Which aspects of your life have changed after 9/11?

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Based in Geneva, I cover the work of the United Nations and other international organisations there. My focus is on humanitarian aid, human rights, and peace diplomacy. I studied business and economics at the University of Lausanne before training as a journalist and joining SWI swissinfo.ch in 2021.

Deutsch

Wie haben die Terroranschläge vom 11. September 2001 Ihr Leben beeinflusst?
Français

Qu’est-ce que le 11 septembre a changé dans votre vie?
Italiano

Come è cambiata la vostra vita dopo l’11 settembre?
Español

¿Qué aspectos de su vida cambiaron tras el 11-S?
Português

Como os ataques de 11 de Setembro impactaram na sua vida?
العربية

ما هي الجوانب التي تغيّرت في حياتك بعد 11 سبتمبر 2001؟
中文

9/11事件发生后，你生活的哪些方面发生了改变？

The September 11 attacks happened in the early days of the commercial internet. Back then, optimism about the Web prevailed. Revelations about mass online surveillance programs born in the wake of 9/11 changed that narrative. Concerns about privacy replaced hopes of freedom. As perceptions of the internet changed, so did policy debates.

What was the biggest impact of 9/11 on the world, and on your life – online, or offline?

From the article How 9/11 shaped internet governance

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yerver 2021-12-23 21:27

The following contribution has been automatically translated from ES.

Not so much if you're lucky enough to live far away from a hot spot. The media keeps you away
Until the attacks in the centre of Europe came.
Then when you come across the statistic that out of the entire population of the World only 7% live in a full democracy it shocks you. You feel like you're sitting in a cauldron, which is constantly being decompressed.

No mucho si tienes la suerte de vivir lejos de un punto de conflicto. Los medios de comunicación te mantienen alejado
Hasta que vinieron los ataques en el centro de Europa.
Luego cuando te encuentras con la estadística de que de toda la población del Mundo sólo un 7% vive en una democracia plena te impacta. Sientes que estás sentado en una caldera, que constantemente está siendo descomprimida

Dom. Rep. 2021-11-14 15:14

The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

not at all. i still think that this was a personal reckoning between Osama and ex-president bush. the doc film: driving unit 9.11 brings shocking things to light!!!

überhaupt nicht. ich denke immer noch, dass das eine persöhnliche Abrechnung war zwischen Osama und Ex-Präs. Busch. der Dok Film: Fahreinheit 9.11 bringt Erschteckendes ans Tageslicht!!

Abdalrhman 2021-10-02 20:03

The following contribution has been automatically translated from AR.

With the crystallization and completion of the events of 11September, it became a Muslim name that mentions terrorism that naivety crowned with Western democracy, which they want a war on Muslims relentlessly or mercilessly, and the killing of millions of Muslims around the world in Iraq alone killed one million people who are not innocent lives, like the lives of 3,000 people who were killed. In my World Merchant Tower! Or are we Muslims without price, and every Muslim must be killed, whatever the child of an old woman, under the pretext of these are terrorists, ((pw)) Western peoples have been deceived into distorting the image of the Muslim man, especially the Arab, the Muslim nation that they fight everywhere, and Islam does not call but violence, as is said in the Western media, or our holy messenger. It is a bandit, as some extremists depict you, we are a nation of Islam, which means a nation of peace between nations. Islam has not spread with the sword, as they claim, ((pw)), and if those who did that are Muslims, why would it generalize and insult a billion and a half Muslims? and policy brokers. I don't explain killing 3,000 people, but I just say to every reaction, America's reaction is the one who has come to ruin our country and people are innocent of what you do.
Abdulrahman.

مع تبلور واكتمال أحداث 11 سبتمبر أصبح اسم مسلم يُذكر مع الارهاب تلك السذاجة المتوجة بالديموقراطية الغربية التي يريدونها حربا على المسلمين بلا هوادة أو رحمة وقتل ملايين المسلمين حول العالم (في العراق وحدها قتل مليون انسان): أليسوا أرواحا بريئة مثل أرواح 3000 شخص قتلوا في برجيْ التجارة العالمي!؟ أم أننا نحن المسلمين بلا ثمن ويجب قتل كل مسلم أيّا كان طفلا، أو امرأة، أو عجوزا بحجة أن هؤلاء هم الإرهابيين؟ لقد تم خداع الشعوب الغربية لتشوية صورة الانسان المسلم وخاصة العربي. إن الامة المسلمة التي يحاربونها في كل مكان ودين الاسلام لا يدعوان إلى العنف كما يُقال في الاعلام الغربي، ورسولنا الكريم ليس قاطع طريق كما يصوره بعض المتطرفين عندكم. نحن أمة إسلام وهو ما يعني أمة سلام بين الأمم، فالإسلام لم ينتشر بالسيف كما يدّعون. وإذا كان الذين قاموا بفعل ذلك من المسلمين، فلماذا التعميم والاساءة لمليار ونصف مليار مسلم؟ إذن هي حرب ايديولوجية على الشعوب لنهب خيرات الأوطان ولزيادة أرباح شركات السلاح وسماسرة السياسة. لا أبرر قتل ثلاثة آلاف شخص بل أقول فقط لكل فعل ردة فعل: أمريكا هي من جاءت بالخراب لبلادنا والشعوب بريئة مما تفعلون.
عبدالرحمن.

Crystal 2023-05-31 06:26

@Abdalrhman

Islam has spread by the sword. Inform yourself of the Ottoman Empire and how it ravaged the Mediterranean lands. Go visit Valletta in Malta and experience what it is like to be attacked by the Muslim armada during a siege of several months in 1565. The bastions of Valletta are a witness to the might that was necessary to keep out the Muslim attack and the annhilation of the population. If the Muslims had won it would have been a repetition of the raid on Gozo in which all the inhabitants of the island were taken into slavery.
In Muslim lands violence against Christians continues till to-day. Read: Crucified again by Raymond Ibrahim.
In Europe Muslin violence against Democracy continued till to-day.

caroline merkheim 2021-09-25 14:39

All the censorship on every single site where nobody allows anymore even a slightly different opinion. That changed a lot with 9-11

pulpKult 2021-09-23 19:11

Having travelled the world quite extensively, I feel that there are comments I would make regarding the issue of Islam, and those who are genuinely devout in the faith.
Islam, by definition, is or has become far beyond a religion per se. Islam is today a socio/political entity with laws that have outlived what was lore. Hence the harshness and often (in western eyes) cruel punishments of Islamic states, which are abhorrent to us...

Abdalrhman 2021-10-02 20:43

@pulpKult

نعم انها حرب على الاسلام اذا وليس على الارهاب كما يدعون ولهذا يردون توجية ضربات قوية للمسلمين لكى لا تقوى شوكتهم فيما بعد ولكنهم مخطئون

Lux 2021-09-18 18:13

The following contribution has been automatically translated from ZH.

Technology has advanced rapidly in the last two decades, but its scary side is beginning to emerge; the United States and China have become "imaginary enemies"; Islam is being demonized; extremist ideology is pervasive; globalization is slowing, people and nations are becoming isolated from each other, and local protectionism is on the rise; countries are spending geometrically more on military and terrorism prevention; climate change drastic and no improvement in sight; increasing global divide between rich and poor ...... What good changes have you seen? Very little.

科技在近二十年迅猛发展，但是其可怕的一面开始展露；美国和中国变成“假想敌人”；伊斯兰教被妖魔化；极端意识到处弥漫；全球化减缓，人与人、国与国之间趋于孤立，地方保护主义抬头；各国军费和防恐费用几何级数增长；气候变化剧烈且看不到好转；全球贫富分化加剧……你们看到了哪些好的变化？很少。

sigi 2021-09-17 23:57

The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

Since the attack, we Swiss abroad are also classified as terrorists and are therefore no longer allowed to open a bank account in Switzerland! Also with the post office there are restrictions since then!

Seit dem Anschlag werden wir Auslandschweizer auch als Terroristen eingestuft und duerfen infolgedessen kein Bankkonto mehr eroeffnen in der Schweiz! Auch mit der Post gibt es seither einschraenkungen!

Lh2905 2021-09-12 23:39

“What is temporary becomes permanent”

9/11 highlights that adage of government very well. NSA surveillance measures needed for “emergency circumstances” have hardly been rolled back. Department of homeland security was created to secure the homeland and now it spends money militarizing police departments. Budgets have only continued to grow. TSA has been empowered to secure airports and now 20 years later they are still inefficient and create a miserable experience in US airports.

Let’s see which temporary measures enacted in the name of covid become permanent features of our lives. I am assuming it won’t be for the better.

nayamet787@ppp998.com 2021-09-12 20:33

hyper inflation.... it started with that date... and as a millennial I know I will never afford a home..

Dorian Burkhalter SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2021-09-13 09:32

@nayamet787@ppp998.com

Thanks for your contribution. Would you say there was a cause-effect relationship, and if so, how did it work?

marco brenni 2021-09-12 08:51

The following contribution has been automatically translated from IT.

The terrorist attack of September 11 was the most serious ever perpetrated in human history: it appeared more similar to a real action of war against the West, than an act of simple terrorism, especially against the USA. The surprise was more total, comparable to the other single air attack on American soil in the far away Pearl Harbour, with enormous material damages in both cases and about 3000 unsuspecting victims each. To speak of a "hostile attitude of the West against Islam", as it appears in this article, is to overturn the facts: the attack imagined and perpetrated by Bin Laden and his acolytes against the West, was a real war action aimed at reactivating the crusades of the distant past. Bin Laden succeeded in the attack beyond all expectations: it immediately triggered a wave of indignation and the immediate reaction of the USA, which instead of limiting itself to overthrowing the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, allowed itself to invade Saddam Hussein's Iraq without any valid reason, indeed with documents that turned out to be false concerning the presence of chemical weapons! The result was the total chaos that we all know by now, with a devastated Middle East and also with an internal war between Shiites and Sunnis. In short, the perfect storm (!) wanted by Bin Laden and his henchmen: even though he was then captured and killed by the USA, it can be said that Bin Laden won: in fact, after 11 September, the entire world became more suspicious and reciprocally hostile. These are and will remain very difficult wounds to heal.

L'attacco terrorista dell' 11 settembre fu il più grave mai perpetrato nella storia umana: apparve più simile a una vera azione di guerra contro l'Occidente, che non un atto di semplice terrorismo, soprattutto contro gli USA. La sorpresa fu più totale, assimilabile all'altro attacco unico aereo su suolo americano nella lontana Pearl Harbour, con enormi danni materiali in entrambi i casi e circa 3000 ignare vittime ciascuno. Parlare di "atteggiamento ostile dell' Occidente contro l'Islam" come risulta in questo articolo è rovesciare i fatti: l'attacco immaginato e perpetrato da Bin Laden e accoliti contro l'Occidente, fu una vera azione di guerra tesa a riattizzare le crociate del lontano passato. A Bin Laden il colpo riuscì oltre ogni aspettativa: scatenò subito un'ondata di sdegno e l'immediata reazione USA, che invece di limitarsi a rovesciare il regime talebano in Afghanistan, si lasciò poi prendere la mano per invadere pure l'Irak di Saddam Hussein senza alcun valido motivo, anzi con documenti risultati falsi in merito alla presenza di armi chimiche! Ne risultò il caos totale che tutti ormai conosciamo col Medioriente disastrato e anche con guerra interna fra sciiti e sunniti. Insomma la tempesta perfetta (!) voluta da Bin Laden e accoliti: anche se poi catturato e ucciso dagli USA, si può dire che Bin Laden abbia vinto: infatti dopo l'11 settembre il mondo intero è diventato più sospettoso e reciprocamente ostile. Sono e resteranno ferite molto difficili da rimarginare.

makssiem 2021-09-12 06:34

The following contribution has been automatically translated from AR.

Don't even change what I think. Wars are usually practiced by everyone except for the terrible and charming scene. What we are seeing today from the intersection of Al Wasl due to the Corona attack, we find out that the world without wars cannot continue. The gods said kill each other, and the believer abides by the orders of the gods.

لا تغير حتى فيما أفكر , فالحروب باتت عادة يمارسها الجميع عدا المشهد الفظيع الساحر. ما نشاهده اليوم من تقاطع الوصل جراء هجوم كورونا نستشف أن العالم بلا حروب لا يمكن له الاستمرار. فالآلهة قالت اقتلوا بعضكم البعض، والمؤمن يلتزم بأوامر الآلهة.

Mahmoud. hamyda 2021-09-10 20:47

The following contribution has been automatically translated from AR.

September 11th events have changed a lot... The most important change in my personal belief is to highlight political Islam as the main engine and the actual leader of terrorism in the world, but the most important in my belief is that the followers of Islam take the same thought from the same source. The constitution on which the Muslim depends in his life does not accept the other in any way, and here is the problem. If we want to fight terrorism, we can't succeed in fighting one side here or one there.. The thought itself must be fought with enlightenment tools and illuminati...

احداث الحادي عشر من سبتمبر غيّرت الكثير... أهم تغيير بإعتقادي الشخصي هو تسليط الضوء على الاسلام السياسي بإعتباره المحرك الرئيسي والقائد الفعلي للإرهاب في العالم، لكن الأهم باعتقادي أيضاً أن اتباع الاسلام يستقون نفس الفكر من نفس المصدر.. الدستور الذي يعتمد عليه المسلم في حياته لايقبل الآخر بأي شكل من الأشكال وهنا تكمن المشكلة.. إذا أردنا محاربة الارهاب لايمكن أن ننجح بمحاربة جهه هنا أو جهة هناك.. لابد من محاربة الفكر نفسه بأدوات التنوير والمتنورين...

Al Naji 2021-09-10 17:07

The following contribution has been automatically translated from AR.

I lost my homeland, which was occupied by America under the pretext of weapons of mass destruction.. I've lost everything beautiful in my life that has changed for the worse.

فقدتُ وطني الذي احتلته أميركا بحجة أسلحة الدمار الشامل.. فقدتُ كل شيء جميل في حياتي التي تغيّرت نحو الأسوأ.

nayamet787@ppp998.com 2021-09-10 13:44

Speaking of rules and changes, does anyone know how the new restaurant rules with vaccine passports will work? I could not find anywhere a detailed explenation.

I did not get the vaccine because I am pregnant, but I do not know if I will be allowed in restaurants, shops or even in the office at the bank with all these new rules that nobody can explain, just like the Patriot Act.

Veronica DeVore SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2021-09-10 15:40

@nayamet787@ppp998.com

Thanks for your question; you can find more information about Covid certificates in our story on the topic[url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/covid-19-certificate--government-restricts-access-to-restaurants--cinemas-and-museums/46930520] here[/url]
And more information from the government [url=https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-85035.html]here[/url].

LoL 2021-09-10 11:05

No idea, I was a child.

Dorian Burkhalter SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2021-09-10 17:00

@LoL

How did you react to the news as a child? Do you remember how adults would describe the events?

LoL 2021-09-11 12:38

@Dorian Burkhalter

Not really, they did not discuss it with me and there were always a lot of checks to enter airport in russia, so I I not notice much change when traveling abroad.

SensibleMike 2021-09-14 11:30

@LoL

You say -- "No idea, I was a child." -- Surely you have grown since? You must have had education, which covered historical events?

We cannot ignore changes/evolution/events around us, by saying that - I was a child once.

As adults we are responsible for the happenings around us, and we must continue to solve problems.

LoL 2021-09-15 10:36

@SensibleMike

Well we have Airport checks, if guns were not allowed for public that would solve a lot of problems with grey guns being sold to terrorists, many Swiss army guns were lost over years and could end up in terrorist hands. If terrorist did not have a way to have guns, things in Afghanistan would have gone better...if there were real control over manufacturing and selling of guns, but hey there is always America with their right to guns, horrible. Here is my assessment.

caw 2021-09-10 10:40

I lost my beautiful sister in law on that day. She was working in the north tower above the 93rd floor where the first plane hit. Her remains were never found. I have never been able to discover any sense at all to her death and understand that the world will never be the same as evil is clearly present .

Dorian Burkhalter SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2021-09-10 11:55

@caw

Thanks for your touching contribution, I am sorry for your loss.

SusieQ 2021-09-10 09:57

I was in shock, we were all shocked of course!
It was the door for Americans and its allies to impose the so-called war against terror, it granted governments the "right" to spend billions on weapons. The media brainwashed all of us until we got tired of listening to the same song.
Now we have Covid.

Rafiq Tschannen 2021-09-10 04:17

My biggest surprise after 9/11 was when a very senior American colleague took me aside during a party and said to me 'you know, I would not be surprised if we did it'. I responded that I would not be surprised either, but I am surprised that you are telling me that. He answered that 'I was living and working in Central America and have seen there what our CIA did and therefore I would not be surprised'.

marco brenni 2021-09-12 08:55

@Rafiq Tschannen

Mi spiace ma stai rovesciando i fatti: la CIA c'entra un fico secco con gli attacchi delle Torri Gemelle - siamo alle solite tirate a senso unico contro gli USA (!) persino quando fu attaccata a sorpresa da terroristi radicalizzati islamici.

Reid 2021-09-09 21:04

Without choice now heightened since the pandemic one cannot access services either necessary or recreational unless you are required to go online.Life now is shocking I believe standards have deterioated and due to the web ie requiring to do all aspects of living online there is the alarming anonymity and no accountability from those who readily have access to your personal details .The quick and easy retrieval of impulsive material for young people without the effort and concentration I believe will impact on young persons development through education .I fear quality of life is plummeting and we are all living in a contemporary version of the “ fall of the Roman Empire days”.The web has also encouraged the concepts of a solitary existence whereby persons are glued to their computer devices does not bode well for society !

Dorian Burkhalter SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2021-09-10 11:36

@Reid

Thanks for your contribution Reid. As you mention, the internet can negatively impact our lives, but it can have a positive impact too: access to information, opportunities to communicate, jobs creation, etc. How could we make sure we keep positive aspects while limiting negative ones?

texustermer 2021-09-09 20:33

Other than slower lines and taking shoes off every time I get on a plane, not much has changed. Funny thing is, despite the $trillions spent trying to make the world "safe" from terrorism, it appears very little progress has been made to address the actual source of discontent that fuels the extremist ideology. Ending Western dependence on energy sourced from nations run by criminal organizations might be a good place to start.