Morocco May Be Blocking YouTube

Reports of YouTube’s unavailability in Morocco has raised fears that the government is censoring access to the video sharing site.

"Play it once, Sam, for old times' sake." - Ilsa walks into Rick's life again, in 1942's Casablanca.

If Sam were around today, he wouldn’t be able to play it from YouTube, no matter how nicely Ilsa asked. Moroccan YouTube fans have been doing without their video fix from the massively popular site since May 25th.

The BBC said the Moroccan government might have a problem with the content of some politically sensitive videos. These concern Morocco’s actions in 1975, when it annexed the disputed territory, Western Sahara.

However, a state telecom spokesperson told the BBC a technical glitch caused the problem. A government official would not comment on the problem.

Reporters Without Borders blasted the contention by Maroc Telecom that a glitch could be the cause.

“We wonder how a ‘technical problem’ can affect only one website,” the organization said in a statement. “No official statement has supported this version. Blocking access to a site is illegal unless ordered by a court.”