SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Baghdad shuts advertising screens after porn screening
Baghdad, Aug 20 (AFP) Aug 20, 2023
Iraqi authorities on Sunday ordered the shutdown of LED advertisement screens installed across Baghdad after a hacker managed to show a pornographic film on one, security forces said, announcing the arrest of a suspect.

On Saturday evening, "a person managed to hack into an advertising screen in Uqba bin Nafia Square", a major intersection at the centre of the Iraqi capital, a security source who requested anonymity told AFP.

The hacker "showed a pornographic film for several minutes before we cut the power cable," he said.

Videos of the pornographic film being screened as cars passed by in central Baghdad were widely shared on social media.

These "immoral scenes" prompted the authorities to "turn off all advertising screens in Baghdad" while they review security measures, explained the security official.

The interior ministry also announced in a statement that a suspect had been arrested, without giving details.

Several screens that usually show advertisements for household goods or political candidates before elections were switched off on Sunday morning, according to an AFP photographer.

Largely-conservative Iraq announced in 2022 that it was planning to block pornographic websites, but many have been left accessible.

The Iraqi government, which is dominated by pro-Iranian parties, has targeted several YouTubers and TikTokers since last year, accusing them of sharing "indecent content" that goes "against morals and traditions".

Some of them have been imprisoned, including a young woman who posted videos dancing to pop music.


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
Bearings Used in Space Technologies: Engineering for the Final Frontier
China prepares for Mars sample return with HKU astrobiologist on mission team
Robots could one day crawl across the moon

24/7 Energy News Coverage
Ultrasound triggers nuclear decay anomaly hinting at flexible space-time
AI system accelerates aircraft concept design using language models
Autonomous sub explores unexplored trench depths to reveal critical mineral clues

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
PLD Space selected as leading contender for ESA sovereign launch initiative
UK opens competitive bid for GBP 75 million orbital cleanup mission
Why Satellite Jamming Is the New Frontline in Global Conflict

24/7 News Coverage
Glacier retreat could drive a surge in volcanic eruptions worldwide
UK thermal satellite firm wins ESA contract to deliver real time climate and security insights
Beyond male dominance in primates new study redefines gender power roles



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.