This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/14/world/middleeast/iraq-reportedly-blocks-social-networks.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Iraq Reportedly Blocks Social Networks Iraq Reportedly Blocks Social Networks
(about 3 hours later)
As officials in Baghdad searched for ways to blunt the momentum of Islamist militants who have seized large stretches of Iraq in recent days, the government blocked access to social media sites including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, bloggers and journalists inside the country reported on Friday.As officials in Baghdad searched for ways to blunt the momentum of Islamist militants who have seized large stretches of Iraq in recent days, the government blocked access to social media sites including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, bloggers and journalists inside the country reported on Friday.
Screenshots of error messages displayed to users inside Iraq were shared by those who managed to evade the restrictions, including a blogger in Baghdad, Hayder Hamzoz, who is a founder of the Iraqi Network for Social Media, and Ammar Al Shahbander, the Iraq director for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting.Screenshots of error messages displayed to users inside Iraq were shared by those who managed to evade the restrictions, including a blogger in Baghdad, Hayder Hamzoz, who is a founder of the Iraqi Network for Social Media, and Ammar Al Shahbander, the Iraq director for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting.
Citing an unnamed individual in Iraq’s Ministry of Communications, Kuwait’s state news agency reported that officials had been ordered “to block access to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as well as a number of pornographic websites." The report noted that while no reason for the ban was given, militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, a Sunni extremist group known as ISIS, “have released videos and pictures through websites to promote their actions in central and north of Iraq.” Citing an unnamed individual in Iraq’s Ministry of Communications, Kuwait’s state news agency reported that officials had been ordered “to block access to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as well as a number of pornographic websites.” The report noted that while no reason for the ban was given, militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, a Sunni extremist group known as ISIS, “have released videos and pictures through websites to promote their actions in central and north of Iraq.”
The authorities were reportedly concerned that the militants were using social networks to organize, according to the Guardian correspondent Martin Chulov.The authorities were reportedly concerned that the militants were using social networks to organize, according to the Guardian correspondent Martin Chulov.
Accounts associated with supporters of ISIS have used the social networks to spread misinformation by sharing video and images recorded in previous years in Iraq or in other countries, including Syria.Accounts associated with supporters of ISIS have used the social networks to spread misinformation by sharing video and images recorded in previous years in Iraq or in other countries, including Syria.
Charles Lister, a fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, pointed to a new claim on one of those accounts that the militants had executed hundreds of captured government fighters. The claim was impossible to immediately verify, but a day earlier, video posted on YouTube appeared to show a large number of soldiers being taken into custody by the insurgents.Charles Lister, a fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, pointed to a new claim on one of those accounts that the militants had executed hundreds of captured government fighters. The claim was impossible to immediately verify, but a day earlier, video posted on YouTube appeared to show a large number of soldiers being taken into custody by the insurgents.
Internet activists who acknowledged the spread of false reports from militants argued that blocking access to all users in the country was counterproductive since it prevented the rumors from being refuted.Internet activists who acknowledged the spread of false reports from militants argued that blocking access to all users in the country was counterproductive since it prevented the rumors from being refuted.
In a video report produced this year, Mr. Hamzoz explained the importance of blogging and of Internet activism in Iraq.In a video report produced this year, Mr. Hamzoz explained the importance of blogging and of Internet activism in Iraq.
As Mashable reported, a message posted on the Iraq communications ministry’s own Facebook page on Friday warned Internet users of service outages scheduled for Sunday, during planned maintenance work, but bloggers in Baghdad noted that other sites remained available on Friday.As Mashable reported, a message posted on the Iraq communications ministry’s own Facebook page on Friday warned Internet users of service outages scheduled for Sunday, during planned maintenance work, but bloggers in Baghdad noted that other sites remained available on Friday.