Sites including Facebook and Youtube appear to be censored as the country appears to be spiraling into chaos “We are disturbed by reports of access issues in Iraq and are investigating. Limiting access to Internet services — essential for communication and commerce for millions of people — is a matter of concern for the global community,” a spokesperson for Facebook said. YouTube also confirmed that the company is receiving reports that “some users” in Iraq are unable to access the site. “There is no technical issue on our side and we’re looking into the situation,” a spokesperson said. Mashable reports that the Lebanon-based website Cyber Arabs, which monitors web freedom in the region, confirmed that Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are blocked in Iraq.
Cyber Arabs, an organization based in Lebanon that monitors Internet freedom and provides cybersecurity training in the Middle-East and North Africa, confirmed to Mashable that Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are all blocked inside Iraq. “We are disturbed by reports of access issues in Iraq and are investigating,” a Facebook spokesperson tells Mashable. “Limiting access to Internet services — essential for communication and commerce for millions of people — is a matter of concern for the global community.” “We’re seeing reports that some users are not able to access YouTube in Iraq,” a YouTube spokesperson tells Mashable. “There is no technical issue on our side and we’re looking into the situation.” A Twitter spokesperson says the company is looking into the reports as well. This is what some users in Iraq are seeing when logging into Facebook and Twitter, according to screenshots provided by Cyber Arabs to Mashable. Earlier on Friday, some Twitter users in Iraq, who have found ways to circumvent the restrictions, said that the sites were all inaccessible. When users attempt to visit these sites they apparently see a message from the Iraqi communications ministry.
