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YouTube Tries to End Thailand's Video Ban

Posted on: Tuesday, 10 April 2007, 15:00 CDT

Google-owned video sharing website YouTube is offering to show Thai government officials how to block access to videos that mock King Bhumibol Adulyadej, it has emerged.

YouTube's gesture is a response to a nationwide ban of the website which featured a video slideshow mocking the popular monarch. Most user comments under the offending YouTube clip asked for it to be taken down. But, since its removal, more offensive clips have been posted.

YouTube has offered to show the government how to block access to individual videos instead of the whole website.

"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. It's up to the Thailand government to decide whether to block specific videos, but we would rather that than have them block the entire site," InfoWorld cites Julie Supan, head of YouTube communications, as saying.

Anti-censorship groups have criticized Thailand's move, saying that the YouTube ban represents the government's attempt to cut off its citizens from the internet.

Source: Datamonitor

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