A plea on Reddit was brought to my attention last night. It’s not something we often hear about, but it’s something that may require our attention as it affects a fellow African country. It’s not crazy to think that what happens in other countries in Africa may one day happen in our own, and it’s best we be prepared.
According to the post, Morocco’s biggest ISP, Maroc Telecom, has succeeded in blocking online gaming traffic for specific games, and plans to block all traffic in the future.
“At first i thought this was just a thing they will try to do, but it seems it’s being implemented as we speak. Numerous games no longer work in my country (some games I personally tried: Elsword, Paladins, Dragon Nest) and the moment you somehow manage to get on a game it lags you out until you get kicked by the server. The only games that are working (barely) are League of Legends and Hearthstone. Even though they work, we experience random lag spikes and DCs during games very frequently.”
You’re obviously thinking, why not use a VPN? Apparently that’s illegal and carries a jail sentence if you bypass the ban.
Morocco is one of the up and coming eSports countries in Africa, fielding players in games such as CS:GO and League of Legends. The ban will slowly destroy competitive gaming in the country and so far no official statement has been given by the government or the ISP. You’d be surprised to know that many African countries have extremely active competitive community, perhaps not as big as ours, but they’ve been at it just as long as we have. They’ve set up a petition and are nearing their goal of 10,000 signatures.
There’s no real threat to anything similar happening in South Africa. Luckily for us our dominant ISP, Telkom, have been heavily invested in eSports for several years, but that doesn’t mean the government won’t turn around and ban all online gaming. This is Africa, after all – and if the FPB has its way, it’ll do all it can to block anything it deems unsavoury.
Last Updated: May 20, 2016
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:36
The question I have is why?
“No fun allowed”?
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:43
Didn’t South Korea do the same thing lately? I’m too lazy to google, also this flu medicine is making my morning very interesting.
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:44
South Korea has one of the largest gaming communities in the world. Are you thinking North Korea?
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:47
Nope it was South Korea (the best Korea), they banned under 16s from playing online.
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:48
Well under 16’s makes sense. They have a severe gaming addiction problem there. But banning ALL online gaming?
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:50
True, but then this is North Africa, they’re as strange as the West Africans.
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:51
I don’t think there’s a need for the compass directions in that sentence, tbh. :/
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:55
hehehehe!
Karim Daci
May 21, 2016 at 13:45
You racist bitch, North Africa is good!
Strawman Jim
May 21, 2016 at 18:36
Pfftt! South Africa is the best Africa!
XIcer
May 21, 2016 at 17:15
what do you mean we’re strange ?
Strawman Jim
May 21, 2016 at 18:35
So very… very strange!!! 😮
RinceThis
May 20, 2016 at 11:37
Damn, those 2 players are going to be sad.
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:38
“They’ve set up a petition and are nearing their goal of 10,000 signatures.”
RinceThis
May 20, 2016 at 11:41
*I know it’s trolling Friday! 😛
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:41
*I know I’m ruining it for you 😛
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:42
NO FUN FRIDAYS!!
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:42
NFF!!!!
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:44
#NFF #UNFOLLOWMEFRIDAY #Potato <– these need to trend today on Twitter! Do me proud young grasshopper.
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2016 at 11:52
Sniff. That brings a tear to my eye. Carry on.
RinceThis
May 20, 2016 at 11:54
Ha! He can’t ruin it for me!
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2016 at 11:57
Well as long as we’re having fun we don’t care how you feel about it. 😀
RinceThis
May 20, 2016 at 12:10
You make me happy!
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2016 at 12:10
I DON’T CARE.
RinceThis
May 20, 2016 at 12:35
I know you do 😉 You just want to appear bad ass!
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:42
lol, there are more gamers in Morocco thn in Sef Efrika!
RinceThis
May 20, 2016 at 11:55
You shut your flu face!
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:55
HAI!!
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2016 at 11:58
If your flu face has a runny nose do you call it a fauc-et?
Raptor Rants
May 20, 2016 at 11:59
no. Just .. Just no
RinceThis
May 20, 2016 at 12:09
stop!
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 20, 2016 at 12:10
NEVA!
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:41
Good for Morocco! Clearly gaming is rotting the brains of young Moroccans and their government has had enough of this mental ruination. Hopefully, this will mean Moroccan millennials will rather become productive members of society than rainbow haired mooches.
Vote Trump! Make AMerica great again!
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:42
Who’s paying for the firewall though?
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:43
Donald Trump! Clearly he’s trying to make Morocco great again too!
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:43
I bet the best Moroccan food is made in Trump tower! 😀
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:45
Yep, that’s why the wall is going up, to ensure that Trump tower has the best Moroccan and Mexican food in North America. The man is a visionary! I would have sex with him.
http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/55918b77ecad04a3465a0a63/nbc-fires-donald-trump-after-he-calls-mexicans-rapists-and-drug-runners.jpg
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:46
Has that finger been to your dark side?
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:48
😮
Raptor Rants
May 20, 2016 at 11:51
line
————————————————-
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:52
Right in the stinker
Raptor Rants
May 20, 2016 at 11:55
line
———————————-
The line crosser’s line
—————————————————-
you are here
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:56
There’s the 2 in the pink. 😀
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:56
Screw the line! Vote Trump!
http://www.tvnewscheck.com/playout/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cross-the-Line.jpg
RinceThis
May 20, 2016 at 11:56
Whaaaa?
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:58
You heard me right man… THUMP THE TRUMP, baby!!
http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/austinpowers_0.jpg
RinceThis
May 20, 2016 at 12:08
I just vomited in the back of my throat.
Raptor Rants
May 20, 2016 at 11:46
It’s as if thousands of voices cried out and were suddenly silenced 🙁
Pariah
May 20, 2016 at 11:49
That’s super depressing.
+1 for the epic quote though.
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:57
You sir… are a true poet!
Strawman Jim
May 20, 2016 at 11:49
On the plus side, it does mean less Moroccan gamers playing Battlefield with me. They’re so insufferable and arrogant. Pfft!
Darren Peach
May 20, 2016 at 12:55
Why certain groups deem themselves authorities on other peoples rights and freedoms completely undermines the very nature of the human condition. We all live our lives with a measure of tolerance towards each other. I often worry about the blanket rejection of western values that we see in certain countries. Now this leaves minorities in a serious pickle. Say, for example, Our government decides that video games are a problem. There are a multitude of convenient reasons for them to do so. Where would that leave our minority ? Is it wrong to say that you identify with European or American values ? While there needs to be a level of reasonable rational compromise in our particular circumstances here is Sunny SA, I doubt that would include the need to reject the things we find appealing. This is where the crux of the matter lies. Taking away freedom is often a political tool used to dissuade or penalise individuals for free thinking. This brings the SJW topic in the fray. I am sure that there is a moral authority in there somewhere that decided that games are decadent or evil, even morally corrupt. The point is, We are all individuals and we all have the right to indulge in whatever it is we want. Barriers through moral outrage are often founded out of fear and spite. That’s why I feel the choice should be left to the individual as opposed to a popular social stance or political agenda. The reason this world is so screwed is we have other people trying to decide our lives for us. Hitler, Stalin, Mao and many many more serve as an example of this and I am sure there are many more examples to come.
Strawman Jim
May 21, 2016 at 19:05
In a nutshell, “people suck” – regardless of belief, ideology or altruistic intentions, eventually once in a group, they’ll end up screwing up. We’ve seen it happen in Europe and North America on both the right and the left side of politics. We’ve seen it here at home, and we’re bound to see it elsewhere.
It all boils to down the simple fact… “People suck”. Of course SJWs suck the hardest, but that’s because they’re hipsters with rainbow hair and deserve to be mocked till they cry themselves to sleep at night…
frankbilson
May 20, 2016 at 13:02
I know this news is not good for gamers who love to play games with other international users but what I have recently read that Ivacy is supporting online gaming. Many users are using this platform to work perfectly.
XIcer
May 21, 2016 at 17:18
where did you read that ?
mohamed
May 20, 2016 at 16:45
From their official page
https://www.facebook.com/maroctelecom/photos/a.198761700173318.45673.190549660994522/1031896010193212/?type=3
Hassan Dibani
May 22, 2016 at 11:59
The ISP is denying it.
here is a tweet from their official twitter account (Arabc/French)
https://twitter.com/Maroc_Telecom/status/733615765081980928