Pentagon Bans YouTube, MySpace

Access Cut From Troops' Computers Because Of Bandwidth, Information Sharing Concerns

(CBS/AP)  The Pentagon has opened up a new line of demarcation in an Information War, and U.S. troops and their families may be caught in the digital crossfire.

The Defense Department has announced it will begin blocking access on its computers and networks "worldwide" to YouTube, MySpace and 11 other popular Web sites, according to a memo sent Friday by Gen. B.B. Bell, the U.S. Forces Korea commander.

Soldiers serving overseas will therefore lose some of their online links to friends and loved ones back home. A high-ranking Army official said the ban would take effect Monday.

The military says it's worried that personal use on military computers is stealing bandwidth and perhaps hampering operations, reports CBS News correspondent Steve Kathan. They're also concerned that too much information may be getting out.

"This recreational traffic impacts our official DoD network and bandwidth ability, while posing a significant operational security challenge," the memo said.

The armed services have long barred members of the military from sharing information that could jeopardize their missions or safety, whether electronically or by other means.

The new policy is different because it creates a blanket ban on several sites used by military personnel to exchange messages, pictures, video and audio with family and friends.

Some of the sites provide important family links for soldiers overseas. Soldiers may miss out on homemade tributes or in sharing their videos and pictures from the fronts.

The flip side of this battle, too, is that soldiers will not be able to see videos posted by insurgents.

Iraqi insurgents or their supporters have been posting videos on YouTube at least since last fall, and the Army recently began posting its own videos on YouTube showing soldiers defeating insurgents and befriending Iraqis.

But the new rules mean many military personnel won't be able to watch those videos.

Members of the military can still access the sites on their own computers and networks, but Defense Department computers and networks are the only ones available to many soldiers and sailors in Iraq and Afghanistan.

If the restrictions are intended to prevent soldiers from giving or receiving bad news, they could also prevent them from providing positive reports from the field, said Noah Shachtman, who runs a national security blog for Wired Magazine.

"This is as much an information war as it is bombs and bullets," he said. "And they are muzzling their best voices."

The sites covered by the ban are:

• Video-sharing sites YouTube, Metacafe, IFilm, StupidVideos and FileCabi;
  
• Social networking sites MySpace, BlackPlanet and Hi5;
  
• Music sites Pandora, MTV, 1.fm and live365; and
  
• Photo-sharing site Photobucket.

Several companies have instituted similar bans, saying recreational sites drain productivity.

[petesis]

Have to be able to control the propaganda I guess. That is too bad as alot of soldiers use that thing to communicate with their friends and families. This will probably be reversed.

[bareemperor]

We all know why the Pentagoons want no access to the REAL news sources.
Blatant and stupid as their Commander-in-Thief...
Let's take America back from the fascists.

[terrapin78]

These Bushies will to any length to cut the troops off from the rest of the world.

Just because the Bush Administration lives in an information vacuum, at least from the reality of non- spun info, does not mean that our troops have to be in the same position.

Censorship is the Bush and Rebpublicon way.

[bareemperor]

Ahhh -
The Pentagoons are doing what King Bu$h always wanted...
Cutting off troops' access to information will also cut troop morale.
Since the TRUTH is on the internet, fascists fear it.
Just because Bu$h can't use the internet, doesn't mean the rest of US shouldn't...

[barbaraf4]

It was a long time ago (1960s & 1970s), in a land far, far away (RVN), when the soldiers were told to destroy personal mail. This way, if you were caught, the enemy couldn't reach your family back home and tell them you were dead.

Those were just paper and ink - imagine what all is available about you and your family electronically.

[barbaraf4]

It was a long time ago (1960s & 1970s), in a land far, far away (RVN), when the soldiers were told to destroy personal mail. This way, if you were caught, the enemy couldn't reach your family back home and tell them you were dead.

Those were just paper and ink - imagine what all is available about you and your family electronically.

[wiccantexan]

I can completely understand the need for monitoring, and even banning, such insecure sites as YouTube and MySpace. However, the military needs to have a secure blogging option for soldiers and their families. A military MySpace, in essence.

[rf35]

Sorry folks, but this is not a Republican conspiracy. There have always been blocked sites on military computers. Webmail such as Hotmail has been blocked for years, as have many video and social networking sites. This was Air Force policy. Now the DoD is making it official policy for all military. These sites use up bandwidth needed for official communication. It is unfortunate that the only way many military folks in the war zone have to access the Internet is through the military's network, but Iraqi ISP's are not an option. I felt lucky to be able to access my Excite e-mail while in Iraq.

[wiredwilly]

Support Our Troops . Defend the Constitution, not Halliburton.
The Constitution's First Ammendment guarantees Free Speech.
In 1970 there might have been an arguement for bandwidth, but with current technology bandwidth is almost infinite. It can't possibly be an issue. Let our boys use YouTube !

[drinuk]

Political ! Bush is scared stiff of folks knowing whats going on out there. Blair will try to ban the Brits from putting stuff on there next, he will not succeed, the lads will find a way around it. Keep it coming boys, 3 para in Helman, take a look !

[lovely914]

This is stupid. As a wife who has her husband over there, cutting their communication of any kind is a bad thing. This is just going to bring the morale down even more!

[berliner89]

Apparently, many missed the critical piece of information; these sites are banned for use on US Government computer systems. If military personnel want to post or review at these sites, they can with their personal computers and personally paid for bandwidth. The government doesn%u2019t want to be tied to a particular video on MTV or give the appearance of endorsing a product or position. It%u2019s your tax dollars at work and though bandwidth might be cheap, these connections from halfway around the world cost plenty, have to be monitored with vigilance against malicious code, illegal activity, and the potential exploitation of information that might kill someone.
Viewing of videos or listening to audio files has the potential of embedded viruses, worms, and Trojans being downloaded. Our adversaries believe this is an acceptable means of warfare and if not curtailed, disrupt our capability to support our troops.
I spent 20 years in the Army and cringe when hearing someone say Constitutional Rights and military in the same breath. They have not served.

[king77shaw]

A CALL TO ACTION !
small steps that each of us can take to wrestle control back from the Republican neo-con elite that are destroying America %u2026

1) CANCEL YOUR CABLE TV: let the corporate media moguls know that you can no longer support the propaganda .. the mainstream media was a big player in hyping the lies of this administration and they should be held accountable as well - buy some powered rabbit ears and get your news from PBS .. you learn to live quite nicely without the other cable shows you thought you needed - the truth is more important than cable tv %u2026

2) STOP INVESTING YOUR MONEY ON WALL STREET: %u201Cwhat ?%u201D you may say %u201Cit%u2019s doing so well%u201D %u2026 there%u2019s a reason why it%u2019s doing so well; corporate America is selling out the American middle class to the lowest global bidder and using our own money to do it; let%u2019s face it, the financial markets will push for anything that increases profits - even war; especially war %u2026 which is why the stock market is at record highs while the middle east is in utter chaos; this is by design, not accident%u2026. best to invest your money in land, real estate or gold and silver%u2026

if we want to reclaim our democracy it will take small actions by many %u2026 and with some sacrifice - empower yourselves, not the multi-national corporations who are destroying the American way of life !

serve your country and repost this post %u2026

[walt1944-2009]

The whole thing smells of censureship to me with the military not wanting the people back home to know what is going on in Iraq. Its pretty obvious that a lot of the news on TV and radio from Iraq is being censured, because, as the "Bushies" argue, they don't want "the enemy" knowing what is going on. It also means we, who are not supposed to be "the enemy", don't know what is going on either, which is in keeping with the Bush policy that everything must be kept secret, no matter how unimportant it is!

Are the troops fighting in Iraq so Bush can continue to keep secrets from everybody. That's not democracy but smells like dictatorship to me!

[walt1944-2009]

The whole thing smells of censureship to me with the military not wanting the people back home to know what is going on in Iraq. Its pretty obvious that a lot of the news on TV and radio from Iraq is being censured, because, as the "Bushies" argue, they don't want "the enemy" knowing what is going on. It also means we, who are not supposed to be "the enemy", don't know what is going on either, which is in keeping with the Bush policy that everything must be kept secret, no matter how unimportant it is!

Are the troops fighting in Iraq so Bush can continue to keep secrets from everybody. That's not democracy but smells like dictatorship to me!

[michellem99-2009]

If the troops have off time then family time is inportant to them. Let them write as they can't talk about their duties and should not but can share in family time. The troops need this. A letter from home means alot to them.

[silhouett]

I think if the Army recently began posting its own videos on YouTube to match the insurgents videos then to ban YouTube is a bad message to send. It makes it appear as though they dont want the men over their to see something as well...

[zakatak144]

All you pansies need to shut up! I am an IT administrator and i will vouch for the fact that these sites need to be blocked because of the bandwidth and work time these *** websites consume. The Pentagon isn't infringing on any rights here. They are a business, and any business has a right to limit there employees to work related materials. Take it from an IT admin, these sites aren't necessary, and they still can get to them on their own. MySpace is the stupidest thing to be on the web since the dancing baby. Get a real life all you MySpace nerds. Go interact with people in person!

[silhouett]

I think if the Army recently began posting its own videos on YouTube showing soldiers defeating insurgents and the Iraqi insurgents are posting then to ban YouTube sends a bad message.
Its sounds like their afraid our soldiers will see something they don%u2019t want them to or post something their afraid they might. I can see a reason for security issues but that would be from the posting of stuff only... not the viewing ????

[lucklady79]

Just another ploy to control the public. As if the max 3.4 ounces of water on a plane wasnt enough, but now they are not allowing troops to go online and divert their tired minds to something fun. Its enough that they think they are fighting for the right reasons, but now the poor *** cant even get a laugh watching people on You Tube. Rediculous

[silhouett]

Is pansies an IT term or just a bully aproach to life?

[silhouett]

I believe 1 Billion of that 100 billion They want for this war could solve the band width issues, I am all for our troops having something to keep their mind off their unforgiving days...

[buffalo_ken]

Hey zak whatever.

I got something to tell you.

The dad gone pentagon ain't no business hombre.

Learn a little bit why don't you.

buffalo_ken

[ezillyamused]

All you pansies need to shut up! I am an IT administrator and i will vouch for the fact that these sites need to be blocked because of the bandwidth and work time these *** websites consume. The Pentagon isn't infringing on any rights here. They are a business, and any business has a right to limit there employees to work related materials. Take it from an IT admin, these sites aren't necessary, and they still can get to them on their own. MySpace is the stupidest thing to be on the web since the dancing baby. Get a real life all you MySpace nerds. Go interact with people in person!
Posted by zakatak144 at 01:43 PM : May 14, 2007

I am a network administrator and I think you need to back up a space or two. MySpace and YouTube are legitimate sites where people can socialize and post whatever their heart's desire. It sound's to me that Dubya doesn't want the people here to see what is actually going on in Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else for that matter. Maybe it's a little bit of "out of sight, out of mind".
P.S.: A pansie is a flower, not an accepted RFC term, so lighten up!

[unbelievab14]

This is bull. If used correctly there is nothing wrong with Myspace. It is faster to hear from our loved ones than waiting for the mail. Our familys need us to be there for them and if using myspace makes them feel closier to home while they are away, well **** on those who want to take what little happiness this gives them. So many are missing the births of their children. This is one way to show them what they have been missing and letting them still feel a part of it.This is so little to ask for what they are giving up for us.God Bless them all...

[ezillyamused]

All you pansies need to shut up! I am an IT administrator and i will vouch for the fact that these sites need to be blocked because of the bandwidth and work time these *** websites consume. The Pentagon isn't infringing on any rights here. They are a business, and any business has a right to limit there employees to work related materials. Take it from an IT admin, these sites aren't necessary, and they still can get to them on their own. MySpace is the stupidest thing to be on the web since the dancing baby. Get a real life all you MySpace nerds. Go interact with people in person!
Posted by zakatak144 at 01:43 PM : May 14, 2007

I am a network administrator and I think you need to back up a space or two. MySpace and YouTube are legitimate sites where people can socialize and post whatever their heart's desire. It sound's to me that Dubya doesn't want the people here to see what is actually going on in Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else for that matter. Maybe it's a little bit of "out of sight, out of mind".
P.S.: A pansie is a flower, not an accepted RFC term, so lighten up!

[gunownerdan]

%u201CIf you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.%u201D
- Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's Propaganda Minister

[unbelievab14]

This is bull. If used correctly there is nothing wrong with Myspace. It is faster to hear from our loved ones than waiting for the mail. Our familys need us to be there for them and if using myspace makes them feel closier to home while they are away, well **** on those who want to take what little happiness this gives them. So many are missing the births of their children. This is one way to show them what they have been missing and letting them still feel a part of it.This is so little to ask for what they are giving up for us.God Bless them all...

[kaiyo4u]

Hey folks, Here's something from someone who was over there (Iraq as a contractor).
Our troops will still have access to email and the phones... The only time they shut down communications was when one of our own was killed. This was to allow the military to contact the next of kin instead of the kin getting the news over the internet. Plus there are plenty of Iraqi business men there who install and set up satellite internet and tv for our troops. Yes it does come out of the troops pockets, but their access is somewhat unlimited... As the IT admin was saying earlier, the videos do take up an amazing amount of bandwidth... So much so, that cams were banned from private internet access by those who participated in the service. But there was Voip too. So if you yearned for your family's voice(s), you could talk with them without paying an arm and a leg to AT&T... One unit found it was more suitable to use Voip instead of video... With new pictures arriving via email...

[lars008-2009]

Appeal for Redress
Sign this Appeal.
This site is an Appeal For Redress in support of our mission in Iraq.
An Appeal For Redress is an authorized means for active duty military to submit a grievance to Congress. It can be signed by Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard military personnel.
It is authorized by DoD Directive 1325.6 and DoD Directive 7050.6.
The wording of the Appeal for Redress is:
As an American currently serving my nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to fully support our mission in Iraq and halt any calls for retreat. I also respectfully urge my political leaders to actively oppose media efforts which embolden my enemy while demoralizing American support at home. The War in Iraq is a necessary and just effort to bring freedom to the Middle East and protect America from further attack.
If you are active duty, reservist or national guard, please Sign this Appeal.
Most service members fully support the war in Iraq and feel calls to retreat by Congress and attacks by our media on our conduct and mission act to motivate our enemy while demoralizing our support at home, directly increasing the threat we face and resulting in greater American casualties. This Appeal for Redress provides a way in which individual service members can appeal to Congress to fully support us and actively oppose media attacks on our mission and our morale.
This Appeal will be delivered to members of Congress.
http://www.appealforcourage.org/

[lars008-2009]

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! March 23, 1775 Patrick Henry

USA's PLEDGE 2 THE WORLD GIVEN BY JFK!!

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
--John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, Jan. 20, 1961 "

"Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." --John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, Jan. 20, 1961 "

One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Winston Churchill

Edmund Burke: All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing.

[gclark429]

I was a computer manager for the military and still work in the computer industry. What the military is doing is nothing new and has been happening in coporate America for a long time. It's not censorship or infringing on someones rights. Business (or military) computers do not belong to the individual sitting at them. In this case, they belong to the US Government. What I'm reading in so many of these comments is that our government does not have the right to say how their equipment is used. That's ridiculous! They aren't telling the people that they cannot access these sites. They're just saying, not from our computers. My daughter was in Iraq and there were computers set up in some areas that were not tied into the military network and therefore could be used for stuff that the "official" computers were restricted from. The same thing goes for personally owned computers that are not connected to the military computer network. The military is not trying to infringe on anyones rights here. In fact, is sounds like most of the people commenting here are trying to infringe on the military's rights to dictate how their equipment can be used.

[METAUSTIN]

Stealing bandwidth? Are you kidding? More likely the Pentagon (and the White House) are afraid the troops (and their families) will learn the truth about this illegal war. Hmm, so much for Constitutional Rights! Oh silly me - the U.S. Constitution was deleted 6 years ago along with all hope. Thanks, George! :-(

[gclark429]

I was a computer manager for the military and still work in the computer industry. What the military is doing is nothing new and has been happening in coporate America for a long time. It's not censorship or infringing on someones rights. Business (or military) computers do not belong to the individual sitting at them. In this case, they belong to the US Government. What I'm reading in so many of these comments is that our government does not have the right to say how their equipment is used. That's ridiculous! They aren't telling the people that they cannot access these sites. They're just saying, not from our computers. My daughter was in Iraq and there were computers set up in some areas that were not tied into the military network and therefore could be used for stuff that the "official" computers were restricted from. The same thing goes for personally owned computers that are not connected to the military computer network. The military is not trying to infringe on anyones rights here. In fact, is sounds like most of the people commenting here are trying to infringe on the military's rights to dictate how their equipment can be used.

[gclark429]

I was a computer manager for the military and still work in the computer industry. What the military is doing is nothing new and has been happening in coporate America for a long time. It's not censorship or infringing on someones rights. Business (or military) computers do not belong to the individual sitting at them. In this case, they belong to the US Government. What I'm reading in so many of these comments is that our government does not have the right to say how their equipment is used. That's ridiculous! They aren't telling the people that they cannot access these sites. They're just saying, not from our computers. My daughter was in Iraq and there were computers set up in some areas that were not tied into the military network and therefore could be used for stuff that the "official" computers were restricted from. The same thing goes for personally owned computers that are not connected to the military computer network. The military is not trying to infringe on anyones rights here. In fact, is sounds like most of the people commenting here are trying to infringe on the military's rights to dictate how their equipment can be used.

[juliemd]

I wish they would just finish the *** job over there, clean up the mess of an infastructure destroyed by our bombs and let the National Guard come home to the Nation they belong and should be working in....

Finish up the mission, gd it! I am sick of this stupid war dragging on and on and on with young people and civilians slaughtered. Stupid.

[silhouett]

Some of the people here repost the same thing over and over... That doesnt make it true....
The facts are not about rights, if the Goverment has the right or Soldiers have the rights.
Thats how we feel... The facts are Its a question of do we take care of our soldiers
by giving them what they want within the bounderies of needed security?
I think what they want and need should be first
since they are of course fighting for us?

[shoganca]

Now I know why I didn't get a MySpace message from my son on Mothers Day. How sad what a disapointment this was the only way I could communicate with my son and share family events that he is not able to be apart of or know that he was ok. Why are we making it so difficult for those serving far away from home to keep in touch with family and friends. Why are we sensoring our military. What are they going to do next sensor their mail?

Military Mom, Wife and Former WM.

[shoganca]

Now I know why I didn't get a MySpace message from my son on Mothers Day. How sad what a disapointment this was the only way I could communicate with my son and share family events that he is not able to be apart of or know that he was ok. Why are we making it so difficult for those serving far away from home to keep in touch with family and friends. Why are we sensoring our military. What are they going to do next sensor their mail?

Mr.gclark429 - Have you been on a military base they have places for service memebers to play games access the internet, etc. Not every soldier and Marine can afford a laptop. There is a big difference in using a computer at work and using a computer set up for the military service memeber to use on off time. The computer access is not free they do charge the service member a small fee.

Military Mom, Wife and Former WM.

[missyx21]

A friend of mine is in the Marines. I also have a brother-in-law who's in the Navy. We go weeks, sometimes even months without hearing from them.(depends on their mission) The only way we can understand what they're going through is by reading their blogs. Sometimes it's just a few sentences. Sometimes is a whole page long. They also get to see what's going on at home. We make sure to post pictures of family, friends, pets, so that they don't miss a moment. If we take this away from them, what else do they have left?

[missyx21]

A friend of mine is in the Marines. I also have a brother-in-law who's in the Navy. We go weeks, sometimes even months without hearing from them.(depends on their mission) The only way we can understand what they're going through is by reading their blogs. Sometimes it's just a few sentences. Sometimes is a whole page long. They also get to see what's going on at home. We make sure to post pictures of family, friends, pets, so that they don't miss a moment. If we take this away from them, what else do they have left?

[michellem99-2009]

I do support our troops. Yet I do feel the military computers be used for military use. I meant computers for their own use. I was 9 when JFK was killed.I was born legally blind and taught to thank our vets who served, my Dad served.I could not. I remember an America who were free. WE were safe in home,school,work place,church and on the street.Yes. We never were allowed to tell others to rudely shut up. It was not done.The young could learn from us older folk.
Manners were taught,children learnt right from wrong. The social graces as well. It was a vet who served that helped me have the means to talk by means of computer. I care about others before me even tho I have specal needs.

[vanman345]

Stealing bandwidth? Are you kidding? More likely the Pentagon (and the White House) are afraid the troops (and their families) will learn the truth about this illegal war. Hmm, so much for Constitutional Rights! Oh silly me - the U.S. Constitution was deleted 6 years ago along with all hope. Thanks, George! :-(
Posted by metaustin at 03:06 PM : May 14, 2007

Man, I love to hear you liberals go nuts over this, do you people not read? Since when is it your constitutional right to access the sites banned by the pentagon for access on military computers? Just to refresh your memory these are the following sites that are banned:

Video-sharing sites YouTube, Metacafe, IFilm, StupidVideos and FileCabi;
Social networking sites MySpace, BlackPlanet and Hi5;
Music sites Pandora, MTV, 1.fm and live365; and
Photo-sharing site Photobucket.

Now those are some serious news sources that you say will prevent the troops and their families from "will learn the truth about this illegal war." If those are the sites you get your news from it certainly explains a lot about the nutcase rantings posted here on a daily basis by you self rightous left wing nutjobs.

[missyx21]

A friend of mine is in the Marines. I also have a brother-in-law who's in the Navy. We go weeks, sometimes even months without hearing from them.(depends on their mission) The only way we can understand what they're going through is by reading their blogs. Sometimes it's just a few sentences. Sometimes is a whole page long. They also get to see what's going on at home. We make sure to post pictures of family, friends, pets, so that they don't miss a moment. If we take this away from them, what else do they have left?

[lars008-2009]

NOW CAN WE KILL THEM???

if it is ok for fascist nazi islamic muslims to kill all non muslims everywhere.... is it ok for the non muslims to kill all fascist nazi islamic muslims???

Wouldn't killing 5.1 BILLION people (the number of non muslims in the world) be the very definition of barbarism???
Or is it fascist nazi islam%u2019s way of solving global warming???

Switching Sides: Inside The Enemy Camp

But then in 2000, well before his arrest, something happened which would make Abas question everything he believed in: a fatwa, a religious edict, was issued by Osama bin Laden.

"It should be understood that killing Americans and Jews anywhere found are the highest act of worship and the highest form of good deeds in the eyes of Allah," Simon quotes bin Laden.

Abas and his fellow commanders were ordered to read the fatwa to their men and make sure they carried it out. The others obeyed, but Abas refused. It was his moment of truth. He firmly believed that jihad was to be fought only on the battlefield in defense of Islam; he had always been taught that the killing of civilians had nothing to do with holy war and that it was forbidden.

The fatwa justified killing non-Muslim civilians everywhere.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/04/60minutes/main2761108.shtml?source=RSSattr=60Minutes_2761108

[gunownerdan]

American citizens have rights, not the government. The government and the military are the servants of the American people and the only reason the they exist is to protect the Constitution.

[vet999999]

missyX21 - Write a letter. GI's have been writing letters home for over 200 years and it still works.

[gclark429]

To Shoganca, no, I haven't been in a position where I had to use a "community" computer like that. I've always been fortunate enough to have my own computer. What the Pentagon is saying though is that just a short list of sites would be restricted. Most Internet Service Providers(ISP's) give the subscriber a set amount of space to create your own website. This could be a viable option that would still be available to our troops overseas. There are a number of other sites as well where you can create an account where you can post pictures and exchange information with others and these sites are completely free. Nobody wants to see our troops cut off from communicating with loved ones back home. Let's just find another way to do it, other websites.

[gclark429]

To shoganca: No, I haven't had to use a community computer like that. I've always been fortunate enough to have my own. Something else though, the Pentagon is not stopping all personal use of government computers, only restricting access to that short list of sites. There are other alternatives that are free and our military members could use government systems to access them. Most Internet Service Providers (ISP's) give the customer a fixed amount of space for setting up your own webpage. This could be a viable method of communication between geographically separated family members too. And, in most cases, this is hosted free of charge. There are other sites too that allow a small amount of space for hosting websites, free. Believe me, I know that communication with loved ones overseas is important. Not only for the family here in the States but for the person overseas too. I spent 25 years in the military and several of those years were spent overseas, separated from family.

[incog-nito]

No big deal. They do this in China and North Korea too.