UCC orders 24-hour shutdown of Facebook
Daily Monitor 19 April 2011
The Uganda Communications Commission(U.C.C) quietly asked Internet service providers to block communication on Facebook and Twitter messaging platforms for 24 hours during the Walk-to-Work campaign on Thursday last week. However, Internet services carried on without a glitch that day save for subscribers on one network who experienced intermittent interruptions.The opposition in uganda have been holding protests every Monday and thursday against high food and fuel prices. The Commission cited security concerns that there is need to minimise the use of the media that may escalate violence to the public in respect of the ongoing situation relating to walk-to-work protests mainly by the opposition in the country "Internet providers are therefore required to block the use of Facebook and Twitter for 24 hours as of now, that is; April 14, at 3:30pm to eliminate the connection and sharing of information that incites the public." a qoute from the letter written to internet service providers.
Having seen the impact of Facebook and Twitter Arab popular uprisings it is clear that the government of Uganda doesn't want to leave any anything to chance. It shows just how powerful these social net working sites are becoming.