US Troops To Be Left Without MySpace, YouTube, Fun


In an effort to “save bandwith”, the Department of Defense is blocking access to pipe-hogs like YouTube and MySpace on official computers. Lots of employers put up such filters, but this is different:

Troops and families living on U.S. bases will still be able to view the sites through private Internet networks, but the move leaves service members in Iraq and Afghanistan who use the popular picture- and video-sharing sites with little or no access to them.


Of course, all “bandwidth” issues aside, the DoD has sort of a reputation for morality policing, and probably doesn’t like the idea of their best and brightest squandering their brain cells chatting with their high school sweethearts on MySpace.

And don’t think this won’t go unnoticed: A huge chunk of our boys overseas are barely out of high school (the MySpace key demo). Our take: Videos of guys getting hit in the crotch could be a huge boon to morale, and the DoD is really off-base (no pun intended) here.

And, if you ask us, isn’t the freedom to watch cute kitty home movies and photos of college kids making fools of themselves exactly what our soldiers are fighting for? And, in all seriousness, you’d think the DoD would WANT our guys to feel like they are connected to their family and friends back home. Sadly, this will only cut them off.

(Stars and Stripes)