CyberLaw Blog

Archive for September 22nd, 2008

Kuwait to block Youtube over anti-Muslim videos: “

Scan of the memo. Source: Aljarida.com

The Kuwait Ministry of Communications has issued an order to local ISPs denying access to Youtube due to video content considered offensive to Muslims and Islam. Here is a translation by Reuters:

Since the website displays the Koran in the form of songs sung with the oud (stringed instrument) … and displays disrespectful pictures of the Prophet Mohammad … please proceed with immediate effect in blocking the website www.youtube.com

According to Aljarida.com, Youtube users activities represent 15% of all the internet traffic in Kuwait. The Kuwait Times reports that ‘A search of the word ‘Kuwait’ turned up 59,000 videos [on Youtube], including everything from videos of car crashes on Fahaheel Expressway and Jessica Simpson’s concert for US troops in Kuwait to protests in front of Abdullah Al-Salem hall in the run up to the 2006 parliamentary elections.’

Youtube is being blocked in Tunisia, Turkey and Syria. See our Access Denied Map for more information about web 2.0 censorship and anti-censorships efforts.

“

(Via Global Voices Advocacy.)

Police drop BT-Phorm probe: “

‘Move along please, nothing to see’

Exclusive City of London Police have decided not to formally investigate BT and Phorm for their allegedly illegal secret ISP-level adware trials, arguing that there was implied consent from customers and it would be a waste of public money.…

“

(Via The Register – Public Sector.)

Turkish court bans Dawkins’ website

Squawking over Dawkins

Comment Once upon a time, it took a Pope or a Stalinist dictator like, um, Stalin to have scientific discourse banned by decree. Nowadays, however, it merely takes a large and influential publishing house, and the agreement of Turkey’s criminal court of peace.…

By John Ozimek, Posted in Law, 22nd September 2008 16:09 GMT

So it is that the website of leading UK biologist and thinker Richard Dawkins may no longer be accessed in Asia Minor.

The story begins with the publication in 2006 of the Atlas of Creation, an 870-page rejection of evolution by Turkish author Adnan Oktar.

Oktar, who writes under the pen name of Harun Yahya, is no stranger to controversy. He has used the Turkish courts before, most recently when he attempted earlier this year to have Dawkins’ book The God Delusion banned in Turkey on the basis that it was insulting religion. That case was thrown out.

In August 2007, however, he succeeded in blocking access to millions of blogs using the Wordpress.com hosting service after finding that a number of them carried libellous comments.

(more…)