Conclusion
In addition to high-profile Web sites such as YouTube, Amazon, and Facebook, the
Web sites blocked in Syria span a range of categories, with the most substantial filtering
being of Web sites that criticize government policies and actions or espouse oppositional political views. Repressive legislation and the imprisonment of journalists and
bloggers for their activities online have led many Syrians to engage in self-censorship,
which conforms to second-generation controls found in other parts of the world.
Meanwhile, the government continues to promote the growth of the Internet throughout the country.
Notes
1. BBC News, ‘‘Country Profile: Syria,’’ July 29, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle
_east/country_profiles/801669.stm.
2. Ibid.
3. Reporters Without Borders, ‘‘Syria—Annual Report 2007,’’ http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id
_article=20777.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Reporters Without Borders, ‘‘List of the 13 Internet Enemies,’’ November 7, 2006, http://www
.rsf.org/spip.php?page=article&id_article=19603.
7. Reporters Without Borders, ‘‘Syria—Annual Report 2007,’’ http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id
_article=20777.
8. Committee to Protect Journalists, ‘‘10 Worst Countries to be a Blogger,’’ April 30, 2009, http://
www.cpj.org/reports/2009/04/10-worst-countries-to-be-a-blogger.php.
9. Guy Taylor, ‘‘After the Damascus Spring: Syrians Search for Freedom Online,’’ Reason Online:
Free Minds and Free Markets, February 2007, http://www.reason.com/news/show/118380.html.
10. Ibid.
11. Paul Budde Communication Pty., Ltd., ‘‘Syria—Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband,’’ http://
www.budde.com.au/buddereports/1168/Syria_-_Telecoms_Market_Overview__Statistics.aspx?r=51.
12. Syrian Telecom, http://www.ste.gov.sy.
13. Syriatel, http://www.syriatel.sy.
14. MTN, http://www.mtnsyria.com.
15. Aya, http://aya.sy/.
Syria
577
In addition to high-profile Web sites such as YouTube, Amazon, and Facebook, the
Web sites blocked in Syria span a range of categories, with the most substantial filtering
being of Web sites that criticize government policies and actions or espouse oppositional political views. Repressive legislation and the imprisonment of journalists and
bloggers for their activities online have led many Syrians to engage in self-censorship,
which conforms to second-generation controls found in other parts of the world.
Meanwhile, the government continues to promote the growth of the Internet throughout the country.
Notes
1. BBC News, ‘‘Country Profile: Syria,’’ July 29, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle
_east/country_profiles/801669.stm.
2. Ibid.
3. Reporters Without Borders, ‘‘Syria—Annual Report 2007,’’ http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id
_article=20777.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Reporters Without Borders, ‘‘List of the 13 Internet Enemies,’’ November 7, 2006, http://www
.rsf.org/spip.php?page=article&id_article=19603.
7. Reporters Without Borders, ‘‘Syria—Annual Report 2007,’’ http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id
_article=20777.
8. Committee to Protect Journalists, ‘‘10 Worst Countries to be a Blogger,’’ April 30, 2009, http://
www.cpj.org/reports/2009/04/10-worst-countries-to-be-a-blogger.php.
9. Guy Taylor, ‘‘After the Damascus Spring: Syrians Search for Freedom Online,’’ Reason Online:
Free Minds and Free Markets, February 2007, http://www.reason.com/news/show/118380.html.
10. Ibid.
11. Paul Budde Communication Pty., Ltd., ‘‘Syria—Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband,’’ http://
www.budde.com.au/buddereports/1168/Syria_-_Telecoms_Market_Overview__Statistics.aspx?r=51.
12. Syrian Telecom, http://www.ste.gov.sy.
13. Syriatel, http://www.syriatel.sy.
14. MTN, http://www.mtnsyria.com.
15. Aya, http://aya.sy/.
Syria
577