Twittern(function() { var po = document.createElement(‘script’); po.type = ‘text/javascript’; po.async = true; po.src = ‘https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js’; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();SMN No. 3, June 12, 2010 A new group on Facebook is advocating the replacement of religion classes at Syrian schools with courses teaching “universal moral values”. The administrators of the group, which attracted [...]

Twittern(function() { var po = document.createElement(‘script’); po.type = ‘text/javascript’; po.async = true; po.src = ‘https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js’; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();SMN No. 3, June 14, 2010 A heated debate on religious preaching in public places broke out recently on Facebook in Syria. It was sparked by the launch of a group in May, which [...]

Twittern(function() { var po = document.createElement(‘script’); po.type = ‘text/javascript’; po.async = true; po.src = ‘https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js’; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();SMN No. 3, June 15, 2010 The Syrian authorities reportedly blocked again the Arabic version of Wikipedia after having lifted the ban on the website for about a year. Wikipedia describes itself as an [...]

Twittern(function() { var po = document.createElement(‘script’); po.type = ‘text/javascript’; po.async = true; po.src = ‘https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js’; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();SMN No. 3, June 16, 2010 Several slideshows appeared recently on YouTube showing photos of real scenes from the streets of Syria. The photos are often ironic and focus on odd activities. The person [...]

Twittern(function() { var po = document.createElement(‘script’); po.type = ‘text/javascript’; po.async = true; po.src = ‘https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js’; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();SMN, No. 3, June 17, 2010 A new website fostering online dialogue between Syrian and Israeli intellectuals was criticised by a large number of Syrian bloggers, who stated that they were against carrying out [...]

Twittern(function() { var po = document.createElement(‘script’); po.type = ‘text/javascript’; po.async = true; po.src = ‘https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js’; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();SMN, No. 3, June 18, 2010 The social networking service Twitter has so far failed to attract large numbers of Syrian Internet users as it did in other Arab countries. In an interview conducted [...]