Pakistan to monitor Google and Yahoo for 'blasphemy'

[klr]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/10418643.stm

Pakistan will start monitoring seven major websites, including Google and Yahoo, for content it deems offensive to Muslims.

YouTube, Amazon, MSN, Hotmail and Bing will also come under scrutiny, while 17 less well-known sites will be blocked.

Officials will monitor the sites and block links deemed inappropriate.

In May, Pakistan banned access to Facebook after the social network hosted a "blasphemous" competition to draw the prophet Muhammad.

The new action will see Pakistani authorities monitor content published on the seven sites, blocking individual pages if content is judged to be offensive.

Telecoms official Khurram Mehran said links would be blocked without disturbing the main website.

Cartoon controversy

The ban on Facebook was lifted after about two weeks, when the site blocked access to the page, called Everybody Draw Muhammad.

Facebook itself is not on the new list of websites to be monitored. A number of links from YouTube will be blocked but not the main site itself.

Many Muslims regard depictions of Muhammad, even favourable ones, as blasphemous.

In 2007, the government banned YouTube, allegedly to block material offensive to the government of Pervez Musharraf.

The action led to widespread disruption of access to the site for several hours. The ban was later lifted.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

I am SHOCKED!..















...They still consider Yahoo a 'major website'?!

[klr]

I'm shocked (and miffed) that Ratz wasn't mentioned. Adjusted for site size, we produce more blasphemous content than just about anywhere else.

[RuleBritannia]

How haven't Pakistan been thrown out the Commonwealth yet?

[redunderthebed]

How haven't Pakistan been thrown out the Commonwealth yet?

Because they are a US ally.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

How haven't Pakistan been thrown out the Commonwealth yet?

Because they are a US ally.

Or a Taliban ally - depending on what mood they're in, what side of the bed they got out of, and their time of the month

[JimC]

I'm shocked (and miffed) that Ratz wasn't mentioned. Adjusted for site size, we produce more blasphemous content than just about anywhere else.

We should demand to be blocked by Pakistan!

Bombard the country with pictures of Dev's bum until they give in!

[Pappa]

I am SHOCKED!..















...They still consider Yahoo a 'major website'?!

Well, it is a backward part of the world.

[Conny]

hmmmmmmmm... one could start posing questions at such sites, quite innocently...such as:
where can I find a graphic depiction of Muhammed? or even more innocent: What is the age of consent in Pakistan? or provocative ones: How do Moslem men know their wives are virgins... and so on.

YEs, get the websites in the news. This deserves attention, 'cause it'll make the Pakistani religious nuts look real stupid in the end.