US Army blocks YouTube and MySpace
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
The US Department of Defense has started blocking access to 11 social networking websites, including YouTube and MySpace, claiming that the services are taking up too much bandwidth.
Describing traffic to the services as "recreational", General Burwell Baxter Bell informed troops that it "impacts our official DoD network and bandwidth availability, while posing a significant operational security challenge".
The ban does not affect home computers that access the internet through public internet providers.
But because such services are not available in most parts of Iraq and Afghanistan, the ban effectively limits the ways that servicemen can communicate with friends and family at home.
Describing traffic to the services as "recreational", General Burwell Baxter Bell informed troops that it "impacts our official DoD network and bandwidth availability, while posing a significant operational security challenge".
The ban does not affect home computers that access the internet through public internet providers.
But because such services are not available in most parts of Iraq and Afghanistan, the ban effectively limits the ways that servicemen can communicate with friends and family at home.
