How Iraqis are dodging internet blackout to tell world about protest bloodshed
- Largely spontaneous gatherings of demonstrators have swelled despite an internet blackout
- Nearly 100 people have been killed and 4,000 wounded since the protests began in Baghdad and spread to cities across the south
With secret satellites, pricey messages abroad and clandestine file transfers, young Iraqis are circumventing an internet blackout aimed at stifling several days of bloody protests in the capital and beyond.
Authorities restricted access to Facebook and WhatsApp after anti-government demonstrations began on Tuesday, before ordering a total network shutdown on Wednesday.
The termination of Wi-fi, 3G and 4G access left protesters with just regular phone calls and mobile messages – a few notable exceptions aside.
Ahmad, 29, works at an internet service provider that helped implement the government’s shutdown, but still has internet access at its headquarters.
“I go to the protests in the morning and shoot video on my phone, then use the internet at work to upload them to Facebook or send them to media outside Iraq,” he said, using a fake name for fear of retribution or legal action by the government.
Protesters say the internet outage is an attempt to suppress reports of security forces using indiscriminate force including tear gas, live rounds and water cannons.