Two days ago, the Internet Services Unit (ISU) at King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), the governing body of the internet in Saudi Arabia, have blocked Blogger, denying users inside the country accessing their blogs. They have also blocked photos from the popular photo hosting service Flickr. Users still can log on to the site, but photos are no longer visible.
During the past two years, ISU have blocked the domain BlogSpot.com, where blogs that use Blogger are hosted for free, several times, but then unblocked it. The same thing happened with Flickr, too.
Please help to unblock these websites for users in Saudi Arabia by filling this form, or by sending an email to this address: unblock@isu.net.sa.
UPDATE: Blogger.com was unblocked on Wednesday, but photos from Flickr are still blocked.
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Reporters Without Borders asked the ISU to unblock blogger.com.
See : http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=15199
That’s really bad news, Ahmed.
How effective can that unblock form be?
Anyway, I guess Ethan part in the ‘Handbook for Bloggers’ can help in getting the guys inside Saudi to beak the censorship (as much as it helps in anonymity) to reach blogger and flickr.
I’ve cross posted your appeal in my blog too, and will shortly write some tips to counter censorship.
Really sorry to hear this, Ahmed. If you need help getting a temporary place to blog - say at Blogsome - let us know and we’ll try to help. As for the techniques in the guide, it’s possible that some may work, notably using anonymous proxies to access the blogger interface. But we know that the Saudi authorities are pretty effective in blocking proxies, and it’s certainly slower to blog through a proxy than blogging directly.
Aparently it’s just a case of “the ISU having a blonde moment” according to Farah’s Solwaleef. Blogger is back online in Saudi.
The block is well deserved. Saudis bloggers mostly abused the service by posting or linking to indecent pictures, music and videos that a Muslim should never even watch and listen to, let alone announcing it to the whole world. If you are a Muslim, act as one!
Nonetheless, I sympathize with the FEW non-westenized bloggers; may their blogs rest in peace. On second thought, I think the block will be lifted soon enough.
Flickr Blocked in Saudi, Again!
Not to be missing to follow the steps of UAE, Saudi blocked Flickr again. I just can’t get what stupid policy is this to block it one day and then open it later and then block it again. What is the benefit of doing such a thing? Is it a game som…