Intellectual Property Law

Internet vs. Freedom of Speech: Pakistan Blocks YouTube

By IBLS Editor

YouTube, the most popular United States (?US?) video sharing website, was blocked by the Pakistani government for showing material considered offensive to the Islam.  The Pakistani government ordered internet service providers to block YouTube website after an inter-ministerial committee considered that the video sharing website displayed ?blasphemous material,? including videos and documents.   YouTube would be allowed to return to the Internet view if the company removes blasphemous videos and documents about Pakistan. 

It is not clear what the specific video or videos about Pakistan or the Islam caused this government reaction. Yet, some officials said a video with controversial drawings of Prophet Mohammed was the one the government authorities considered offensive.  This cartoon video was published on 2006 by a Danish newspaper and it was posted on YouTube some time this year.  Protests throughout Pakistan and burning of the Danish flag are common scenes in Pakistan today, according to the Pakistani authorities. 
 
YouTube has not pronounced any statement directly addressing this incident.  However, the company informed users that an issue occurred in Pakistan affected the access to YouTube website for about two hours on Sunday, February 24; YouTube officials said: "Traffic to YouTube was routed according to erroneous Internet Protocols, and many users around the world could not access our site.? YouTube also informed that it is working with the Internet community to prevent similar incidents in the future.

This is not the first time a government orders the block of the video sharing website.  Other countries, communist and democratic, Islamic and catholic, have blocked access to YouTube for material they considered offensive to their government or religion.   

YouTube is definitely the extraterritorial display of American First Amendment right of Freedom of Speech.  Yet, no all countries around the world offer this right to its citizens or foreigners.  Thus, the blocking of websites for religion or government reasons is an appropriate topic to be addressed by the global Internet community. 

Full post as published by IBLS Internet Law Blog on February 25, 2008 (boomark / email).