Pakistan Lifts YouTube Ban, Government Reserves Right To Block Offensive Content
Just yesterday, Pakistan removed its three-year old ban on video-sharing website YouTube, according to reports. This was after the Google-owned website agreed to launch a customized version that will require the government’s nod on each video that will be put up.
In September 2012, an anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims†was uploaded to the site. Even as Pakistan and the Middle-East sprang up with protests, and the White House lobbied for its removal; YouTube was quick to dismiss the demands on free-speech grounds. YouTube probably felt that nothing that was within the bounds of its terms of service was answerable or worthy of removal.
Pakistan would always lock horns with this idea. One of its most serious blasphemy laws is Section 295C of the Pakistan Criminal Code (PCC), that reserves “Mandatory Death and Fine†for “use of derogatory remarks, spoken, written, directly or indirectly, that defiles the name of Muhammadâ€. Unfortunately, this particular video did contain substance that was a direct offence to Muhammad. Pakistan blocked YouTube, but it thankfully did not execute anyone.
Pakistan is not the only country that has had discomfort with elaborate, explicit and exclusive freedom. YouTube stands banned in some of the most economically prosperous countries across the globe, including China, Turkey, Iran, and the autocratic DPRK.
Now, under this new version, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will be provided access for blocking material that it finds blasphemous, confirms the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom. In fact, Google has created a web process that will allow the PTA to request such blockade to Google/YouTube and it will subsequently be removed.
It is good to see that the concerned parties found working out a compromise easier than doing injustice with the liberty of 190 million Pakistani citizens. However, with the onus still on Pakistani authorities, it will not be a surprise to see them calling the shots and repeatedly toying with the rights of the people. Let's hope that is a wrong assumption.
Source: Pakistan lifts ban on YouTube after launch of local version | Reuters
In September 2012, an anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims†was uploaded to the site. Even as Pakistan and the Middle-East sprang up with protests, and the White House lobbied for its removal; YouTube was quick to dismiss the demands on free-speech grounds. YouTube probably felt that nothing that was within the bounds of its terms of service was answerable or worthy of removal.
Pakistan would always lock horns with this idea. One of its most serious blasphemy laws is Section 295C of the Pakistan Criminal Code (PCC), that reserves “Mandatory Death and Fine†for “use of derogatory remarks, spoken, written, directly or indirectly, that defiles the name of Muhammadâ€. Unfortunately, this particular video did contain substance that was a direct offence to Muhammad. Pakistan blocked YouTube, but it thankfully did not execute anyone.
Pakistan is not the only country that has had discomfort with elaborate, explicit and exclusive freedom. YouTube stands banned in some of the most economically prosperous countries across the globe, including China, Turkey, Iran, and the autocratic DPRK.
Now, under this new version, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will be provided access for blocking material that it finds blasphemous, confirms the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom. In fact, Google has created a web process that will allow the PTA to request such blockade to Google/YouTube and it will subsequently be removed.
It is good to see that the concerned parties found working out a compromise easier than doing injustice with the liberty of 190 million Pakistani citizens. However, with the onus still on Pakistani authorities, it will not be a surprise to see them calling the shots and repeatedly toying with the rights of the people. Let's hope that is a wrong assumption.
Source: Pakistan lifts ban on YouTube after launch of local version | Reuters
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