Rehman Malik hints YouTube ban may be lifted
Interior Minister tweets YouTube may be reopened after links containing anti-Islam video are blocked.
Just over a month after video sharing website YouTube was blocked for failing to block sacrilegious content in Pakistan, Interior Minister Rehman Malik hinted that the site could be reopened, but only after access to anti-Islamic content has been restricted.
Pakistan had blocked YouTube after a short clip from an amatureishly made film insulting Islam rose to world wide prominence. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) acting on orders of the Supreme Court, started blocking links carrying the video. However, innumerable instances of the video being uploaded on YouTube largely nullified PTA's attempts.
The government then requested Google to block the clip from being accessed from Pakistan, but the internet giant refused to comply saying they did not have localised services in Pakistan, which would allow location based blocking.
The government then finally imposed a blanket block on YouTube on September 17, 2012, to restrict access to the video.
By imposing the blanket ban, Pakistan joined countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sudan and Iran in blocking YouTube for failing to remove anti-Islam videos.
On the other hand, Goolge had acted unilaterally to block the anti-Islam video in Egypt and Libya after public opinion against the video boiled over and diplomatic missions were stormed. In the case of the latter country, the US Ambassador was killed in an attack on the American embassy in Benghazi.
In addition to that, Google proceeded to block access to the video in Indonesia, Malaysia, and India after government's in these countries requested access be restricted. It took a court order in Brazil and a threat to shut down the site by the government in Saudi Arabia to block access to the videos in those countries.
“U tube [YouTube] is also wealth of knowledge but hurt the feelings of Muslims.I promise to raise in the cabinet to reopen it minus anti-Islam material.”
Pakistan had blocked YouTube after a short clip from an amatureishly made film insulting Islam rose to world wide prominence. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) acting on orders of the Supreme Court, started blocking links carrying the video. However, innumerable instances of the video being uploaded on YouTube largely nullified PTA's attempts.
The government then requested Google to block the clip from being accessed from Pakistan, but the internet giant refused to comply saying they did not have localised services in Pakistan, which would allow location based blocking.
The government then finally imposed a blanket block on YouTube on September 17, 2012, to restrict access to the video.
By imposing the blanket ban, Pakistan joined countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sudan and Iran in blocking YouTube for failing to remove anti-Islam videos.
On the other hand, Goolge had acted unilaterally to block the anti-Islam video in Egypt and Libya after public opinion against the video boiled over and diplomatic missions were stormed. In the case of the latter country, the US Ambassador was killed in an attack on the American embassy in Benghazi.
In addition to that, Google proceeded to block access to the video in Indonesia, Malaysia, and India after government's in these countries requested access be restricted. It took a court order in Brazil and a threat to shut down the site by the government in Saudi Arabia to block access to the videos in those countries.