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Preston Gralla

Seeing Through Windows

Is Google giving the go-ahead to Thai YouTube censorship?

11 comments

IT TOPICS:Government & Regulation, Internet, Networking

Google, which finds the Thai government blocking all of YouTube because of what some call a culturally insensitive video posted on the site, appears to be giving the Thai government technical advice on how to block individual YouTube videos, in the hope the government will call off the site-wide ban.

Last week, the Thai government blocked all of YouTube because someone had posted a video that showed feet over the Thai king's head, and graffiti scrawled on his face. YouTube had refused to pull the video, so the government banned the site.

The video has since been pulled, but the government hasn't rescinded the ban, claiming there was still offensive content on the site.

YouTube's parent Google should be lauded for refusing to give in to censorship. But now, it appears that the search giant is giving in, offering technical advice to help the Thais block videos they find offensive.

According to the Associated Press, Google will in essence explain to the Thais how they can block individual videos.

"While we will not take down videos that do not violate our policies, and will not assist in implementing censorship, we have offered to educate the Thai ministry about YouTube and how it works," the Associated Press quotes Julie Supan, head of global communications for YouTube, as saying.

Supan went on to say that she'd prefer that the Thais block the entire site, rather than individual videos. But that's clearly not true. If YouTube didn't want the Thais to block individual videos, they wouldn't be teaching them how to do it.

So Google, with a wink and a nod, is giving the go-ahead to Thai censorship. If the Thais block videos, but allow the rest of the site to stay online, Google gets to keep raking in any revenue YouTube brings in from Thailand, while claiming to be purer than pure and fighting censorship.

By helping the Thais censor YouTube, Google is helping destroy the essence of the Internet --- the free flow of information and communications across international borders. The Internet in many ways reflects the ethos of the founding fathers of the U.S., that people have innate human rights and freedoms, which should be free of government interference.

As far as Google is concerned, though, the Internet isn't about freedom; it's a revenue stream waiting to be milked. The company already cooperates with autocrats in China. Now it appears that in a very quiet, underhanded way, they're giving in to the Thais as well.

Related Computerworld Discussion:

Preston Gralla: YouTube banned in Thailand for mocking king
Ian Lamont: Microsoft and China
Dan Verton: Boycott Google Now

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Hey, does anyone know how to

Submitted by Jules on October 23, 2007 - 5:19 P.M.

Hey, does anyone know how to block specific youtube videos not just the adds but the whole video. i have a kid and i dont want him watching anything too horrible.

Thanks

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Bhumibol Adulyadej 2

Submitted by globalwarminglie on May 15, 2007 - 1:26 P.M.

Bhumibol Adulyadej 2 (banned by YouTube)
http://www.ifilm.com/profile/globalwarminglie/video/2854649

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I agree Janet's comment.I

Submitted by Anonymous on May 11, 2007 - 8:13 A.M.

I agree Janet's comment.I lived in thailand for 2 years.it is very true that thai people never question anything.i am alsso from so called "thirld World country"-INDIA.
but indians are much much better compare to Thais or their Culture.

Prostitution is a big revenue in thailand.after 6 pm,you can see this even on the roads.hotels they show vulger nude movies,and says thailand got a grrrreat culture.

BULLSH#t

Dear thailad...please stop your psudo morality.

Thais or thai king doesnt have the right to block youtube.
its a damn shame

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Yes, Janet's comment turned

Submitted by Jonny on December 17, 2008 - 10:25 A.M.

Yes, Janet's comment turned into a typical expat whinge, which is a pity.

I'm torn on this one - in Thailand it is against the law to insult the king, and so the video breaks Thai laws. Respect is a major part of culture throughout Asia, and the kind of disrespect shown in that video is abhorrent.

At the same time, so is censorship.. But this certainly isn't the first time Google have aided and abetted governments in censorship - anyone remember the censoring of the Tianemen Square results? The same can be said of Yahoo (who have reportedly not just censored but assisted the Vietnamese government in arresting people discussing democracy on Yahoo Messenger) and MSN too.

At home we would censor images that were deemed too shocking for public consumption - real life violence, sexual violence and the like. I think there is difference between censoring images that are considered by society to be abhorrent and censoring political expression and opinions - you don't have to deface an image of the King to discuss things that could be improved in your country.

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Janet posted a very

Submitted by Anonymous on April 24, 2007 - 5:29 A.M.

Janet posted a very interesting comment. Her comment sounds fair but ends with a discrimination.

Being the first world doesn't mean you can ignore other countries. Think where most of your products are sent to...those third world countries. Think where most of your products come from...those third world countries.

We have different cultures, learn it, live it. "Think globally, act locally" is the first thing tought in any International Business class. Being out of the box, you said, you should then learn things outside your own country.

If there were video clip of Jesus having sex with Mother Mary, this kind of clip is not consider fun or free speech anymore because it will be unacceptable to those Christian countries. Isn't "do unto others, what you want others to do unto you" your religious teaching?

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That's really sad for

Submitted by Thai News on April 11, 2007 - 12:55 P.M.

That's really sad for Thailand.
But putting the blame on Google is blind stupidity.
Actually this blame should focus on Thai censors.

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As for the question of

Submitted by Paul McNamara on April 10, 2007 - 9:35 A.M.

As for the question of whether YouTube is actually teaching Thai censors how to censor YouTube ... YouTube says it's not true.
http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/13665

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Gerald has one of the most

Submitted by Dave on April 10, 2007 - 9:13 A.M.

Gerald has one of the most even-handed replies I've seen on this or similar subjects in a long time. It's all well and good to deplore censorship, but we in the USA also need to remember that we have no right to impose our laws within other countries.

Similarly, the Thais have no right to impose their laws on any other country. If they want to block offending videos, that's their right, but they can't demand that such videos be removed from the site of a US-based company. It's a two-way street out there.

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One has to understand that

Submitted by Gerald on April 9, 2007 - 10:15 P.M.

One has to understand that even in regards to internet there need to be laws. In the US and most other countries there are laws that prohibit the sharing of intellectual property, like it or not. In Thailand there are laws that prohibit any offense against the king and the monarchy, like it or not. In Thai culture, the king is very, very loved and respected. Furthermore the Thai government is trying to avoid anything that could cause further political unrest as the situation is still not very stable. It is not easy to compare western countries like the US with Thailand as there are too many cultural differences and I think it is good that Google respects those differences.

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I live in Thailand and

Submitted by Janet on April 10, 2007 - 10:25 P.M.

I live in Thailand and although most everyone thinks The King is a great guy, doing good things, the issue is NOT that. The issue in Thailand is that the Thai's while lovely people, think in literal lockstep, rarely if ever do they question anything at all. Daily I ask Thai people the word WHY? about myriad things, Why are you out of this or that at the store? Why do you charge Farangs one price and Thai's another? Why? They respond with blank stares. They simply do NOT ask questions. It's considered 'rude'. Well, Thailand needs to join the 21st Century if they intend to participate in the world economy and world issues. Censorship is Censorship, period. The Thai people are treated like children who need a 'wise' parent to tell them what to do, Thai children in school NEVER ask their teachers "WHY?", and so the Thai government is dooming their children to ignorance as well as not being able to think creatively or 'out of the box'.
Welcome to the Third World. It's a shame.

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