Pakistan's YouTube ban may end after Google removes anti-Muslim vid

Google has been forced to take down a controversial anti-Islam YouTube video in a move which could pave the way for the site to finally be unblocked in Pakistan. A US appeals court ordered the web giant to remove the “Innocence of Muslims” film which caused widespread rioting and scores of deaths and injuries across the Muslim …

[Anonymous Coward]

Setting precedence

How brave of Google - NOT.

This will set precedence. Now they will have to respond to every move by countries who threatens to block Youtube for specific videos.

[Mark 85]

Re: Setting precedence

Re-read it Bernie, unless I'm missing something. Google was opposed to removing it even after Pakistan blocked it. It was removed because of a lawsuit by one of the actresses.

[LarsG]

Re: Setting precedence

'Life of Brian' anyone?

Oh how these double standards offend me...

Seriously though, are we going to enter an era where it becomes a criminal offence to offend?

Too late perhaps?

[wowfood]

Re: Setting precedence

As one who is easily offended, your lack of empathy to my kind offends me. I demand you retract your post and issue a public apology.

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

Re: Setting precedence

I suspect the case would be overturned on appeal once Hollywood wakes up.

Google had to pull the video after a court ruled that an actress in it had the right to go back on their contract because the video was an anti-Islam rant, not the movie that was described in the pitch.

So any extra in Life Of Brian could claim they thought they were making a christian movie about JC and get Life of Brian pulled. Or an extra in LotR could get it pulled because it didn't exactly follow the book.

[Khaptain]

Couple of questions

* If this video was not the cause of the ban then what really was ?

* Is YouPorn also banned, it's not really suitable for the children of <deity> ?

* What percentage of Pakistani's actually have web access ( over and above a 56k connection) ?

* According to the logic of these people, why would Pakistan even need the internet ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Couple of questions

* If this video was not the cause of the ban then what really was ?

-On 17 September 2012, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) ordered access to YouTube blocked, after the website did not remove the trailer of Sam Bacile's Innocence of Muslims, a film insulting Islam and eventually resulting in a ban due to YouTube's non compliance.[45]

* Is YouPorn also banned, it's not really suitable for the children of <deity> ?

-Main article: Pornography in Pakistan

-Pornography is illegal. It is not easily accessible, and the Government has put a 100% ban on internet -website containing such material since November 2011.[41] The list of banned pornographic websites is updated on an ongoing basis.

* What percentage of Pakistani's actually have web access ( over and above a 56k connection) ?

-10.0% of the population (2012)

-25 Nov 2013 - The average internet downloading speeds were 2.29 Mbps during this period while the uploads stood at just 1.01 Mbps

* According to the logic of these people, why would Pakistan even need the internet

-Well obviously they have less of a need than you, as you are too fucking stupid / bigoted to use it to expand your knowledge a little. Maybe a little less time cracking one off over YouPorn vids and little more time talking to the terrible brown people, or at least trying read and research a bit, may help, but I doubt it.

[Khaptain]

Re: Couple of questions

If anything my remarks were more against the idiocy of the dictator style states than anything else. I would consider that the banning of youtube is the least of the problems faced by Pakistanis on a dailly basis.

Question : How do you know that I myself am not a "brown person" ? Your decision to use the term "terrible brown person " is actually quite revealing about how you think.

( PS : I lived in the middle east for 3 years which is not something that most "bigots" do and amazingly my "Terrible Brown Person" girlfriend came to live in London with me, again quite surprising for a bigot

PPS : The article was not about the Pakistani people it was about the Pakistani govt. or did you miss that point)

)

[ian 22]

Re: Couple of questions @LostAllFaith

I agreed with your post until you derailed at your final ad-hominem rant.

I am interested in how governments (such as Pakistan's) justify use of technology which counters their world view. Boko Haram, while repugnant in their actions, does maintain a level of consistency.

[ratfox]

I don't get it

As I understand it, Google has blocked this very video in countries like India where local laws made it illegal. So why not remove it from Pakistan too?

Is it really that Google will not remove it if the government asks, but only if the government actually writes a law to force them?

[John Robson]

Re: I don't get it

Doing it through legislation is the correct process.

Why is that double standards - one requires some discussion and/or work on the part of the government.

[Old Handle]

Re: I don't get it

I'm not sure this is more than inconsistent terminology, but it sounds like Pakistan may have been demanding the video be completely taken down, not just blocked.

[Anonymous Coward]

more likely

all those new users are new ad-fodder.....

Stick by your principals or acquiesce to allow eleventy million new users to use youtube and all those adverts that come with it..

Hmmm...Cynical? Moi??

[Anonymous Coward]

Read the f*** article

They have been ordered by an American court to remove the video. They have actually attempted to fight that order. The fact that Pakistan might subsequently retract the ban of YouTube is incidental, and out of the hands of Google.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Read the f*** article

If you think that's the only "offensive" video on youtube, you've been watching far too many cat vids.

[Matthew 25]

No Pakistan..

..don't let them in! You'll be buried in skateboarding dogs!

[solo]

YouTube is not about free speech and only video sharing site.

I don't argue that Pakistan govt is not dirty enough through blood stains. But, all they do is say "Hey, look what they say about us."

So, if millions of human beings are being offended and killed (that is proven, right?), why YouTube cannot block a video on its own common sense? Apart from that, why request from Pak govt is less valuable than a court order from US? Why Google co-operates with one government to spy over the whole world but cannot block a video on request of another govt. If Google thinks it's justified because of it's American origin then another govt has very equal right to think it unjustified. They are govt after all, right?

And here is a very unrelated post:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/07/snowden_documents_show_british_digital_spies_using_viruses_and_honey_traps/

[Jamie Jones]

Re: YouTube is not about free speech and only video sharing site.

Huh?

It's called the law.

As the article said, they only took it down because their courts told them to.

Fortunately, we don't (quite) yet live in a world where we have to obey every stupid and backwards law some government comes up with. (We have enough of our own to deal with anyway!)

Oh, and the video didn't kill anyone - that's entirely due to backwards religious nutters.

And as for offensive, there are many things that offend my personal sensibilities, but that doesn't mean they should be banned. (Well, OK, shop 'muzak' should be!)

[solo]

Re: YouTube is not about free speech and only video sharing site.

"..It's called the law..."

"..every stupid and backwards law some government comes up with.."

So, it's only the US law that applies to Pakistan. Huh? We are talking about ban in Pakistan here.

"..because their courts told them to.."

Court is supposed to intervene when a 2 parties cannot decide on a point. So, was Google sure that this video didn't offend anyone? Are you sure? Have you seen the video? Even in El Reg we have Report Abuse button for a post that might be offending the single original poster.

[Jamie Jones]

Re: YouTube is not about free speech and only video sharing site.

No, it's US law that applies to Google.

I haven't seen the video, but it's not relevant! Everything is offensive to someone!

Pakistan (or anyone else) can make Google comply with their laws within Pakistan - if Google have an operating presence there. If Pakistan wants to try and block Google content there, they can do.

What if some country decided all technology news sites were the spawn of Satan and such hedonistic websites should be banned..... Should El Reg, and many many other sites close down because of it?

As for the Reg abuse button, it's to alert the staff to a really abusive or libel etc. comment. They can remove posts at their discretion (their site; their rules) - If a tea totalling vegetarian had reported the recent article on beer and bacon, do you think their report would have been acted upon?

p.s. I didn't downvote you.