Egypt Blocks Access To Facebook

http%3A%2F%2Fwww.allfacebook.com%2Fegypt-blocks-access-to-facebook-2011-01Egypt+Blocks+Access+To+Facebook2011-01-26+17%3A54%3A10Jackie+Cohenhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.allfacebook.com%2F%3Fp%3D30446

Egyptian authorities are blocking access to Facebook within the country in an effort to quell anti-government demonstrations organized via the social network.

Egypt’s blockage was confirmed by Jillian York, a project coordinator at Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society that oversees the Herdict service, who sent an email to Reuters.

However, the group We are all Khaled Said appears to be accessing Facebook via a proxy server, as a status update went up to the organization’s wall around when I started writing this post, saying “Situation can be summarized as street fighting across Cairo with focus in Central Cairo.” A YouTube video posted on the group’s wall about two minutes later shows protesters jumping on an armed police vehicle trying to stop a water cannon.

The group’s explanation of its mission on the social network contains a possible clue about possibly getting around censorship by the Egyptian government — the address for the page includes a U.K. extension:

“Khaled Said, 28 years old, was tortured to death by 2 Egyptian Policemen in the street. The incident has woken up Egyptians to work against the systematic torture in Egypt and the 30 years running emergency law. We need international supporters to help us stand against Police brutality in Egypt. We invite you to support our cause. Join our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/elshaheeed.co.uk to see how you can help.”

Some are comparing Egypt’s demonstrations to recent protests in Tunisia that led to the nation’s president stepping down from office, and given how the Tunisian uprising has been called a Facebook-powered revolution, one could see why the Egyptian government would want to block access to the social network.

Egypt’s blockage of Facebook today follows a similar move against Twitter yesterday, TechCrunch has reported, as the microblogging site has also helped protesters organize themselves.

Will the Egyptian government’s efforts to block access to social media ultimately strengthen protesters’ resolve and possibly strengthen support for the demonstration outside of Egypt?

www.allfacebook.com

STUDY: Facebooking Leads To Sex, Faster

Skip the flowers, guys: If you want to better your chances of getting a woman in the sack, maybe all you have to do is Facebook her.

Shape and Men’s Fitness found that 58 percent of men surveyed by the magazines said flirting over Facebook, texts, and chat helps them get women into bed sooner. Likewise, 80 percent of the women surveyed said that relationships lead to sex quicker today because it’s easy to stay connected.

There’s evidence that both genders are satisfied with the end result of techie flirting — almost half of the 1,200 women and men who participated in the survey describe their sex lives as amazing compared with 21 percent last year.

But there’s a caveat to all this, and I’m sure it’s something you’ve probably experienced yourself : The intimacy you have on Facebook with a potential mate can be pretty short lived. A virtual poking war is fun at first, but doesn’t necessarily translate into a healthy relationship if you never move beyond that.

I remember playing Facebook scrabble with a guy I liked, and would get excited when he’d respond right away to a word I played. Now keep in mind, I never dated this guy, and we didn’t actually speak to each other. The extent of our relationship never went beyond the word game online.

Psychologist Dr. Dorree Lynn echoes that sentiment. She says social media is actually “fostering a sense of faux intimacy” among couples. She told ABC News:

It’s easier to hop into bed than have a relationship. It’s all a function of the fast-paced world we live in, where communication skills, genuine communication skills, which means face-to-face communication, are quickly going by the wayside.

I agree with Lynn that Facebook and social media in general can make someone feel like they share a deeper connection with the object of their affection, but I think this happens only if they are communicating more online than in real life. There are plenty of examples where Facebook has helped bring couples closer together. Plus, Facebook statuses seem to be increasingly used by couples to “publicly” display feelings of affection. How is that faux intimacy?

Do you think Facebook has helped or hurt your sex life? Do you find yourself more active on Facebook when you’re in a relationship, or single?

www.allfacebook.com