U.S. Calls on Egyptian government to restore Internet and Social media

The United States is calling on Egypt's government to end the blackout on Internet, cell phone service and social networks. Continuing the blackout will make the crisis much worse for Egypt and further alienate the citizens of that country.

President Obama and administration officials have issued statements calling for Egypt to end the blackout of media.

Statement by President Obama:

I also call upon the Egyptian government to reverse the actions that they´ve taken to interfere with access to the Internet, to cell phone service and to social networks that do so much to connect people in the 21st century.

At the same time, those protesting in the streets have a responsibility to express themselves peacefully. Violence and destruction will not lead to the reforms that they seek.

Violence will not address the grievances of the Egyptian people. And suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away

U.S. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs:

We believe in the basket of individual freedoms includes the freedom to access the Internet and the freedom to use social networking sites..... we believe that the people of Egypt have a right to freedom of expression and freedom of speech, and that includes the use of the Internet.