Google rejects White House request to pull Mohammad film clip

[morningfog]

(Reuters) - Google Inc rejected a request by the White House on Friday to reconsider its decision to keep online a controversial YouTube movie clip that has ignited anti-American protests in the Middle East.

The Internet company said it was censoring the video in India and Indonesia after blocking it on Wednesday in Egypt and Libya, where U.S. embassies have been stormed by protestors enraged over depiction of the Prophet Mohammad as a fraud and philanderer.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed in a fiery siege on the embassy in Benghazi.

Google said was further restricting the clip to comply with local law rather than as a response to political pressure.

"We've restricted access to it in countries where it is illegal such as India and Indonesia, as well as in Libya and Egypt, given the very sensitive situations in these two countries," the company said. "This approach is entirely consistent with principles we first laid out in 2007."

http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/09/14/us-protests-google-idINBRE88D1MD20120914

Good. The film is stupid, offensive and in horrible taste. But, it is not the place of the Executive branch to decide. Religious nuts of all stripes are holding the world community back.

[dogknob]

1. What about the stuff Google DOES suppress here?

Fuck Google.

[jberryhill]

2. Notice it was a "request"

This was not the government attempting to suppress free speech.

The government, like anyone else, is entitled to request they take it down.

Google is perfectly entitled to refuse the request.

That is simply a conversation.

[MariaM83]

3. they have NO problem pulling clips that might violate copyrights - so I'm not impressed at all

if pulling a clip could save lives? and avert war?

[morningfog]

5. You vastly overstate it. This is like the muhammed cartoon riots.

This, too, will pass.

[liberalmuse]

8. But corporations are people. People...not so much. n/t

[Kolesar]

9. I agree.

Google removes clips for many reasons. This would be a good gesture to make the half informed protestors think the US is OK.

[Nye Bevan]

15. Should book publishers have refused to publish Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses"?

If every publisher had refused to publish that book, lives may well have been saved.

[JVS]

16. Yeah, stupid google with their "legal" distinctions.

[d_r]

17. I agree

I bet if a media company said 10 seconds of it was copyrighted they'd pull it in a second.

[Egnever]

22. They have to by law

Surely you aren't that dense

[LeftyMom]

4. Good.

[Control-Z]

6. The Executive branch made a request.

There is nothing wrong with that. Religious nuts make demands and give ultimatums. Big difference.

"Good. The film is stupid, offensive and in horrible taste. But, it is not the place of the Executive branch to decide. Religious nuts of all stripes are holding the world community back."

[morningfog]

7. I wouldn't want to start down the road of issues of speech being deferred to the WH.

I am glad Google said no.

[Kolesar]

10. It's Google's control, not the gov't ... eom

[morningfog]

12. Exactly.

[Kolesar]

27. And Google blew it. They should have removed it.

If somebody put that on my blog or Facebook page, I would remove it.

[jeepgypsy]

11. things aren't always what they seem

CNN interviewed an American female who acted in the video. She said the producer was an Egyptian clumsily claiming to be a Jew/Israeli. Maybe the false-flag conspiracy crowd finally has some meat they can sink their teeth into. My two cents: the video was the work of the Muslim Brotherhood/al-Qaeda, meant to incite riot and a new wave of anti-American hatred throughout the Muslim world. It worked.

[morningfog]

13. That is some tight tin foil jive.

[unapatriciated]

14. I'll raise your two cents and add my common sense.

Since many things that were depicted in this bigoted film are forbidden by their religion. I doubt that it is the work of the "Muslim Brotherhood/al-Qaeda"

Than there is this.......

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-filmmaker-20120914,0,6397127.story

and this......

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/innocence-of-muslims-film-filmmaker-sam-bacile-permit-christian-charity_n_1883792.html?utm_hp_ref=entertain

[winstars]

19. But the Daily Show clips gotta go??? I understand the difference but... just saying... n/t

[Egnever]

21. If you understand the difference

What are you saying?

[Egnever]

20. Love these guys

The video may be repulsive but google can not bow government censorship every time something is posted they dont like,

[Joe the Revelator]

23. The whitehouse should have never made the request.

[morningfog]

24. I totally agree. If Google had pulled it at the WH request, it lend weight to

any perspective that films made in the US somehow speak for US. The religious fanatics at home and abroad need to realize our government does not endorse or subscribe to any religious view. We permit free exchange and expression of ideas, including insult and ridicule of others beliefs. The christian bigots in the US don't (or shouldn't) control our government and affect policy. Religious bigots from other countries shouldn't either.

[emilyg]

25. +1

[lynne]

26. Whoa! The White House should never have requested this -

- not even suggested it. All we need is everyone screaming that the President is trying to suppress freedom of speech and expression and - when the White House makes the request - that's exactly what's happening.

Rather disappointing that this request was made at all.