Masopher's Mind

It was reported early the week of 25th February that Pakistan had managed to “accidentally remove You Tube from the web”. Geek gibberish ensues as to how a select few ISPs can affect the entire world. I’m not one of those geeks so I accept that it is possible, though the conspiracy theorist inside wants to waggle an eyebrow. Pakistan does know a whole lot about information warfare, having been trained by the best but it is possible that they are being (as before) used by the best for some purpose that alas Masopher and Joe Blogs will never know about.

The other three points that come up in my look at this event is the consideration of:

1. Has Pakistan religious leaders only now just realized how blasphemous You Tube is?

You Tube has lambasted religion, politics and human decency ever since its inception. That’s what “smart” people with too much time (and a video camera) on their hands do. It took 2 years for the politicians and priests of Pakistan to find out that they too are targets. Everyone uses it, from American Politicians to Iraqi insurgents and of course everyone in-between and beyond.

2. Doesn’t Pakistan have bigger problems on its plate?

One would think that with Al Qaeda scurrying about, a far more deserving Taliban regime roaring in the desert, politicians being killed and an arsenal of Nuclear missiles, not to mention the death and poverty, you tube might be lower down on the agenda. I agree that “Im F&#@ing matt damon/Ben Affleck” and “two girls one cup” is depravity that should be banned by totalitarian regimes or fundamentalist religious states. However since Pakistan barely qualifies as a working state whether fundamentalist or totalitarian, how it has time to debate the niceties of youtube is beyond me.

3. How many Pakistanis in Pakistan actually have access to the internet much less youtube?
Now this is no slight to the rich boy Pakistani’s in Oxford and Cambridge, immigrants and second generation asylum seekers. If any of you go back to Pakistan perhaps to train for something in particular or assume your dynastic heritage memories of Britney Paris and Amy go along with you. But let’s be honest, how many homes in Pakistan actually have access to You Tube? Not enough to warrant an infatada on online videos I warrant.