So Bashar al-Assad’s administration has done the audacious act of implementing a nationwide ban on access to Facebook.com from inside Syria, WashingtonPost.com reported Friday.

What’s most interesting is the story given to many clandestine bloggers during the early stages of Syria’s internet crackdown:

Ammar al-Qurabi, head of the National Association for Human Rights, said little independent political content published by Syrians on the Internet is now tolerated.

“We have asked officials and they said Facebook could become a conduit for Israeli penetration of our youth, but the real reason for blocking the forum because it provides for criticism of the authorities,” Qurabi said.

That was the lie? That was the coverup? They said it was because of a potential “Israeli penetration”? It is an injustice to intelligent life to call that anything less than irrational and paranoid.

And it’s not like it worked anyway. Like I show on thisisbabylon.net, Syrian PCs are coming with “hacking software” designed to permit unimpeded web access preinstalled, and now “Facebook tourism” to Lebanon’s internet cafés is skyrocketing.

For more, go to thisisbabylon.net.

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About the author

Y-Love

A modern charedi Jew-by-choice since 2000, and igniting headphones with Torah hiphop since 2001.

Originally from Maryland and now holding it down in the shtetlach of New York, won the Jewish Music Awards for "Best Hiphop" in 2006. Vocally anti-prejudice and pro-unity.

Love me, hate me, or debate me, know you can't ignore me, though.

6 Comments

  • Someone should really make this a facebook group: Conduit for the Israeli Penetration of Syrian Youth!

  • Facebook could become a conduit for Israeli penetration of our youth

    I’m crying from laughing.

    I’m so grateful I was born free. When I read things like this, the phrase, “Entering the No Fun Zone” comes to mind.

  • Why is my comment awaiting (!) moderation? Am I really that exciting?!

  • I miss the old format of the Recent Comments sidebar at the upper right. This new way is like school.