YouTube Says It's Sorry, Promises Thailand It Won't Do It Again, Gets Unblocked
from the no-tube dept
Back in April, the Thai government gained itself some publicity by blocking YouTube, after it discovered a video on the site making fun of the country's king. Google apparently decided that censoring videos deemed offensive by the Thais was acceptable on its sliding scale of evil, and now that the "program" to block the videos is apparently complete, Thais can once again access YouTube. No word, though, on whether the Thai government still plans to sue YouTube for running the video. Perhaps since the YouTube blocking technology works to the government's satisfaction, Google would be willing to cooperate with the Thais to help them with their other attempts to censor the internet. After all, if blocking some YouTube videos at the government's request doesn't trip the evil scale, it's hard to see why any other type of censorship would.
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Filed Under: censorship, thailand
Companies: google, youtube
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Hmmmm
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Re: Hmmmm
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Censorship and Freedom of Speech
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Beyond freedom
So yes, beyond freedom of speech, it means Google will be bombarded with lawsuits by victims of mob violence, since Google is the Big Bad American Company that "caused" it to happen.
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I don't like Google taking this position
We empower the government to ensure the peace and our freedoms.
I don't like Google enforcing censorship for the government of Thai but it is completely within its rights to do so.
The US Constitution freedom of speech clause ONLY applies to the government and simply notes that speech should not be limited.
A company, group, club or person can make and enforce limits on speech. Parents, Teachers, Schools, Universities and Companies have been doing this for years.
Don't get the two confused;
I can say "shut-up".
The government, at least the US Government(s) cannot.
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Re:
Now, if Google isn't secretly Evil (and I mean Evil, not 'bad' as everyone is a shade of gray not white) those videos will only be censored for people in Thailand viewing it.
If I want to I could make fun of their king, as it's within my rights. Still a jerk move (even bad guys have feelings, not to insinuate the king of Thailand is a bad guy as I honestly don't know jack about the situation there)but well within my rights in America as a citizen.
To be honest, I don't care if other countries want censorship (assuming the majority of the people there actually want it, though I'd be hard pressed to believe it) as that is why there is more than one country in this world.
Different people, different culture, different beliefs. If people would realise that is ok we'd probably have a lot less wars.
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1st amendment
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Re: 1st amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
How does that make it illegal for a business, church or school to silence an individual?
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Re: 1st amendment
That said, whether or not Google can legally force political speech off its site hinges on the question of whether or not, and to what extent, they're a "common carrier." These days media corporations have terrified everyone halfway to believing that enforcement of their intellectual property rights is the responsibility of neutral carriers, not owners themselves, but that principle is entirely contrived and has no basis in history (libel laws notwithstanding -- totally different concept).
The consequence of this reign of fear is that Americans accept that a company like Google has the right, even the obligation, to take something down if anyone objects to it being there, which is an attitude that Americans of another generation would have found pathetically wussy.
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British English center of murders of the world
A nation that makes its living by inslaving or murdering women and children in the world for their property and rights desire zero tolerance.
The only reason why any nation listens to the British because they promise to censor their own lies, and barbaric actions.
Only poor nations, like Thailand listen to these political fools because they manage to lie and con their way in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. They is nothing useful about the British. Not only can they not make a descent car, everything they make is either useless, or too expensive.
Why any nation in the world would do business with them is beyond common sense. Stop them now.
Grant
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China
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The King is cool
The laws regarding the king are draconian and out of place in this modern world.
Silly laws, great king.
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evil king
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