If the World Wide Web had its Bible and Tablets of Stone, Net Neutrality would be the 1st commandment.
Back in 2009 we all witnessed the Iranian Elections, and the riots following corruption suspicions, up close and viral via the internet, in what has set twitter as the ‘official’ medium of movements, and was undoubtedly the micro-blogging service biggest moment. Today, we look at twitter for news and updates from a closer country, Egypt, and its government futile efforts at blocking twitter, flickr, youtube and others, to keep the world in the dark.
Google search for eonline
And now, to the title of this post, and why MSN Israel are reminding me the dark regimes of Iran and Egypt. Last week, late night, I pointed my browser to the global E! Online website (eonline.com), as I do from time to time (like to read their TV and Movies analysis). To my surprise, I was redirected to the Israeli website (eonline.il.msn.com), a new partnership (Hebrew link) between MSN.co.il and the Israeli branch of E! Online. Websites operating globally use your IP address to direct you to the local website, if applicable. Google are doing it, CNN are doing it, even Microsoft are doing it. But all of them, all, give you an option to revert to the global site. All, expect for MSN Israel. No. MSN Israel have decided to block Israeli users access to the global site and are re-directing ALL traffic to their newly launched, local website.
I don’t know where MSN Israel think they are and which mid-level marketing manager approved this (it won’t help the online division), but they have re-directed the wrong blogger. Who made MSN Israel God of the internet?
MSN Israel – fuck you. You’ve pissed me off.
Update 8 Feb
E! Online.com is back – Ryan, Giuliana, I missed you guys 🙂
Update 2 Feb
- Ynet just run the story (Hebrew) – Thanks Ido!
- Still no word from E! Online, E! Online Israel, or MSN.co.il on when the redirect will be solved.
Update 30 January
I was contacted by E! Online Israel Channel Manager. According to her:
- MSN Israel are not involved in the redirect;
- E! Online are the cause, as they, allegedly, blocked access to eonline.com from Israel (is that true?)
- They (E! Online Israel) are working to solve the blockage.
I hate to end a post in a negative tune, plus it’s my first F word in over 4 years of blogging, so join me – let it all out on MSN Israel with Cee Lo Green:
