Anti-Islam Film: Obama and His Buddies YouTube and Google

There’s still a sheriff in the Wild West. Nakoula Bassely Nakoula, the supposed producer of the Islamophobic video that set off protests and riots in a large part of the Muslim world, and in a few other countries, has caught the attention of the sheriff of Cerritos, a small town near Los Angeles.

There was no reproach concerning the video but, rather, verification as to whether or not Nakoula violated the provisions of his parole. Having served time in prison for various incidents of fraud, Nakoula was apparently prohibited from connecting to the Internet. As Al Capone fell for tax evasion, perhaps Nakoula will be smacked with this violation and sent behind bars in the county jail until being dealt with more appropriately.

The Video Even Violates YouTube Policy

When the Internet appeared at the turn of the millennium, this modern Wild West roused many fears, which were indulgently fed by the traditional media. From then on “anybody” could produce homemade bombs in their garage from instructions “found on the Internet.” The Internet would also spread pedophilia and encourage Islamic fundamentalism.

What has been happening since last week regarding “The Innocence of Muslims” was not anticipated, at least not in this form. However, it does raise some dizzying questions. First and foremost, why didn’t YouTube, a Google subsidiary, immediately take down the video, which clearly violated YouTube community guidelines? As we have pointed out since Sunday, these rules contain some excellent principles: “we don’t permit hate speech (speech which attacks or demeans a group based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status, and sexual orientation/gender identity).”

We Would Regret Joking Around with the Chinese

The White House, assuming that the mixed signals that it emits have been understood, hesitated a few days before asking YouTube this question. We understand quite clearly. Obama would rather not quarrel over such a trifle with his very cool buddies from the Net. Besides, it’s an election season and it would be better to avoid upsetting big campaign donors.

However, some find all of this as reason to laugh: the Chinese. Yes, the Chinese, whose government mandates a highly restricted press and muzzled Internet — admittedly, a muzzle with holes, but a muzzle nonetheless. Le Figaro (a French newspaper) referred on Saturday to a comment printed in the Chinese Global Times, that made fun of the lack of control that the American government has over this sphere. The article implicitly concluded that there are indeed benefits to keeping a certain level of control over the Internet.

We would regret joking around with the Chinese. Yet between world peace and Google’s profits there exists a need for mediation that we will not be able to delegate to the sheriff of Cerritos for much longer.