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Social Media Sites Unblocked in Iraq, But is the Worst Yet to Come?

Categories: Middle East & North Africa, Iraq, Breaking News, Citizen Media, Digital Activism, Freedom of Speech, War & Conflict
The Iraqi Ministry of Communications blocked social media sites yesterday. This message states that Twitter has been blocked "due to the security situation in Iraq." Photo source: Collin Anderson, shared on Twitter [1]

The Iraqi Ministry of Communications blocked social media sites yesterday. This message states that Twitter has been blocked “due to the security situation in Iraq.” Photo source: Collin Anderson, shared on Twitter

Reports are circulating online about a partial lift of the blockage of major social media and other websites across Iraq.

Global Voices Advocacy yesterday reported [2] that the Iraqi Ministry of Communications ordered Internet providers to shut down Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, among other websites, as well as services, such as Skype, and VoIP services like Viber and WhatsApp.

Minutes ago, Iraqi blogger Hamzoz reported [ar]:

Jazeera Net has lifted the blockage on sites and applications but Earthlink, which is the largest, hasn't yet and continues to block sites

But Lebanese activist Mohamad Najem warns:

According to journalist Martin Chulov, Facebook was blocked in Iraq to stop members [9] of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, currently fighting in Iraq, “to organise and mobilise.”

Another explanation comes from the Facebook page for Iraq’s Ministry of Communications, which posted a message [10] yesterday announcing an impending gradual shutdown of the Internet throughout Iraq on June 15 for “maintenance of fibre optic cables.” It is unclear whether the blockages are related to these plans.