CENSORSHIP

Reports: Egypt’s Internet Shut Off

Text messaging also disabled ahead of Friday’s protests.

Sources in Egypt report that the Internet and text messaging has been shut off, only hours before a large anti-government protest has been planned. While no official word came from the government, the Italian company Seaborne, a major Internet service provider in Egypt, reported there’s been no Internet traffic going in or out of the country since 12:30 a.m. local time. CNN reporter Ben Wederman confirmed the Internet is down in Cairo, tweeting via Mobile Web “No internet, no SMS, what is next? Mobile phones and land lines? So much for stability. #Jan25 #Egypt” The blackout came hours after the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s largest opposition group, announced they’ll enter the demonstrations Friday—meaning these protests could reach an even larger scale than the ones earlier this week, which had been the biggest in decades. Mobile phone service and Twitter were reported down on Tuesday as well.