Algeria temporarily blocked Facebook, Twitter to tackle exam cheating

Algiers: In a bid to stop cheating in secondary school examinations, Algeria on Sunday temporarily blocked access to Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms across the north African country. According to a report in africanews.com, following the earlier exams leaks, police arrested several people, including officials working in national education offices and printers after high school exam papers were leaked onto social media. The students accessed questions on Facebook and other social media ahead of the exam in early June. Owing to the leaks, 300,000 of the 800,000 students who sat for the "baccalaureate" exam earlier had to sit for re-exam on Sunday. “This (move) is to protect students from the publication of false papers for these exams,” the report said, quoting an official. While Algeria blocked social media to fight exam leaks, similar blockages have been reported in Uganda and Congo Brazzaville regarding unsettling political situations in those countries.