YouTube Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! == Censorship and bans == {{Main|Censorship of YouTube}} [[File:YouTube Availability.svg|thumb|300px|Availability of YouTube as of January 2024:<br /> {{legend|#008000|Has local YouTube version}} {{legend|#B2B2B2|Accessible (Worldwide version)}} {{legend|#FF0000|Currently blocked}} {{legend|#FF8888|Previously blocked}}]] YouTube has been censored, filtered, or banned for a variety of reasons, including:<ref name="ONIYouTubeCensored">[https://opennet.net/youtube-censored-a-recent-history "YouTube Censored: A Recent History"], OpenNet Initiative. Retrieved September 23, 2012.</ref> * Limiting public access and exposure to content that may ignite social or political unrest. * Preventing criticism of a ruler (e.g. in [[North Korea]]), government (e.g. in [[Internet censorship in China|China]]) or its actions (e.g. in [[Morocco]]), government officials (e.g. in [[Turkey]] and [[Libya]]), or religion (e.g. in [[Pakistan]]). * Morality-based laws, e.g. in [[Internet censorship in Iran|Iran]]. Access to specific videos is sometimes prevented due to copyright and intellectual property protection laws (e.g. [[Blocking of YouTube videos in Germany|in Germany]]), violations of hate speech, and preventing access to videos judged inappropriate for youth,<ref>{{cite news |title=The disturbing YouTube videos that are tricking children |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-39381889 |newspaper=BBC News |access-date=September 16, 2017 |date=March 27, 2017}}</ref> which is also done by YouTube with the [[YouTube Kids]] app and with "[[Censorship by Google#Censorship of sexual content in Restricted Mode|restricted mode]]".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shu |first1=Catherine |title=YouTube responds to complaints that its Restricted Mode censors LGBT videos |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/19/youtube-lgbt-restricted-mode/ |website=TechCrunch |date=March 20, 2017 |access-date=September 16, 2017 |language=en}}</ref> Businesses, schools, government agencies, and other private institutions often block social media sites, including YouTube, due to its bandwidth limitations<ref>{{cite web |author1=David Meerman Scott |title=Facebook and YouTube blocked by paranoid corporations at their own peril |url=https://www.webinknow.com/2008/06/facebook-and-yo.html |access-date=September 16, 2017 |language=en |author1-link=David Meerman Scott}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hannaford |first1=Kat |title=US Military Bans YouTube, Amazon and 11 Other Websites to Free Up Bandwidth for Japan Crisis |url=https://gizmodo.com/5782886/us-military-bans-youtube-amazon-and-11-other-websites-to-free-up-bandwidth-for-japan-crisis |website=Gizmodo |date=March 17, 2011 |access-date=September 16, 2017 |language=en}}</ref> and the site's potential for distraction.<ref name="ONIYouTubeCensored" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Strom |first1=Stephanie |title=YouTube Finds a Way Off Schools' Banned List |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/10/education/youtube-finds-a-way-off-schools-banned-list.html?mcubz=0 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=September 16, 2017 |date=March 9, 2012}}</ref> {{As of|2018}}, public access to YouTube is blocked in many countries, including [[China]], [[North Korea]], [[Iran]], [[Turkmenistan]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Turkmenistan |url=https://rsf.org/en/news/turkmenistan-1 |website=[[Reporters Without Borders]] |language=en |date=March 11, 2011}}</ref> [[Uzbekistan]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Syundyukova |first1=Nazerke |title=Uzbekistan has blocked YouTube social network |url=https://qazaqtimes.com/en/article/48743 |access-date=January 23, 2019 |work=The Qazaq Times |date=October 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Маҳаллий ОАВ: Ўзбекистонда Facebook ва YouTube яна ўчириб қўйилди |trans-title=Local Media: YouTube and Facebook once again blocked in Uzbekistan |url=https://www.ozodlik.org/a/29713088.html |access-date=January 23, 2019 |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Uzbek Service |date=January 16, 2019 |language=uz}}</ref> [[Tajikistan]], [[Eritrea]], [[Sudan]] and [[South Sudan]]. In some countries, YouTube is blocked for more limited periods of time such as during periods of unrest, the run-up to an election, or in response to upcoming political anniversaries. In cases where the entire site is banned due to one particular video, YouTube will often agree to remove or limit access to that video in order to restore service.<ref name="ONIYouTubeCensored" /> Reports emerged that since October 2019, comments posted with Chinese characters insulting the [[Chinese Communist Party]] ([[wikt:共匪|共匪]] "communist bandit" or [[wikt:五毛|五毛]] "[[50 Cent Party]]", referring to [[State-sponsored Internet propaganda|state-sponsored commentators]]) were being automatically deleted within 15 seconds.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vincent |first1=James |title=YouTube is deleting comments with two phrases that insult China's Communist Party |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/26/21270290/youtube-deleting-comments-censorship-chinese-communist-party-ccp |work=The Verge |date=May 26, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Specific incidents where YouTube has been blocked include: * [[Thailand]] blocked access in April 2007 over a video said to be insulting the [[Monarchy of Thailand|Thai king]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Thailand Bans YouTube |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/05/business/worldbusiness/05tube.html |work=The New York Times |date=April 5, 2007}}</ref> * Morocco blocked access in May 2007, possibly as a result of videos critical of [[Political status of Western Sahara|Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara]].<ref>{{cite news |title=YouTube site 'blocked' in Morocco |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6702973.stm |access-date=December 25, 2013 |date=May 29, 2007}}</ref> YouTube became accessible again on May 30, 2007, after ''Maroc Telecom'' unofficially announced that the denied access to the website was a mere "technical glitch".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ar.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=22322 |title=YouTube again accessible via Maroc Telecom |date=May 30, 2007 |access-date=May 30, 2007 |publisher=Reporters Without Borders |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416003945/http://ar.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=22322 |archive-date=April 16, 2013}}</ref> * Turkey blocked access between 2008 and 2010 after controversy over videos deemed insulting to [[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Jeffrey |last=Rosen |title=Google's Gatekeepers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/magazine/30google-t.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 28, 2008 |access-date=March 26, 2017 |id={{ProQuest|905061951}}}}</ref><ref name="bbc turkey">{{cite news |title=Turkey goes into battle with Google |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10480877.stm |work=BBC News |date=July 2, 2010 |access-date=July 3, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Turkey lifts two-year ban on YouTube |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11659816 |date=October 30, 2010 |access-date=October 31, 2010}}</ref> In November 2010, a video of the Turkish politician [[Deniz Baykal]] caused the site to be blocked again briefly, and the site was threatened with a new shutdown if it did not remove the video.<ref>{{cite news |title=Turkey Reinstates YouTube Ban |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704462704575590420251199614.html?mod=googlenews_wsj |date=November 2, 2010 |access-date=November 2, 2010 |first=Marc |last=Champion}}</ref> During the two and a half-year block of YouTube, the video-sharing website remained the eighth-most-accessed site in Turkey.<ref>{{Citation |title=Turkey report |date=September 24, 2012 |url=https://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2012/turkey#_ftn21 |work=Freedom on the Net 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927235933/https://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2012/turkey#_ftn21 |url-status=dead |publisher=Freedom House |archive-date=September 27, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.alexa.com/topsites/countries/TR |title=Top Sites in Turkey |publisher=[[Alexa Internet]] |access-date=February 17, 2022 |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217112619/https://www.alexa.com/topsites/countries/TR |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2014, Turkey blocked the access for the second time, after "a high-level intelligence leak."<ref>{{cite web |first=Michael |last=B. Kelley |title=YouTube Blocked in Turkey Amid High-Level Intelligence Leak |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-blocked-in-turkey-2014-3 |website=[[Business Insider]] |date=March 27, 2014 |access-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26773702 |title=Turkey moves to block YouTube access after 'audio leak' |newspaper=BBC News|publisher=[[BBC]] |date=March 27, 2014 |access-date=March 27, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/youtube-banned-turkey-n63776 |title=YouTube Banned in Turkey |publisher=[[NBC News]] |date=March 27, 2014 |access-date=March 27, 2014 |last1=Wagstaff |first1=Keith}}</ref> * Pakistan blocked access on February 23, 2008, because of "offensive material" towards the Islamic faith, including display of the [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy|Danish cartoons]] of [[Muhammad]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Pakistan blocks YouTube website |publisher=BBC |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7261727.stm |access-date=November 30, 2008 |date=February 24, 2008}}</ref> This led to a near global blackout of the YouTube site for around two hours, as the Pakistani block was inadvertently transferred to other countries. On February 26, 2008, the ban was lifted after the website had removed the objectionable content from its servers at the request of the government.<ref name="PAK-ban-lifted">{{cite news |title=Pakistan lifts YouTube ban |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/27/2173501.htm?section=world |agency=Agence France-Presse |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)]] |date=February 26, 2008 |access-date=February 26, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pakistan lifts the ban on YouTube |publisher=BBC |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7262071.stm |access-date=November 30, 2008 |date=February 26, 2008}}</ref> Many Pakistanis circumvented the three-day block by using [[virtual private network]] software.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pakistan web users get round YouTube ban |publisher=Silicon Republic |url=https://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single10381 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080629065235/https://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single10381 |archive-date=June 29, 2008 |access-date=November 30, 2008}}</ref> In May 2010, following the [[Everybody Draw Mohammed Day]], Pakistan again blocked access to YouTube, citing "growing sacrilegious content".<ref>{{cite news |title=Pakistan blocks access to YouTube in internet crackdown |work=BBC News |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/10130195.stm |access-date=May 20, 2010 |date=May 20, 2010}}</ref> The ban was lifted on May 27, 2010, after the website removed the objectionable content from its servers at the request of the government. However, individual videos deemed offensive to Muslims posted on YouTube will continue to be blocked.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McCabe |first=Joanne |date=May 27, 2010 |title=YouTube ban lifted by Pakistan authorities |work=Metro |publisher=Associated Newspapers Limited |url=https://www.metro.co.uk/news/828161-youtube-ban-lifted-by-pakistan-authorities |url-status=dead |access-date=September 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722062958/http://www.metro.co.uk/news/828161-youtube-ban-lifted-by-pakistan-authorities |archive-date=July 22, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=May 27, 2010 |title=Pakistan lifts ban on YouTube |work=The Times of India |url=https://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-05-27/pakistan/28304621_1_blasphemous-caricatures-blasphemous-material-sacrilegious-content |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507082318/https://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-05-27/pakistan/28304621_1_blasphemous-caricatures-blasphemous-material-sacrilegious-content|archive-date=May 7, 2013 }}</ref> Pakistan again placed a ban on YouTube in September 2012, after the site refused to remove the film ''[[Innocence of Muslims]]''. The ban was lifted in January 2016 after YouTube launched a Pakistan-specific version.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pakistan unblocks access to YouTube |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35345872 |access-date=January 27, 2016 |work=BBC News |date=January 18, 2016}}</ref> * Libya blocked access on January 24, 2010, because of videos that featured demonstrations in the city of [[Benghazi]] by families of detainees who were killed in [[Abu Salim prison]] in 1996, and videos of family members of Libyan leader [[Muammar Gaddafi]] at parties. The blocking was criticized by [[Human Rights Watch]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gMqNCaIpcd74x_33F16sT_6IDriw |title=Watchdog urges Libya to stop blocking websites |agency=Agence France-Presse |access-date=February 7, 2010}}</ref> In November 2011, after the [[2011 Libyan Civil War|Libyan Civil War]], YouTube was once again allowed in Libya.<ref>{{Citation |title=Libya |date=September 24, 2012 |url=https://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2012/libya |work=Freedom on the Net 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927235826/https://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2012/libya |url-status=dead |publisher=Freedom House |archive-date=September 27, 2012}}</ref> * [[Afghanistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Sudan]] blocked access in September 2012 following [[Reactions to Innocence of Muslims|controversy]] over a 14-minute trailer for the film ''[[Innocence of Muslims]]'' which had been posted on the site.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 1, 2012 |title=Afghanistan to unblock YouTube |work=Afghanistan Times |url=https://www.afghanistantimes.af/news_details.php?id=1654&&cid=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117060611/https://www.afghanistantimes.af/news_details.php?id=1654&&cid=1 |archive-date=January 17, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Arghandiwal |first=Miriam |date=September 12, 2012 |title=Afghanistan bans YouTube to block anti-Muslim film |work=Reuters |location=Kabul |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-youtube-idUSBRE88B0SC20120912 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924170643/https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/12/us-afghanistan-youtube-idUSBRE88B0SC20120912 |archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 18, 2012 |title=YouTube blocked in Bangladesh over Prophet Mohamed video |work=The Independent |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/youtube-blocked-in-bangladesh-over-prophet-mohamed-video-8152056.html |access-date=August 22, 2017 |archive-date=August 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824171641/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/youtube-blocked-in-bangladesh-over-prophet-mohamed-video-8152056.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Haley |last=Tsukayama |title=YouTube blocked in Pakistan |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/youtube-blocked-in-pakistan/2012/09/17/30081fa2-00ea-11e2-b257-e1c2b3548a4a_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=September 17, 2012 |access-date=March 26, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pakistan, Bangladesh Block YouTube Amid Islam Film Protests |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-18/pakistan-bangladesh-block-youtube-to-restrict-anti-islam-film.html |access-date=September 18, 2012 |date=September 18, 2012 |first=Arun |last=Devnath}}</ref> A court in the southern Russian Republic of [[Chechnya]] ruled that ''Innocence of Muslims'' should be banned.<ref>{{cite news |title=Russian court bans anti-Islam film |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-1-134721-Russian-court-bans-anti-Islam-film |newspaper=The News |date=September 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117060611/https://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-1-134721-Russian-court-bans-anti-Islam-film |archive-date=January 17, 2013}}</ref> In Libya and [[Egypt]], it was blamed for violent protests. YouTube stated: "This video—which is widely available on the Web—is clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube. However, given the very difficult situation in Libya and Egypt we have temporarily restricted access in both countries."<ref>{{cite news |title='Innocence of Muslims': Mystery shrouds film's California origins |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/12/world/la-fg-libya-filmmaker-20120913 |access-date=March 1, 2019 |date=September 12, 2012 |first1=Phil |last1=Willon |first2=Rebecca |last2=Keegan}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=YouTube restricts video access over Libyan violence |publisher=CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/12/tech/web/youtube-violence-libya/index.html?hpt=hp_c3 |access-date=September 13, 2012 |date=September 12, 2012}}</ref> * Following the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] in February 2022, YouTube announced on March 1 the immediate removal of RT (and other Russian-government funded outlets) from its platform in Europe. The removal was soon expanded globally.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/youtube-block-channels-linked-russias-rt-sputnik-across-europe-2022-03-01/ |title=YouTube to block channels linked to Russia's RT and Sputnik across Europe |work=Reuters |date=March 1, 2022 |access-date=March 1, 2022}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page