Egypt telecoms authority says can't block YouTube

Cairo, Feb 15 (AP) An Egyptian rights group and the nation's telecommunication's ministry have filed appeals to reverse a court order to block YouTube. Last week, a judge ordered the government to block access to the video-sharing website for 30 days for its carrying of an anti-Islam video that set off deadly riots last year. The ministry said this week it cannot block access to YouTube because of high technical costs, adding that it cannot legally monitor the content of social media websites. The Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression in Egypt said today that it too filed an appeal, calling the verdict "collective punishment." YouTube has already blocked access to the film in Egypt because it broke local laws. Past Egyptian verdicts banning websites deemed offensive were similarly not implemented. (AP) ASY 02162331 NNNN