The Defense Department announced May 14 that it is blocking access to 12 popular Internet sites from department-owned computers, due to bandwidth issues.

Joint Task Force Global Network Operations, which directs the operation and defense of the Defense Department's global information grid, blocked youtube.com, pandora.com, photobucket.com, myspace.com, Iive365.com, hi5.com, metacafe.com, mtv.com, ifilm.com, blackplanet.com, stupidvideos.com and filecabi.com.

"It is a proactive measure: we do not want a problem with demand for these sites clogging the networks," a U.S. Strategic Command official said.

The blocks affect only Defense Department computers and local area networks that are part of the department's global information grid.

The department has more than 15,000 local and regional networks and more than 5 million computers in the grid.

The action comes as sites such as youtube.com and myspace.com become increasingly popular conduits for deployed service members to share their experiences overseas with family and friends back home.

Department officials stress they are not making a judgment about the sites. Blocking the sites "is in no way a comment on the content, purpose or uses of the Web sites themselves," the official said. "It is solely a bandwidth/network management issue. "

But DoD has voiced concerns in the past about sensitive information emerging from military personnel in combat theaters using the Internet.

Those needing access to these sites from government computers can request exceptions to the policy. Global network operations officials said they will continue to assess the stresses and strains on the global information grid.

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