Soldiers serving overseas will lose some of their online links to friends and loved ones back home under a Department of Defense policy that a high-ranking Army official said would take effect Monday.
The Defense Department will begin blocking access "worldwide" to YouTube, MySpace and 11 other popular Web sites on its computers and networks, according to a memo sent Friday by Gen. B.B. Bell, the U.S. Forces Korea commander.
The soldiers will still be able to access the sites via their own computers and networks but many stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan do not have access to these resources. Some may claim this is censorship but the Army brass believes it is necessary to protect information and reduce drag on the department's networks. What do you think?
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This makes me sad because it our only contact with my son who is in Iraq. I have no other way to know that he is okay and safe. to provide him with updates back home.. the military has to provide some method for our troops to keep in contact with family. Its what keeps everyone involved sane.
It is not stopping communication completely, just blocking certain high band sites and services. That will provide more open network resources for actual military and medical information handled by DoD. And hopefully reduce the enemy useage of those same mediums.
Worried about your GI having direct net access? Buy them a notebook computer and pay an ISP. It works for us. If you read the full article then you were at a site that provides links to discount computer gear for service people.
use the chat service on army dot com. it is web based
army dot com slash chat
the whole idea is stupid...what about people who can't afford to just go out and buy a notebook...we have no way to keep in contact! me and my girlfriens best friend is in the military and we have no other way to contact him, so how are we supposed to know he's okay now?!
I agree with Mark this sight has a web based chat room that also has instant messaging. there is a link at the top of the page.
