YouTube has become a well-documented force for offending politicians and powers-that-be around the globe, with courts and regimes going so far as to block the site when the video sharing giant is the source of politically damning or mocking videos. This week a new YouTube flare-up occurred in Thailand when someone posted a slide-show enhanced by crude graphics that depicted military-backed King King Bhumibol Adulyadej with pictures of feet over his head, a serious insult in Thailand given that feet are considered to be dirty and offensive.
YouTube’s owner Google refused to honor the government’s request to remove the video and access to YouTube in Thailand was then promptly blocked by authorities. Now, however, Google is apparently working with the government to teach it how to block access to only the offensive content without blocking the entire site.
I’m not sure if this willingness by Google to help the Thai government learn how to block access to specific content is a good or bad thing. On the one hand, YouTube will be up and running (albeit in a censored fashion) in the country in a few days as a consequence of this compromise measure. On the other hand, Google is actually teaching governments how to censor content, giving a tutorial, so to speak, in how to limit free speech.
In any event, the Thai government and Google could be fighting an uphill battle. Two more videos mocking the monarch appeared on YouTube following the ban and following the take-down of the original video by its creator.
Yet another country that felt moved to block YouTube is back in the news. A Turkish court last month banned YouTube and ordered the national phone carrier to block the service following the appearance of videos that purportedly mocked the founding father of Turkey and maligned “Turkishness,” two types of speech that are against the law in that nation.
Although the ban was lifted a few days after it was imposed, a Turkish parliamentary commission yesterday approved a proposal to block websites that are deemed insulting to Ataturk, modern Turkey’s founder. Members of that commission even debated whether to extend the proposal to blocking access to any sites that question the principles of the Turkish secular system or the unity of the Turkish state — the goal of those prohibitions was to silence Kurdish rebels.
Now it’s up to the full Parliament to vote of the commission’s recommendation. No date for a vote has been scheduled.
Cynthia Brumfield at 2:40 PM|Comments(1)
Dear Sir/Madam,
My king, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is above the politic. He is not involved in any acts this coup does right now. Please inform other people with the right fact. Please do not distort the fact; otherwise, free speech you always mention will destroy or ruin other people reputation.
With highly respect
Ponpat
Posted by: Ponpat at April 8, 2007 12:55 AM
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