Pakistan bans Facebook and now Youtube

There is a responsibility to use the freedom of speech for "good" but the problem with "good" is that it is a point of view so it could hurt peoples feelings. I would say we have no real choice but to allow the freedom of speech to rein in because once you start limiting it you are going down a path that will lead to a situation like China where there are no freedoms to question the government or any authority so really we have to allow this we can't start to trend on this freedom that is a right not given not earn but it it just there and should not be trend on. I think that Facebook didn't intensionally say oh we are going to hurt a bunch of people by doing X. That would be being irresponsible with the freedom and could have some form of punishment involved because in some cases you can be legally liable for what you say. But in most cases it is what you do that matters at least in the United States.

You need to learn a few things about my country. "In US, people enjoy "Freedom of Speech" but they can't publish pictures of holocaust in their daily news paper." That statement is patently false. There is no guaranty in this country against having your feelings hurt. Sorry, it just doesn't work that way...we do NOT have the right to not be offended. I am subjected every day to things that I consider out right perversely offense. There is a responsibility that comes with freedom of speech, but that responsibility does not include worrying about "hurting peoples feelings".

The right to speak and express yourself freely does come with consequences. This whole "Draw Muhammad Day" IS itself a consequence. It's a consequence of Muslim radicals screaming Allah Akbar while burning the flags of several nations, it's a consequence of threatening the lives of (or outright killing) those who don't follow the same rules as Muslims, it's a consequence of the hypocrisy of these radicals. Freedom of speech does not spare feelings. It should not spare feelings, otherwise it isn't really the freedom of speech. The retaliation toward Draw Muhammad Day is the exact reason why people are doing it in the first place.

There is responsibility that comes with freedom of speech. You can't yell "fire!" or "bomb" in a crowded building with the intention of causing a panic. You can't threaten to physically harm someone and most especially the president. You can't claim to have a bomb while on a plane. You can, however, speak out against anything you would like to speak out against and, in this case, people are speaking out against the threats of extremists who believe that they have the right to kill anyone who they feel insults them. They try to intimidate individuals...now they have to deal with tens of thousands of individuals who are fed up with it and are expressing their feelings about it. What good will this bring? Perhaps they'll stop now that they realize the world will respond.

I strongly support Freedom of Speech. It is a dangerous thing to censor what people can say and do. Yes it has it challenges....sometimes people get offended. But you have the right of freedom of speech to speak out against someone who offends you. It opens discussions (like this one) where people can talk about issues that upset each other and hopefully foster a better understanding of each other. People say things all the time that upset or offend me. If the whole world was not allowed to say things that did not offend someone....we would not be allowed to talk at all. LOL. I can understand not wanting a religious figure demeaned or insulted. I truely can understand why Muslims would be upset over it. But just because you don't like what someone says or does...does not mean you can ban them from doing it. Tolerance is hard..but that is what is needed.

People have the right to know the truth. If you have a corrupt and abusive leader, will it help to just keep quiet? The right to know the truth is important as this could spell the difference between a life full of miseries and lies and a life of freedom and happiness. It is true that the freedom of speech is also an important right for as long as we stick to the truth that will set people free.

Freedom is unknown to Pakistan since it's inception.

As a citizen of the US, I am used to free speech. My first reaction to all the fuss made about the drawing of Mohammed was, "Oh, good grief, who cares?" I realize that you wouldn't like it, but we don't like everything we hear and read, either. As a Christian, I see all kinds of slanders against Jesus. "In US, people enjoy "Freedom of Speech" but they can't publish pictures of holocaust in their daily news paper." ?? This is a ridiculous statement. I don't know who you listen to, but you have your facts wrong. We even have a national holocaust museum. Should we allow freedom of speech? You bet we should. No one has the right (or should have the right) to tell others what to say, what to think or what to believe. If you think you can get through life without ever having your feelings hurt, you're in for a bad time of it. If you think you have the right to never have your feelings hurt, I feel sorry for you because you're not living in the real world.

i am a Christian and i live with Muslims. i give much respect to these people who in return, they respect Christians in general. i haven't browsed this matter on fb but so far, i don't bother spending time for some abusive expressions. these things, i don't call it freedom of speech sometimes. it's like, "no discipline" or "disrespect."

DummyBlog, You seem to be getting the United States Constitution confused with United States Acts. So I decided to link to the United States Constitution. http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html You will see that the law of the United States which is the United States Constitution covers no such topic as censorship of the media or of anyone. The United States has one of the bigger Adult Entertainment industries and also we are fairly Liberal with our media in general and that is only growing as the Internet becomes bigger and bigger. The ideas of the United States are inside the Internet. Censorship isn't a United States Concept that would be able to last long under the United States Constitution doesn't grant the government the rights needed to do it. The Bill of Rights gives the people and the States the most power in our country with the People having the most power. The freedom of Speech is given with no restrictions so that Ideas or any other form of expression could be put out into the open for all to see. This is what allows so much diversity in our country that others seem to be lacking. Also peoples feelings are able to recover while peoples lives aren't when people cause physicall damage. I would rather have my feelings hurt than lose the right to say HEY You hurt my feelings here. Also once you start limiting freedoms like this you will lose them forever. In fact right now you are supporting the very Idea that you want to have tied down and striped of all power. You are using your right to free speech and keeping it from being taken away.

I can understand people wanting to stop hate speech. Islam is very popular there, so of course anything that they considered offensive to their religion would be stopped. Their governments are run by their religious leaders. No problem with that. But they are hypocrites. If someone were doing something to offend Christians, Jews, or any other religion do you think they would go to such extremes? No. They never did.

i have mixed feelings on this one. this facebook group was set up solely to be blasphemous to islam. although those doing it say it is about freedom of speech i don't think they'd like it much if a group decided to have a contest to draw pictures blasphemous to christians. however although they are being offensive and provocative they do have this right. i think pakistan overreacted by banning facebook completely - they could have just blocked these pages - especially as so many in pakistan use facebook and/or complained to the owners of facebook. this has turned out not to be so much about freedom of speech as a chance for people to get angry about each other. but it is a matter of personal responsiblity - those who started it weren't thinking - not of governmental censorship. the thing is once you start banning certain things not illegal in themselves where do you stop? this might be extremely offensive to many muslims but what about mildly offensive things? or satire? or criticism of governments? is pakistan planning to censor everything its citizens might see?

That is a really bad trend nowadays some countries are following. Like all of you, I also strongly support freedom of speech. People should know how to use that within their social limitations. Bannig those sites is not the correct answer to the problem. They should have some kind of control only.

i have no comment man

Just to clear up a couple of items. It is not illegal in the US to publish, print, show or view pictures of the Holocaust. If it were everyone in Hollywood would be jail and their would be no Public Broadcast System. Second, the US government did not support the contest they simply said it was not in their pervue to become involved in the discussion either way.

It is really the downside of technology. I do agree with the pakistani people, but it is quite hard to hinder social networking sites. Facebook and youtube were banned maybe because they are famous, but still there are sites out there offering the same thing. Let's just hope that people using the internet, who are said to be expressing their freedom, be more responsible. It is too sad that this freedom is being abuse.

I am a pakistani and here in pakistan pple are being so angry people are sending sms tht dont go on facebook and i ddnt go on facebook to so they shuld nt make fun of our prophet..