Pakistan

Facebook bows down

Express May 21, 2010

KARACHI:

Facebook is considering censoring objectionable content in Pakistan while also making objectionable content inaccessible in Pakistan.

In an emailed statement, Facebook authorities have announced that they will take appropriate actions with regards to objectionable content. Facebook has additionally said that they are analysing the situation and legal considerations for appropriate action to be taken to control the situation.

In yet antother development, US cartoonist has tendered apology for blasphemous sketches on Facebook.

COMMENTS (19)

ak khan | 14 years ago | Reply we should support the block … i mean even countries like china has it blocked ….. i was very angered when i read this article … please … read it … it just might make u think… http://propakistani.pk/2010/05/23/one-facebook-two-faces-one-is-real-ugly/

just another brick in the wall | 14 years ago | Reply @people against the ban You lot dont get it do you? The only reason for you being against this ban is that you are so addicted to this thing that you can bear evn ure own self being made fun of (which is nothing as compared to the current situation). Who are you to praise the west for not having laws that your country has when you use the same "green" passport to represent yourself before tryin for western nationalities? Just grow up a bit and try to understand your religion and respect it rather than wastin tyme on these websites fr posting ur meaningless statusses. Now thats what i call bein' naive!

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Know the truth and speak | 14 years ago | Reply well i must say that the nation who doesnt even know what happened, all they know is that there is something going on they are so innocent or may be uninformed they would just say, its good that the ban is here, theis what they would say, but just becausse i have been following this thing since where it begun i would say this is the stupidest thing ever to ban facebook.

Patriot | 14 years ago | Reply Oh Please come out of EUR 2 Billion loss per day stories...All facebook would do is to block these pages in pakistan otherwise they will stay there...anyway anyone can access these sites through proxy sites..so why this fuss?

Ujay | 14 years ago | Reply The Banning of such websites is clearly a violation of our fundamental rights which are guaranteed to us by the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973. Just because someone posts objectionable material about Islam, does not mean that everyone's freedom to choose what to view on the internet should be curtailed. It is up to us to make the necessary "educated" choices to differentiate between what we can and should view and what we shouldnt. We might as well be living in a Police state and now we know how ppl living in the Arab countries feel. Obviously, those who are propagating the ban on such websites dont possess the necessary amount of education or intelligence to even think about making such a choice. And as a lawyer, I believe that petitioning the Lahore High Court for such an uneducated and un-enlightened relief/goal shows what we truly are up against today in Pakistan - Ignorance, and the use of Islam to further one's own individual and personal beliefs upon others. The dark ages are truly upon us...may the necessary authorities act with moderation and temperance in the days and times to come...

MNK | 14 years ago | Reply Its a good initiative by Facebook authorities, they should also consider and make it obvious, "a complete removal" of this content from facebook. The apology by US cartoonist for blasphemous sketches is another good way to understand the sentiments of Muslims. In my opinion we, Muslims should also show positive signs for the apology of the US cartoonist.

fahad | 14 years ago | Reply LHC should ban LHC for its sheer stupidity

Sadia Ali | 14 years ago | Reply @aqeel. Bring the cartoonist to justice. How naive can u be? That won't happen. They don't live in a fundamentalist country like Pakiatan, with the blasphemy law. All thanks to the fundo Zia-ul-Haq. How can you expect that laws of Pakistan be applied in the west? Lift the ban.

Alina Khan | 14 years ago | Reply Poor Ahmed. I feel sorry for u. I was always proud to be a Muslim and a Pakistani. Even when Faisal Shehzad did his horrible act. I am sorry for u. It's sad that this act by the LHC made u proud.it's a stupid act. Facebook should not be banned. Youtube's ban should be lifted too.

Sara Syed | 14 years ago | Reply Hello people!!!!!!! If china couldn't budge Google. Uthink u can budge facebook. This ban will only be bad for Pakistan. And isn't it weird that no other Muslim country banned it. Why are e the only nation always doing these things? Lve and let live. U can't change what people believe or do with these bans. Lead by example. It's stupid to think that fb will close these pages down to please u and loose the biggest markets it has.

ESS ESS | 14 years ago | Reply I would habe listened to LHC if it had taken an action on the page referring to Hazrat Umer, Hazrat Usman and Hazrat Abu Bakar as 'three idiots'. And Why does it not take all pornographic sites down too? Are these Islamic? The bans only remind me of 'ban on loud speaker' in msjids, ban on 'stage dancing' 'ban on cinema'. Its just like closing your eyes and leaving the problem there. Am not a face book user but am against anything that cleans the carpet and hides the dirt underneath. Are they gonna ban web access one day? It should have been tackled ONCE FOR ALL in a some way.

Ayesha | 14 years ago | Reply Well i thinkk.... only the post shud be banned ...... most of the ppl do their bussinesses through facebook... they will face a huge loss....... So inn logun ko srf uss Fan page ya uss post ko ban kerna chahie tha na ke poori website ko...

aqeel ahmed | 14 years ago | Reply i think Facebook should remove this page from its website n duly apologize from all the Muslims n promise not to repeat such kind of shameful act again,moreover bring this cartoonist to justice.

Kryptic | 14 years ago | Reply It should remain Banned

Hammer man | 14 years ago | Reply WHAT?? just censoring? I believe Facebook has failed to understand the objective of the boycott! It was for them to TAKE DOWN inappropriate content from their website NOT censor it in PAKISTAN!

AHMED | 14 years ago | Reply Shame on facebook!! I think blocking each n every site that has a proven link to that Blasphemous act is a wonderful step of PTA. Welldone Lahore High Court We can’t tolerate facebook sinful blasphemous act and other sites following that trend are being condemned by every muslim and every pakistani After these bans I feel proud to be Muslim and Pakistani !

Umayr Masud | 14 years ago | Reply So they waited till the hate material was actually posted on the page and then they act .. Lets see what they do , as far as our government is concerned NTC just blocked Twitter for an hour or so, I just hope this craziness ends .

yasir | 14 years ago | Reply Not enough

ANR | 14 years ago | Reply I managed to access these pages before they shut Facebook down. I'm all for tolerance but doesn't this violate their own code? You be the judge. Developer Policies IV.A.1 - IV.A.9 A. Prohibited Content - You are responsible for all content within your application, including advertisements and user-generated content. You must not promote, or provide content (including any advertising content) referencing, facilitating, containing or using, the following: Adult content, including nudity, sexual terms and/or images of people in positions or activities that are excessively ::suggestive or sexual; Obscene, defamatory, libelous, slanderous and/or unlawful content; Content that infringes upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or other personal or proprietary right, or that is deceptive or fraudulent; Liquor, beer, wine or other alcoholic beverages (unless the appropriate Demographic Restrictions are used), or sale of tobacco products, ammunition and/or firearms; Gambling, including without limitation, any online casino, sports books, bingo or poker; Inflammatory religious content; Politically religious agendas and/or any known associations with hate, criminal and/or terrorist activities; Content that exploits political agendas or uses "hot button" issues for commercial use regardless of whether the developer has a political agenda; Hate speech, whether directed at an individual or a group, and whether based upon the race, disability, sex, creed, national origin, religious affiliation, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or language of such individual or group; Illegal activity and/or illegal contests, pyramid schemes, sweepstakes or chain letters; if you run, reference, or facilitate a legally permissible sweepstakes, contest, or other promotion you are subject to our Promotions Guidelines; “Spam" or other advertising or marketing content that violates applicable laws, regulations or industry standards.

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