5 star hotels and given free healthcare while citizens are left on the street to rot. Also white.

[–]jet199Instigatrix 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

In my country most people become homeless due to a relationship breakdown.

You basically have a pool of men living a parasitic lifestyle of their partners, usually addicts as well, and if she finally kicks him out then they refuse to sort their own life out and make trouble on the streets instead to punish society for not being their mother.

I don't particularly want to be paying taxes to babysit such men.

[–]shatabee5 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Plenty of much poorer countries do not have homeless people. Cuba, the impoverished communist country burdened with U.S. economic sanctions for 50 years, for instance.

[–]Questionable 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

There are other more serious reasons to turn it off at night that they should concern themselves with.

[–]Clown_Chan 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

Wait, libraries are open at night? 🤔

The tiny library at my shithole town is always closed at night.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I was picturing them hanging outside the building to access the wifi at night, but they didn't really explain this too well

[–]Clown_Chan 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Oh, I see.

[–]IkeConn 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Peckerwoods.

[–]Fiyanggu 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I'm ok with it. Stop making it comfortable for bums and then there will be less bums as they move along.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

What is the libraries loss by keeping the connection on? Surely if homeless people are using the WiFi locally then all people are using the WiFi locally.

[–]jet199Instigatrix 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

They likely suffer a drop in service after they hit a certain limit like every other broadband customer.

There is no such thing as a free service, some one is paying for it.

[–]MelvinDelvaney 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I can provide you with some general information. Public libraries often aim to provide access to information and resources to as many people as possible, including those who may not have reliable internet access at home. Libraries may offer Wi-Fi services during their operating hours to facilitate access to digital resources, educational materials, and online services.

Regarding the issue of homelessness, it is a complex social problem that many cities, including San Francisco, grapple with. Homeless individuals may use public library services, including Wi-Fi, as a means of accessing information, seeking employment, or staying connected with others. Public libraries often strive to serve all members of the community, regardless of their housing situation.

However, decisions regarding Wi-Fi availability and its hours of operation may vary from one library to another, and local library policies can change over time. It's best to contact the specific library in question or refer to recent news or official announcements to get accurate and up-to-date information on their policies.

[–]Brewdabier 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

So now the criminals can no longer use the wifi, see if you want to download music and movies always use someone elses wifi. That's how you get around the anti piracy laws.

[–]MagicMike 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Chickens coming home to roost…AKA lib morons voting for lib moron shit. Then the flies are attracted by the shit and libs wonder why.