I have not yet confirmed this news, and we will await confirmation.
I already know that all the website addresses that end with .blogspot.com are blocked in Syria, although there are very few cases in Damascus and Aleppo, who have access, but they are the minority and an exception.
Lately, rumor has it that Facebook, as well as Hotmail (sometimes) are being blocked in many regions for some reason. In case this is true, it will hinder some of the communication between the two countries, since most of the youth communicate through Facebook and Hotmail.
We will confirm about this, as soon as we receive updates.
Update (27/Nov/07): So this is TRUE! The Syrian government has blocked Facebook. This is ironic... just yesterday, Zaven Kouyoumjian on Future TV was asking about Facebook, it seems that he will talk about Facebook next week. Also, two weeks ago, a New TV journalist talked about Facebook and how different people were meeting in Facebook groups and talking about various issues, mostly ideological views, that are censored in Arab countries.
Others tried to bypass the blockade, however, even proxy-bypassing software and anonymous web-browing website are figured out by the Ministry IT and have blocked the ports they use.
Here are some links and views:
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSOWE37285020071123
http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/11/24/syria-blocks-facebook/
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/11/19/syria-facebook-banned/
I already know that all the website addresses that end with .blogspot.com are blocked in Syria, although there are very few cases in Damascus and Aleppo, who have access, but they are the minority and an exception.
Lately, rumor has it that Facebook, as well as Hotmail (sometimes) are being blocked in many regions for some reason. In case this is true, it will hinder some of the communication between the two countries, since most of the youth communicate through Facebook and Hotmail.
We will confirm about this, as soon as we receive updates.
Update (27/Nov/07): So this is TRUE! The Syrian government has blocked Facebook. This is ironic... just yesterday, Zaven Kouyoumjian on Future TV was asking about Facebook, it seems that he will talk about Facebook next week. Also, two weeks ago, a New TV journalist talked about Facebook and how different people were meeting in Facebook groups and talking about various issues, mostly ideological views, that are censored in Arab countries.
Others tried to bypass the blockade, however, even proxy-bypassing software and anonymous web-browing website are figured out by the Ministry IT and have blocked the ports they use.
Here are some links and views:
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSOWE37285020071123
http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/11/24/syria-blocks-facebook/
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/11/19/syria-facebook-banned/