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Austerity for Egypt's Internet?

As social media activists in Egypt rally to demand faster and cheaper Internet services, the government of Ibrahim Mehleb asks citizens to limit their Internet consumption, a move many see as one austerity step too far.
Egypt's Communications and Information Technology Minister Atef Helmy speaks during an interview with Reuters at the Smart Village on the outskirts of Cairo October 20, 2014. Egypt is seeking billions of dollars in investment to upgrade its telecommunications infrastructure as part of efforts to attract multinationals and restore growth after three years of political upheaval, telecoms minister Helmy said. He said said Egypt needs investment of $5-$6 billion to build broadband internet across the nation and
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CAIRO — In protest against poor Internet services, Egyptian activists set up a Facebook page titled "Internet Revolution,” launched an official website and printed application forms to enable the Internet Revolution movement to take legal action against the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to provide services at a fair price. Meanwhile, Egypt’s Communications and Information Technology Minister Atef Helmy called on the Egyptian youth to control their Internet consumption, which caused a great deal of sarcasm on social media.

Helmy’s call to reduce Internet usage was considered by the youth as another joke by the current government, which is being described as the austerity government. The Egyptian people never imagined that the call for consumption control, which included the consumption of energy, water and education, would also include Internet usage. The role of the Internet in Egypt is not just limited to working more efficiently or to accessing knowledge. Rather, it has become a source of entertainment for millions of unemployed youth, and women who have missed their chances of getting married, in light of the high spinsterhood rate in Egypt.

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