Google to Remove YouTube Clips

Techtree News Staff, May 11, 2007 1434 hrs IST

In what looks like the end of a month-long slugfest between Google and the Thai government, the latter has decided to drop charges against Google.

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In what looks like the end of a month-long slugfest between Google and the Thai government, the Information and Communications Ministry has decided to drop charges against Google after the latter officially informed it will remove all YouTube video clips deemed 'insulting' to His Majesty, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Information and Communications Minister for Thailand, Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom, said he had received an official letter from Kent Walker, a Google Vice President, stating that Google will remove 'controversial' Internet video clips from its video sharing Web site, YouTube.

The letter conveyed that Google did not want to encourage any wrongful act, or promote feelings of hostility over the video clips depicting His Majesty in poor light, Pookaiyaudom said.

The letter, according to Pookaiyaudom, said it would take time to find all video clips uploaded to YouTube, but that they would be removed immediately after being spotted.

Pookaiyaudom lauded the letter as a good sign, because of which the ministry decided to ultimately withdraw the criminal lawsuit that it was otherwise planning to file against Google today.

The minister did however add that it is now left up to the Thai police whether or not to proceed with 'lese majeste' charges against Google.

Meanwhile, after Google's letter saying they would remove the 'offensive' clips from YouTube, the Bangkok Post yesterday reported that up until last evening, there was no sign of activity to initiate removing of the clips from YouTube.

The first video clip defaming the King appeared on YouTube last month. It was taken down within 3 days of appearance, and the offender was banned from the site. Despite blocking of the site thereafter, 'offensive' videos continued to appear on YouTube.

At the time, Pookaiyaudom had said the video clips are an offence to the feelings of the Thais - something that foreigners would never understand...

USER COMMENTS

lets enjoj

by djnikku, dibrugarh, on Apr 18, 2009 10:34 AM, Report abuse Reply

Please help how to delete searches in all thw websites.

by Akshay Sharma, Kolkata, on Jun 12, 2007 09:54 PM, Report abuse Reply

Valid points all 4.. But I still feel that those videos weren't illegal or somethin.. But u can't expect Thai Government to sit & watch it.. :p So, it was an obvious more from their part, but Google..

by Gdn | TD, Chennai, on May 14, 2007 04:45 PM, Report abuse Reply

Freedom of speech means you can insult who you want, slander whoever you feel like, etc. and most of the time remain anonymous. Nobody stops anymore to think is it wrong or rght. They prefer to hide behind "freedom of speech" or my rights. In simple terms if you said it to his face and he punched your lights out you would cry and then call for justice. Hypocrisy !

by Hidden behind m, Cape Town, on May 14, 2007 01:11 PM, Report abuse Reply

Google has been showing a disturbing trend in pandering to various oppressive regimes in order to curry favor with those that let it operate in their countries. Google should have told the Thai and (if you recall, the Chinese and the Tiananmen Square search thing) the Chinese to stick their censorship attempts where it doesn't shine. The internet is not free if market-share-lusting companies like Google keep this up. Aren't Page and Brin rich enough already?

by Anonymous, Columbia, on May 14, 2007 05:34 AM, Report abuse Reply

For now on, videos depicting right wing conservative views, communist ideals, and rap are deeply offensive to me and I demand Google remove any such videos from YouTube.

by Ryan, Spokane, on May 14, 2007 05:22 AM, Report abuse Reply

Is the king of thailand that big of a baby that he has to get all worked up over a stupid movie clip? What a little girl

by KingOfThai IsAB, Nah, NoWay, on May 14, 2007 05:20 AM, Report abuse Reply

thats awful...

by Avi, Bangalore, on May 12, 2007 04:19 PM, Report abuse Reply

wow

by abdulla, kashmir, on May 11, 2007 03:27 PM, Report abuse Reply