All Internet Access Severed in Egypt as Crackdown Grows
First Social Media, Then Text Messaging, Now Egyptians Report Whole Internet Down
Early today access to Social Media outlets, including Facebook and Twitter, were reportedly cut off in Egypt. Not long after reports emerged of the SMS text messaging service for cell phones being blocked.
Now though, several outlets are reporting that the entire Internet is down for Egyptians, an apparent effort by President Hosni Mubarak to make coordination amongst the protesters more difficult ahead of massive rallies expected on Friday.
The Egyptian government seems to be moving far more broadly in its censorship and far quicker even than the Tunisian government, which saw its efforts to stifle dissent fail and, eventually, its president flee into exile.
President Mubarak has a stronger military though, and billions of dollars in annual donations from the Obama Administration which has come out vigorously against regime change in Egypt, saying the pro-democracy protesters should be content with promises of extremely minor reforms.
This has led Western analysts to guess that Mubarak’s regime probably will eventually prevail over the protesters, though the censorship of the entire Internet seems likely to anger protesters all the more, and meetings for Friday prayers will likely serve as a chance for Mubarak’s opponents to coordinate a response.
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Dawn
January 27th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
It has been reported that they no longer have landline service either – they are completely blocked off from the world. Presstv.ir reports that Egypt has deployed the Army! This is not good. Write the White house, congress, justice dept…write everyone and tell them Egypt's people have the right to protest without fear of being jailed, tortured, and shot!
ghouri
January 28th, 2011 at 2:46 am
This is a right time for Hussnie a traitor of Egyptian people should be ousted and we will wait and see. Undoubtedly american forces, Israel forces and Jordanian forces will come to rescue him.
Hacklheber
January 28th, 2011 at 2:53 am
Maybe NATO will start a bombing campaign?
guest
January 28th, 2011 at 9:10 am
This is what we have said all along.., US is not and is never been a democratic country or its social policies been based on the principals of the wording.., therefore such personality as Joe Biden and others don’t understand that democracy and its principals needs to be based on peoples better living standard and a police state is not going to do it.., yet peoples wealth been spend on US militarism regimes where the regime is benefiting from and people around the world paying the price with their life.., these people are Chicago or New York gang of professional politicians still lying to people to keep their statue queue.., and Joe Biden is one them.., this is a old fashioned politics where the old gang as Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Gates, Kerry, Rockefeller and others still think that 2011 is 1980-1990 and that they could get away with their usual politics. People are sick and tired of your betrayal.., it is you that need to be changed not the people.