YouTube bows to Thai king
May 11, 2007 - 12:03PM
YouTube is likely to remove all video clips deemed insulting to Thailand's king, a government official said today, paving the way to the ban on the website being lifted.
The popular video-sharing site, owned by internet giant Google, has been blocked to Thai users since early April, when clips showing digitally-altered images of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej began appearing.
Asked whether Google would remove the clips, Vissanu Meeyo, a spokesman for the information ministry, said: "It is likely."
He was responding to reports on the Bangkok Post newspaper's website that the information minister had received a letter from Google's vice president vowing to delete all clips considered offensive to the monarch.
Vissanu told AFP that information minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudoom would hold a press conference on Friday to disclose the details.
Thailand's army-backed government had considered suing YouTube over charges of lese majeste - insulting the monarchy - a serious crime that carries up to 15 years in prison.
The government, which came to power after a September coup, has been blocking YouTube since the first clip showing the king next to a photograph of feet, considered deeply offensive in Thailand, appeared in April.
The number of clips lampooning the king mushroomed after news spread around the world that Thailand had reacted by banning YouTube.
Thailand's 79-year-old king, almost universally adored by Thais, is the world's longest-reigning monarch, and one of the few who is still protected by tough laws that prohibit any insult against the royal family.
The YouTube ban came a week after a Thai court jailed a Swiss man for 10 years for insulting the monarch by vandalising his portraits.
But the king later pardoned the man, who was then deported from Thailand.
AFP
I have a few problems with this article. The first is something that can't be helped, but I would like to know how Thailand actually banned that site. I didn't know that it was technically possible to enforce something like that. Clearly, I am not up to date on my Thai foreign policies. Secondly, I am surprised that YouTube is acquiescing to the Thai request. YouTube isn't centered in Thailand, and I don't think they usually censor their videos based on other countries nuances. The videos aren't pornographic, and the people who post them should be able to put them up. The point of YouTube is to have a forum to share different videos with the public, this type of editing irks me.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Out of the Dark Ages...
A union in cyberspace: new Internet infrastructure connects Pioneer Valley
By: Matt Belliveau
UMass Chancellor John Lombardi commemorates the five-year efforts in creating a new, fiber optic network, which connects seven communities in the Pioneer Valley and the Five Colleges through an Internet infrastructure.
Administrators of the Five Colleges celebrated alongside Massachusetts government officials in the completion of a 53-mile, $3.6 million fiber optic network that will provide virtually unlimited bandwidth for seven Pioneer Valley communities and the surrounding five campuses.
After five years of extensive construction the new network, which is connected at its center in Springfield, is ready to connect the five campuses and hopes to create new economic development for seven Pioneer Valley communities.
The celebration was held at the Campus Center of University of Massachusetts with state and local officials, collaborators and technicians who helped to develop the network and representatives of the member institutions in attendance.
"Some 40 years ago, the Five Colleges understood the need to provide transportation from campus to campus," said Lorna M. Peterson, executive director of the Five Colleges. "Today they understand the importance of linking our campuses to each other and the rest of the world through an electronic highway that gives faculty and students ease of access to 21st century communications."
UMass Chancellor John Lombardi said the new network has jokingly been named by university officials as the campus' new "lollipop" because, "It's so sweet."
Lombardi used the celebration as an opportunity to extend his thanks to Donna Baron, the director of information technology for the Five Colleges, as well as the board of directors of the Five Colleges, composed of the presidents of the four colleges - Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith.
"Five years ago when we began to envision solutions for our networking needs, we never imagined we would be donning construction hats and building a network ourselves," Baron said. "But given the economic downturn in the telecommunications industry, and the lack of existing infrastructure in our rural area, it proved financially more favorable for us to build the infrastructure," Baron added.
Gov. Deval Patrick, in a letter to the consortium, said, "I commend the Five Colleges and their business partners for taking the initiative to bring fiber optic Internet to Western Massachusetts. This partnership is an excellent example of the great strides communities and educational institutions can take together to improve their neighborhoods."
The fiber runs through seven municipalities: Northampton, Amherst, Hadley, South Hadley, Granby, Chicopee and Springfield.
Northampton Mayor Ellen Story said the network should give the cities and towns an opportunity to gain access to much-needed infrastructure that can boost regional economic development and education.
"This network will serve as a new type of infrastructure for our surrounding communities, acting as a new road of development," said Story. "It should help lead our communities into the 21st century, and for some, the 20th."
The cost of the entire project is $3.6 million, but the network is expected to pay for itself within approximately seven years.
Installation of the fiber optic cable is complete, and Amherst, Smith and Mount Holyoke colleges are using some of its capabilities, with Hampshire expected to follow shortly.
Detailed tests of the network are under way, and Baron said she expects the network to be fully operational this summer. The Five Colleges will work with the cities and towns in the coming months as they decide how to make best use of the donated fiber.
Matt Belliveau can be reached at mbbeliv@student.umass.edu.
I saw this article in the Collegian today and I thought it was a great opportunity for these communities to do something progressive, and so I read the news. There seemed to be a lot of talk about the system but not what they are actually going to use it for, and that's the most interesting part! It seemed funny that is was remarked upon that this system is bringing Western Massachusetts into the 21st, nee the 20th century. Where were we before? It seems to me that we were very well up to date on technology before, and that this new program will only help us surpass other areas.
By: Matt Belliveau
UMass Chancellor John Lombardi commemorates the five-year efforts in creating a new, fiber optic network, which connects seven communities in the Pioneer Valley and the Five Colleges through an Internet infrastructure.
Administrators of the Five Colleges celebrated alongside Massachusetts government officials in the completion of a 53-mile, $3.6 million fiber optic network that will provide virtually unlimited bandwidth for seven Pioneer Valley communities and the surrounding five campuses.
After five years of extensive construction the new network, which is connected at its center in Springfield, is ready to connect the five campuses and hopes to create new economic development for seven Pioneer Valley communities.
The celebration was held at the Campus Center of University of Massachusetts with state and local officials, collaborators and technicians who helped to develop the network and representatives of the member institutions in attendance.
"Some 40 years ago, the Five Colleges understood the need to provide transportation from campus to campus," said Lorna M. Peterson, executive director of the Five Colleges. "Today they understand the importance of linking our campuses to each other and the rest of the world through an electronic highway that gives faculty and students ease of access to 21st century communications."
UMass Chancellor John Lombardi said the new network has jokingly been named by university officials as the campus' new "lollipop" because, "It's so sweet."
Lombardi used the celebration as an opportunity to extend his thanks to Donna Baron, the director of information technology for the Five Colleges, as well as the board of directors of the Five Colleges, composed of the presidents of the four colleges - Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith.
"Five years ago when we began to envision solutions for our networking needs, we never imagined we would be donning construction hats and building a network ourselves," Baron said. "But given the economic downturn in the telecommunications industry, and the lack of existing infrastructure in our rural area, it proved financially more favorable for us to build the infrastructure," Baron added.
Gov. Deval Patrick, in a letter to the consortium, said, "I commend the Five Colleges and their business partners for taking the initiative to bring fiber optic Internet to Western Massachusetts. This partnership is an excellent example of the great strides communities and educational institutions can take together to improve their neighborhoods."
The fiber runs through seven municipalities: Northampton, Amherst, Hadley, South Hadley, Granby, Chicopee and Springfield.
Northampton Mayor Ellen Story said the network should give the cities and towns an opportunity to gain access to much-needed infrastructure that can boost regional economic development and education.
"This network will serve as a new type of infrastructure for our surrounding communities, acting as a new road of development," said Story. "It should help lead our communities into the 21st century, and for some, the 20th."
The cost of the entire project is $3.6 million, but the network is expected to pay for itself within approximately seven years.
Installation of the fiber optic cable is complete, and Amherst, Smith and Mount Holyoke colleges are using some of its capabilities, with Hampshire expected to follow shortly.
Detailed tests of the network are under way, and Baron said she expects the network to be fully operational this summer. The Five Colleges will work with the cities and towns in the coming months as they decide how to make best use of the donated fiber.
Matt Belliveau can be reached at mbbeliv@student.umass.edu.
I saw this article in the Collegian today and I thought it was a great opportunity for these communities to do something progressive, and so I read the news. There seemed to be a lot of talk about the system but not what they are actually going to use it for, and that's the most interesting part! It seemed funny that is was remarked upon that this system is bringing Western Massachusetts into the 21st, nee the 20th century. Where were we before? It seems to me that we were very well up to date on technology before, and that this new program will only help us surpass other areas.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)