Twitter has dropped the ban not because it has a newfound respect for the importance of the freedom of speech. Rather, “Twitter said it had now dropped the ban because the watchdog had not followed up its initial requests with further documentation.” All the foes of free speech and proponents of Sharia blasphemy laws have to do is get their documents in order, you see.
“Twitter unblocks ‘blasphemous’ tweets in Pakistan,” BBC, June 18, 2014:
Twitter has unblocked access to dozens of accounts and specific tweets that it had made unavailable in Pakistan.
The social network had imposed the restrictions last month after complaints from the country’s telecoms authority that the material was “blasphemous” and “unethical.”
Many of the examples mocked Islam.
Twitter said it had now dropped the ban because the watchdog had not followed up its initial requests with further documentation.
It publicised the move by informing Chilling Effects, a website that keeps track of cease-and-desist demands sent to internet-based organisations.
“On May 18, 2014, we made an initial decision to withhold content in Pakistan based on information provided to us by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority,” Twitter told the site.
“Consistent with our longstanding policies we provided notice to all of the affected account holders and published the actioned takedown requests on Chilling Effects to maximise transparency regarding our decision.
“We have re-examined the requests and, in the absence of additional clarifying information from Pakistani authorities, have determined that restoration of the previously withheld content is warranted.”
Banned content
Twitter introduced the ability to selectively block tweets on a country-by-country basis in 2012 – a move criticised at the time by freedom-of-speech organisations, including Reporters Without Borders.
Twitter received five batches of complaints from Pakistan in May, according to the information provided to Chilling Effects.
Pakistan briefly blocked access to Twitter in 2012 after complaints about anti-Islamic contentThey included requests to block:
- accounts dedicated to posting anti-Islamic comments
- accounts sharing drawings of the Prophet Muhammad – such images are forbidden by many Islamic leaders
- tweets showing photos of the Koran being burned
- an Arabic-language-based account that urges Muslims to become atheists
- accounts used by three North American porn actresses
Some of the accounts involved have since been suspended across the whole of Twitter, but the majority of the material is still online….
duh_swami says
As far as I am concerned all these social media sites like twitter and facebook, are evil, and great ways to shoot yourself in the foot.
Artie Galvin says
Why the big deal anyway? If a person doesn’t like what they see on Twitter or any other form of social media they only have to turn it off. The hyper-sensitivity of islam is just so ridiculous and muslims make themselves look even more foolish as they continue to draw attention to this fact. There should be a world-wide “cease and desist” against all islamic belly aching. It is all very tedious.