Blocking blasphemy

Was blocking Youtube the best way to handle the situation? Did Youtube make the film?


Editorial September 18, 2012

After a high-level meeting in Islamabad involving the interior ministry, the information technology ministry, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority and the Federal Investigation Agency, the government decided to block the video sharing website YouTube and prevent access to the blasphemous anti-Islam film, which has caused fury and violence across the Muslim world. The sense of outrage is understandable but we also need to ask if this is the best way to handle the situation. YouTube did not make the film; it exists only as a space where people can share videos. Millions of Pakistanis who have access to the internet, use YouTube  regularly, not only for recreational purposes but also for educational and professional reasons.

Currently, Pakistan has no formal agreement with Google, which owns YouTube, to censor inflammatory or blasphemous content at the source. In the case of obviously offensive content, such as the film, perhaps, an agreement with Google would make sense in which, instead of blocking the whole website, blasphemous videos could be blocked for users in Pakistan. Of course, the wider principle that content should not be blocked is a utopian concept because anti-hate speech laws exist in all countries, even in the US. It would be safe to also say that most Muslims, in Pakistan and elsewhere, would not want to watch such offensive material in the first place.

On a somewhat related note, the threat by the interior minister to cancel visas of Google staff working in Pakistan was unnecessary, especially since Google did not make the blasphemous film. We need to ensure that the decisions taken regarding net usage are rational and do not establish dangerous precedents which can be misused in the future. More thought is needed on how to handle these sensitive issues so that steps are not taken in panic, possibly causing more harm than good. Banning YouTube plays right into the hands of the makers of the blasphemous film, giving them attention they don’t deserve.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th, 2012.

COMMENTS (9)

Sarah Ibrahim | 11 years ago | Reply

This video and the timing of being put onto the web is all propganda. It is funny that the American government, Google who own youtube will allow such slander to be advertised. Freedom of speech in this country is all a load of none sense. If we were truly able to be what we want then why must the government in America be a Catholic.. sounds communist to me. Why is it that a Toronto Blue Jay is being repramanded at preseant for making comments which goes against gay people. His salary is being donated to the Gay alliances. Free speach is none sense unless it suits people. The reason the government doesn't want to take this film down which is a directly INSULTS be against Muslims and is full of uneducated rambalings is because it gives him the perfect plight to penetrate the coutries thriving with OIL. Instead of creating business they create conflict within our communities and instead to STEAL what it is that they want. What people don't want to understand is that Muslims have the greatest love for their one God and all Prophets and any slandar towards the great people sacraficing themselves and bringing a message of light to them. If the pope was murdered it would start a world wide war, slandaring the last prophet is the same thing in the view of muslims. In any case its funny becuase Muslims are the only religion that respects all the relgious figure heads.

Capt Iqbal Khan | 11 years ago | Reply

There are blocked sights of youtube in Many countries. You can not watch a pornographic movie in Qatar. Accepted; people should have freedom of expression but if the freedom of speech offend me without any of my action, it must be removed from youtube.There are hundreds of sights on Utube where the contents are removed by google AS IT DID NOT COMPLY WITH GOOGLE'S POLICIES., WHY NOT THIS FILM????

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