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Google rejects White House request to remove anti-Islam film

Published: September 15, 2012

Google says the video falls within its guidelines. PHOTO: FILE.

SAN FRANCISCO: Google Inc rejected a request by the White House on Friday to reconsider its decision to keep online a controversial YouTube movie clip that has ignited anti-American protests in the Middle East.

The Internet company said it was censoring the video inIndiaandIndonesia after blocking it on Wednesday inEgyptandLibya, whereUSembassies have been stormed by protestors enraged over depiction of the Prophet Mohammad as a fraud and philanderer.

On Tuesday, theUSAmbassador toLibyaand three other Americans were killed in a fiery siege on the embassy inBenghazi.

Google said was further restricting the clip to comply with local law rather than as a response to political pressure.

“We’ve restricted access to it in countries where it is illegal such asIndiaandIndonesia, as well as inLibyaandEgypt, given the very sensitive situations in these two countries,” the company said. “This approach is entirely consistent with principles we first laid out in 2007.”

White House officials had asked Google earlier on Friday to reconsider whether the video had violated YouTube’s terms of service. The guidelines can be viewed here

Google said on Wednesday that the video was within its guidelines.

US authorities said on Friday that they were investigating whether the film’s producer, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, a 55-year old Egyptian Coptic Christian living inSouthernCalifornia, had violated terms of his prison release. Basseley was convicted in 2010 for bank fraud and released from prison on probation last June.

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Reader Comments (19)

  • Usman786
    Sep 15, 2012 - 9:59AM

    how to stop google from earning million of dollars from Pakistan alone

    Recommend

  • JoinHands!
    Sep 15, 2012 - 10:49AM

    obviously they want more ppl to die; more anger – sad!

    Recommend

  • hamzabaloch
    Sep 15, 2012 - 11:47AM

    anti islamic google

    Recommend

  • JD
    Sep 15, 2012 - 2:28PM

    Boycotting Google is not a bad idea. I’m in!

    Recommend

  • 786
    Sep 15, 2012 - 2:40PM

    i hate google

    Recommend

  • Cautious
    Sep 15, 2012 - 5:52PM

    Kudos to Google — think they understand the concept of freedom of speech – if you don’t want to watch this film then don’t – please don’t try and tell me what I can read, watch, or say as it’s none of your business. It’s very apparent that there are plenty of Muslims that don’t get the concept of Democracy or freedom of speech – you mind your own business and keep your nose out of mine.

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  • Tony Singh
    Sep 15, 2012 - 6:04PM

    @[email protected]:
    @786:
    @Usman786:
    People who live in glass houses do not throw stone at others. First put your own house in order.

    Recommend

  • Vigilant
    Sep 15, 2012 - 8:12PM

    Time to switch search engine

    Recommend

  • gp65
    Sep 15, 2012 - 10:31PM

    @Usman786: “how to stop google from earning million of dollars from Pakistan alone”

    Google DOES NOT earn millions of dollars from Pakistan. In fact the total digital advertising revenue to any company and through any digital channel is around 5-6 million. This was clarified in by one of the posters in an article related to Google in Pakistan.

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  • Peace&Harmony
    Sep 16, 2012 - 4:45AM

    @Cautious:
    Freedom of speech does not allow you to abuse and radicule a particular group. Try calling a person of african decent the word “nigger” and see how it works. As per your definition of democracy , quiet clearly that guy was poking his nose at a place where he had no business anyway.

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  • Sep 16, 2012 - 11:18AM

    Google! Think man, think. Do not balk. Learn some decency and show respect for others.

    To quote: “The tongue of the wise man is behind his heart. And the heart of a fool is behind his tongue.” ….Hazrat Ali (RA)

    Salams

    Recommend

  • Sep 16, 2012 - 11:32AM

    As starting point Muslims should install AdBlock Plus (free). Make sure Google ads are blocked with it. Google’s religion of revenue will be affected and they will be start to be sympathetic towards other people’s religion.

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  • sick of this nonsense
    Sep 16, 2012 - 1:40PM

    @Cautious:
    try making a page about Hitler in facebook and you will be banned. Freedom of speech flies out of the window then.

    Recommend

  • Imran Con
    Sep 16, 2012 - 2:36PM

    @sick of this nonsense:
    Facebook can make its own rules for their site. It doesn’t have anything to do with freedom of speech or its limits whatsoever.

    Recommend

  • Faiez
    Sep 16, 2012 - 6:45PM

    How Many people down tto boycott google lets switch to bing and firefox I have done that as a form of protest

    Recommend

  • sathi
    Sep 16, 2012 - 6:50PM

    @Cautious:
    tomorrow they can burn vedas ,then what will u say ?

    Recommend

  • Cautious
    Sep 17, 2012 - 12:30AM

    @sick of this nonsense

    @Cautious: try making a page about
    Hitler in facebook and you will be
    banned. Freedom of speech flies out of
    the window then.

    Facebook is operated by a Corporation – not the US govt. Whatever rights/limitations you have are outlined in the contract you sign when you open a Facebook acct. The US Constitution guarantees your right to free speech – it doesn’t require news/social media to publish your comments. You want to dress up as Hitler and march outside a Synague – go right ahead – might be in bad taste but it’s your right. You want an absolute right to publish trashy stuff on the internet — then start-up your own Facebook.

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  • Hmm
    Sep 17, 2012 - 9:38AM

    @Tony Singh:
    Hmm, wonderful advice. Mind taking heed to it yourself instead of showering the rest of us with it?

    Recommend

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