14 DAY TRIAL // It's been a while since the online video sharing service YouTube received a ban in the whole Thailand because several insulting clips were published on its official page. The Thai authorities contacted the Mountain View company and requested the removal of the videos but YouTube refused because no one of them infringed their internal guidelines. The Thai government had nothing to do than to block the entire service until the parent company removes the clips. Today, it seems like the ban has been lifted as the Minister for Information and Communication Technology Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom said that YouTube should become available soon.
Earlier this week, the Thai authorities said they never banned YouTube and it was probably just a server glitch that made the video service unavailable. However, they said the flaw should be fixed soon in order to make the Google product available to all the users. According to AsiaMedia, the government wants to promote a law that will help YouTube reach its local audience.
"Dr Sitthichai will also propose to the Cabinet next Tuesday that the junta's decree giving it the power to unilaterally block access to a website, be abolished. "I want to abolish this law," he told journalists grilling him on censorship of the Internet at a forum at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand. The law, giving the junta the power to censor the Internet, was the military regime's fifth official decree after seizing power on Sept 19, 2006," the publication reported.
YouTube recorded another win today as it managed to beat Ronaldo's ex-wife in the lawsuit filed by the Brazilian supermodel. As you might know, Daniela Cicarelli sued Google for publishing videos without authorization and for violating its privacy after several clips were published on its page. The sex videos were uploaded several times on YouTube although the company removed them every time.