Iraq Turns Off Social Media

Twitter, Google, YouTube, Facebook, and other websites are reportedly no longer accessible in Iraq as the government “fears that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) was using the outlets to organize their insurgency,” according to the International Business Times. A YouTube spokesperson said that Google is aware of the block: “There is no technical issue on our side and we’re looking into the situation.” Twitter similarly said it was “looking into it now” and a Facebook spokesperson told VentureBeat, “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—has been employed by autocratic governments from Turkey to China to safeguard themselves against popular opposition.