Libya goes online after a prolonged cut-off

"Welcome to all our brothers & sisters from inside Tripoli on Twitter... Internet returns to them first time in a long time! #Feb17 #Libya." 

This message on Twitter posted by the National Front for the Salvation of Libya is what heralded the comeback of web access in the violence-stricken Tripoli, in the wake of protests. National Front for the Salvation of Libya is better known as the group incompatible with Gaddafi's rule. As it is being written and spoken about, Libya has been in turmoil ever since political protests gripped the nation, in a bid to overthrow the Gaddafi government, formed years ago in a military coup. 

Over the weekend, as web access began trickling in, Google's Transparency Report, a tool to monitor the usage of Google's products in internet-wise less fortunate nations, showed a noticeable jump in the figures at around 11:30pm GMT. Congratulatory messages started pouring in soon after. The message from Libya Telecom and Technology, the country's prominent Internet service provider in Arabic stated, "Congratulations, Libya, on emancipation from the rule of the tyrant."

The noticeable jump in the usage numbers

Over the years, it has been witnessed that nations with tyrants have always used Internet to propagate their ideologies, if not completely do away with them. Just recently violent eruptions in Egypt when Hosni Mubarak's flourishing reign crumbled, the internet was blocked for a good five days. Libya, which began its protests against Muammar Gaddafi in February this year has been experiencing very flaky internet connections.