Just two weeks after the Army restricted troops from blogging, on Friday the Department of Defense announced that social networking, from MySpace to YouTube, is now off limits.
The memo says that the use of social networking and recreational websites “strains network capabilities and present operational risks.” Never mind that they provide a connection for troops to family, friends, home.
The sites to be blocked worldwide include MySpace and YouTube as well as MTV, Pandora, 1.fm, Live365 Internet Radio, Photobucket, hi5, Metacafe, ifilm, BlackPlanet, StupidVideos, and FileCabi. Some curious choices. BlackPlanet, the “largest online community for African Americans,” is now offline, undergoing maintenance. Photo-sharing sites, funny videos, a few music sharing outfits, all banned. Why not iTunes? You can get music there too. Some say the list is longer than the 13 announced last week and this is only the beginning.
YouTube, for one, plans to meet with the DoD to discuss the ban. For now troops overseas, and those on base here at home, can’t access their own social networks, cutting off yet another lifeline for those who need them the most.
