Furthermore, hate material is not confined only to YouTube and can be found on many other websites as well. However, it is not possible or advisable to shut everything down. Raising awareness against racism, hatred and hate material should be done and, in this regard, the PTA can also set up a hotline for people to call in and register complaints.
The incompetence of our organisations is not something new. A culture of corruption, nepotism and disregard of merit creates an atmosphere of mediocrity and complacency. The end result is that organisations don’t do their job right, or often not at all. Practically speaking, it affects society in a very tangible way, since our key institutions neither have the ability nor the expertise to deal with technical issues. Secondly, and most importantly, it is done at the cost of students who suffer badly for no fault of their own.
The reason for writing this letter is to talk specifically about the second point. I am a student and I have used YouTube for help in my studies many times. Recently I registered for a course at MIT and that started this week. But because of the YouTube ban I am unable to access the course lectures. I know the argument for banning it was based on blasphemous content but the government should understand that thousands of students all over the country are losing out because of the ban. Who knows a day will come when Facebook, Twitter and even Google may be banned in Pakistan.
Top international universities like MIT put their lectures on YouTube and this is a great opportunity for students of developing countries such as Pakistan. Other study-specific content has always been helpful to students as well. Videos put up by the world-famous Khan Academy is one such example.
I request the federal government and especially the PTA to see the bigger picture and lift the ban immediately so that, at least, students don’t get affected in their studies.
Akif Zeb
National University of Science and Technology (NUST),
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2013.
COMMENTS (15)
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convert the lectures to videos.
convertfiles.com -- best resource!!
@Ahmed:
I am an Indian and I LOVE YouTube.
I am just giving alternatives to YouTube. I love freedom of speech. YouTube was banned because it blasphemed or allowed Blasphemy. If it can be unbanned, so can the people who are jailed on Blasphemy charges released. I value human life above any website.
I know you feel bored at home, on the internet. YouTube is a quick fix, freedom for all. But, the reason it was banned is anti-modern, which has also claimed many a lives in Pakistan. I am trying to highlight that!
@BruteForce:
Aren't we isolating ourselves from the real problem, I mean what exactly is the point of banning the YouTube here. Do you really think it makes any difference to the YouTube if Pakistanis are not accessing it? of course not, we don't have any leverage. So did we just ban it cuz we don't want one of our own kind to stumble upon it, cuz that will make us somehow heretic ? [if so than our imans are in their hand]
If it's the problem of religion you need to understand the point of view of religion, and that would have been to leave the video as it is, instead of making such a huge mockery of ourselves. The whole point of video was to get a response out of us Muslims, and we Pakistanis gave them a real good show.
One more thing, it's okay if you don't like YouTube, but if someone uses it, it doesn't make them any less of a believer, for anything you could use it to respond the blasphemy video, and make a statement as a Muslim.
@Akif Zeb:
My point is unless death/jail for Blasphemy is abolished, YouTube ban should stay on.
If YouTube ban is lifted tomorrow, you all will forget about the insane law and move on with your lives.
Human Life is less precious than a website?
And, the whole of China, 1/5th of the world, has no access to YouTube, they are managing well. I think your call for YouTube is disingenuous.
Pakistan doesn't need YouTube, just like China doesn't need YouTube to grow and prosper. Stop playing with words and come out with whats really in your mind.
Mr BruteForce, you seem to have your head burried in the sand. In edX Courses, the content is embedded in the tutorial wizard and separately the videos are too annoying to find. And whoever suggesting proxies should know that they are illegal to use and also hectic. Why not demand for our right instead? I have questioned the competency of PTA alongwith this example, there are many other uses of Youtube. And of course entertainment is one of them.
Mr Akib, what do u expect from the rulers who submit fake degrees to contest elections. Who say degree degree hoti hay, asli ho ya jaali. Who appoint senior executives on political and personal likings. Who eat away billions and billions and are not answerable. Who transfer billion to their areas of election from flood relief funds. They spend billions to run buses whereas thousands of schools are without funds. Hospitals are without medicines. What do u expect from them. This country is not for you and me.
I love Pakistan Supreme Court's decision regarding Tahir-ul-Qadri's case.
I love Pakistan Supreme Court's decision about Tahir-ul-Qadri's case.
@BruteForce: Thank you so much. May this info can provide the help to many students.
ohh Come on.. Just everyone is running Youtube throgh various proxies.
@ioer:
In ITunes U, there is a channel for MIT lectures.
http://web.mit.edu/itunesu/
http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/
http://freevideolectures.com/blog/2012/04/10-itunes-channels/#
http://blogs.worldbank.org/youthink/welcome-%E2%80%9Citunes-university
MIT, Berkeley, Harvard, you name it, you have it on ITunes University. Its FREE!!
Much better than YouTube for lectures.
Asking for YouTube is an excuse to watch Bollywood songs and music videos and bascally entertainment. NOT for educational purposes.
I am an Indian and I don't support Pakistan unbanning YouTube for false reasons.
@ioer: you skipped Richard Buckland! (My favorite computer teacher)
Youtube is of great help to many students, especially in university studies. The channels patrickjmt, DrChrisTisdell, and KhanAcademy provide way more help than my lecturers ever can. And this is coming from a student in NUST.
BruteForce... the name says it all...
MIT lectures! Oh!!
MIT also can be accessed using ITunes. Its a free software. I can give a link for you if you want me to.
You say you want MIT lectures, but don't even know how to access them without YouTube? Can you understand the MIT lectures? Too high level for a guy who can't find them elsewhere on the Internet, isn't it?