Pakistani demonstrators beat an effigy of Florida pastor Terry Jones during a protest against an anti-Islam film in Lahore on Monday, September 24. More than 50 people have died around the world in violence linked to protests against the low-budget movie, which mocks Islam and the Prophet Mohammed, since the first demonstrations erupted on September 11. See more of CNN's best photography.
Editor's note: Jillian C. York is director for international freedom of expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. She is a columnist for Al Jazeera.
(CNN) -- Just hours after the U.S. consulate came under attack in Libya, resulting in the death of the U.S. ambassador and three of his colleagues, YouTube blocked access to an anti-Islam video that sparked protests in Egypt and Libya. The video, which was made in America and crudely characterized the Prophet Mohammed, understandably offended many Muslims.
It would appear that the decision by Google -- which owns YouTube -- was based not on an order by either government but on its own concerns. "We work hard to create a community everyone can enjoy and which also enables people to express different opinions," YouTube said in a statement. "This can be a challenge because what's OK in one country can be offensive elsewhere. This video — which is widely available on the web — is clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube. However, given the very difficult situation in Libya and Egypt we have temporarily restricted access in both countries. Our hearts are with the families of the people murdered in yesterday's attack in Libya."
Although the video remains accessible for the rest of the world, users in Egypt and Libya will, upon attempting to access it, encounter a message that it is not available in their jurisdiction. This is the same mechanism used when a copyright holder restricts content to a certain country.
Anti-Islam filmmaker questioned
Although restricting the video in the two countries might seem tempting in the wake of the horrific violence that occurred in Libya, it is in the best interest of neither the company nor, arguably, the citizens of those countries for Google to be the arbiter of acceptability.
When it comes to copyrighted content, YouTube is required to abide by the law, specifically the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, which allows a copyright holder to report content posted by other users as belonging to them (it also allows for a rebuttal).
YouTube has also taken down content under informal pressure from governments, such as in 2010, when it removed clips reportedly linked to al Qaeda after a speech in which British Security Minister Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones stated that such videos "incite cold-blooded murder and as such are contrary to the public good."
Filmmaker escorted from home
Actress: I was misled about movie
When it comes to that type of content or the content in the video in question, the fact of the matter is that there are few regulations by which YouTube must abide.
In the United States, the content of the video would be deemed protected under the First Amendment. As an American company, YouTube itself also has a right to speech, which includes the right to make its own policies regarding what types of speech it deems appropriate to host.
Those policies have come under fire before. In 2007, a Turkish court ordered YouTube to be blocked in the country after the company refused to take down videos deemed insulting to the country's founder; the ban was reversed two years later. YouTube faced a similar ban in Pakistan in 2010 after refusing to take down cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed.
But while some governments think YouTube is too lax, some of its users have felt it is too restrictive.
Egyptian human rights activist Wael Abbas found his account deactivated in 2007 after posting violent content depicting police brutality in his country. Eventually, his account was restored and YouTube shifted its policies in response to his and other users' complaints, allowing content containing violence to be posted under an exception for videos that are "educational" or "documentary" in nature. This policy later enabled activists in Egypt, Tunisia, Syria and elsewhere to post documentation of regime violence.
In the current case, YouTube has stated that the video does not violate its terms of service. So if the video does not violate the company's rules and YouTube didn't receive an order from the two countries' governments (as far as we know), then the only explanation is that YouTube is determining on its own what serves the best interest of Libyans and Egyptians. This is, indeed, a rare move from the company and may eventually backfire.
News: Protests calm, but tensions still high
Take another case from this year. When Pakistan blocked Twitter after the company refused to take down offensive content, citizens were outraged, fearing it as a precursor to censorship during the election period. Had Twitter simply taken down the content, the story would have slipped by without notice; instead, the outrage of citizens forced the government to reverse its decision in less than a day.
Google should take the lead from Twitter, a smaller and younger company that, when faced with similar concerns, has stood strong, issuing a policy stating that content would be "withheld" in a certain country only in the face of a valid legal order and that the ban would be communicated transparently to all users.
Instead, by placing itself in the role of arbiter, Google is now vulnerable to demands from a variety of parties and will have to explain why it sees censorship as the right solution in some cases but not in others.
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The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jillian C. York.
© 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Philippine Muslims gather coins they collected from the provinces to be used to pay for filing a petition before the Philippine Supreme Court in Manila on Monday asking for local authorities to ban the controversial "Innocence of Muslims" film from being posted on the Internet. Hundreds of Muslim protesters in the Philippines called for a ban on the film before the U.S. Embassy.
A woman speaks on a megaphone prior to filing a petiion before the Philippine Supreme Court in Manila on Monday.
On Monday Pakistani Muslim demonstrators shout anti-US slogans during a protest in Quetta.
Sri Lankan Muslims shout slogans against U.S President Barack Obama at a protest in Colombo on Monday.
Muslim students protest in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Monday.
Muslim protesters pray in Omonia Square in central Athens, Greece, during a demonstration on Sunday. Clashes broke out as Muslims staged a demonstration in the square, to be followed by a march to the U.S. Embassy, in protest of the film.
Protesters smashed the windows of a store during a demonstration in central Athens.
Riot police clash with demonstrators in Athens, Greece, on Sunday, September 23.
A Muslim protester throws a shoe at police during a rally in central Athens on Sunday.
Riot police try to disperse Muslim protesters in Athens on Sunday.
A Kashmiri Muslim student participates in a protest march organized by a Muslim school on Saturday, September 22, against an independently produced anti-Islam film that has ignited anger in the Muslim world.
A family in Kashmir watches as students protest on Saturday.
A worker inspects his damaged shop following violent protests in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Saturday.
Pakistani Muslim demonstrators clash with police Friday during a protest near the U.S. consulate in Islamabad.
Pakistani Muslim demonstrators topple a freight container that was placed by police to block a street during a protest on Friday.
A demonstrator kicks a tear gas shell in Karachi, Pakistan, on Friday.
Pakistani policemen help an injured comrade Friday in Karachi.
Protesters gather to demonstrate against a French magazine that published nude cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed outside the French Embassy in London on Friday.
Pakistani police detain a demonstrator in Lahore on Friday during a protest against the film "Innocence of Muslims."
A Pakistani demonstrator throws a tear gas shell toward riot police during a protest against an anti-Islam film in Islamabad on Friday, September 21. Angry demonstrators set fire to two movie theaters in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar as many braced for intensified protests Friday, officials said.
Malaysian Muslim demonstrators march toward the U.S. Embassy after a Friday mass prayer in Kuala Lumpur.
Protesters take part in a march in Benghazi, Libya, on Friday. The march was in support of democracy and against the Islamist militias that Washington blames for an attack on the U.S. consulate last week that killed four Americans including the ambassador.
A Pakistani police officer fires an automatic weapon toward demonstrators during a protest Friday in Islamabad.
Pakistani riot police chase demonstrators Friday in Islamabad.
A Kashmiri activist shouts anti-U.S. slogans during a protest Friday in Srinagar, India.
Pakistani protesters walk near a burning police bunker as demonstrators attempt to reach the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on Thursday, September 20.
A Pakistani protester throws a tear gas shell back toward police on Thursday.
Pakistani demonstrators carry an injured person on Thursday.
Pakistani riot policemen hold back lawyers shouting anti-U.S. slogans as they attempt to reach the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on Wednesday, September 19. More than 30 people have been killed around the world during more than a week of attacks and violent protests linked to a controversial film seen as insulting to the Prophet Mohammed.
A Pakistani lawyer wraps a U.S. flag onto his shoe in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Police try to stop Pakistani lawyers crawling under a barrier as they try to reach the U.S. Embassy in the diplomatic enclave during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Pakistani Muslims shout anti-U.S. slogans during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Karachi on Wednesday. The Pakistan government has declared Friday a national holiday in honor of the Prophet Mohammed and called for peaceful protests against the film.
Pakistani police stand guard on a blocked street in front of the U.S. Consulate during a protest in Lahore on Wednesday.
Pakistani activists of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) offer prayers near the U.S. Consulate on Wednesday in Lahore.
Lebanese army soldiers secure the area around the French ambassador's residence in Beirut on Wednesday. France has ordered special security measures around its embassies and schools because of fears of a hostile reaction to a magazine's publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, the foreign ministry said.
Supporters of Hezbollah hold a picture depicting Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and chant the slogan "God is Great" during a mass rally in Tyre, Lebanon, on Wednesday. Thousands of Lebanon's Hezbollah followers protested against the United States and France for a film and cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammed.
Members of Justice and Prosperous Party attend a protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Wednesday.
An Indian Muslim student hits a burning effigy of U.S. President Barack Obama during a protest in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Masked Palestinians are seen during clashes with Israeli security forces in Shuafat refugee camp, Jerusalem, on Tuesday, September 18.
Indian Muslims burn an American flag with a picture of U.S. President Barack Obama as they protest against a U.S.-made anti-Islam film on Tuesday, September 18, near the U.S. Consulate in Chennai. About 5,000 people have gathered in front of the building. Google India has already blocked access to the film, which the government has condemned as "offensive."
Pakistani Sunni Muslims march during a protest against the anti-Islam movie in Peshawar on Tuesday. Police used tear gas to disperse a crowd of more than 2,000 protesters trying to reach the U.S. Consulate in northwest Pakistan.
Palestinian protesters throw stones at Israeli security forces during clashes that erupted after a demonstration against an amateur anti-Islam film in Shuafat refugee camp, Jerusalem, on Tuesday. Hundreds of Palestinians protesting against the movie clashed with Israeli border police in East Jerusalem, hurling stones and firebombs at a checkpoint, the military and reporters said.
Israeli border policemen fire tear gas toward Palestinian protesters on Tuesday.
Kashmiri Muslim demonstrators shout anti-U.S. and Israeli slogans before a clash with Indian police during a protest and one-day strike called by several religious and political organizations in Srinagar on Tuesday.
Firefighters attempt to extinguish the flames in an Indian police vehicle as protesters clash with police during a protest and in Srinagar, Kashmir, on Tuesday.
A Kashmiri Muslim boy jumps over a burning tire set up as a roadblock during Tuesday's demonstration Srinagar.
Kashmiri Muslims throw stones at Indian police during a protest on Tuesday in Srinagar.
Muslim women shout Islamic slogans in Srinagar on Tuesday.
Thai Muslims shout slogans during a protest in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday.
Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah group march during a rally in southern Beirut to denounce the film mocking Islam on Monday, September 17. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who made a rare public appearance at the rally, has called for a week of protests across the country over the film, describing it as the "worst attack ever on Islam."
Sunni Muslims burn a U.S. flag during a protest in Lahore, Pakistan, on Monday. Protests entered their second week, with demonstrators taking to the streets in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia and Lebanon.
Pakistani Shiite Muslims shout anti-American slogans Monday in Lahore.
Afghan riot police are reflected through a window during an anti-U.S. protest Monday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Protesters attacked police along a road leading to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.
Afghan police leave Jalalabad Road following an anti-U.S. protest Monday in Kabul.
Barricades of tires burn Monday in Kabul.
Indonesian anti-riot police arrest a protester Monday outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. Monday's demonstrations come nearly a week after protests erupted in Egypt and Libya, spreading to more than 20 nations.
An Indonesian protester runs through smoke Monday outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta.
Pakistani lawyers shout anti-American slogans as they march Monday in Lahore.
Pakistani activists shout slogans in Islamabad on Sunday, September 16.
Pakistani protestors hold banners and shout anti-U.S. slogans in Karachi on Sunday.
Pakistani paramilitary soldiers stand near a burning police van during an anti-U.S. protest organized by Pakistani Shiite Muslims in Karachi on Sunday.
Supporters of Pakistan's outlawed Islamic hard-line group Jamaat ud Dawa shout anti-U.S. slogans during a rally against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore, Pakistan, on Sunday.
A protester climbs on a gate of the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, on Sunday.
Pakistani protesters march toward the U.S. Consulate in Karachi on Sunday.
Protesters attack a police van outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi on Sunday.
Pakistani police fire tear gas shells toward the protesters in Karachi on Sunday.
An Afghan youth shouts slogans during an anti-U.S. protest in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sunday.
Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, head of Pakistan's outlawed Islamic hard-line group Jamaat ud Dawa, addresses supporters in Lahore on Sunday.
A protester hits a policeman with a pole in Sydney's central business district on Saturday, September 15. Anger over an anti-Islam video, "The Innocence of Muslims," spread to Australia on Saturday, and protesters took to the streets of the country's capital.
A man assists a young protester after capsicum spray was used by police near the U.S. Consulate General in central Sydney on Saturday.
A policeman, injured by protesters, is assisted by colleagues in central Sydney on Saturday.
A Tunisian firefighter works inside a destroyed school building in the grounds of the American school in Tunis, Tunisia, on Saturday. Four people were killed and almost 50 injured in an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Tunis the day before by protesters angry over an anti-Islam film, the health ministry said.
A burned bus sits in the grounds of the American school in Tunis on Saturday.
A woman collects books from a classroom in the American school in Tunis on Saturday.
Muslim protesters holding shoes and brooms shout anti-U.S. slogans on Saturday during a protest against the film they consider blasphemous to Islam near the U.S. Consulate-General in Chennai, India.
Supporters of Islamic political party Jamaat-e-Islami shout slogans during a protest on Saturday in Khyber Agency, Pakistan. The Pakistani parliament passed a resolution on Thursday condemning "The Innocence of Muslims" and urged the U.S. to take appropriate action.
Supporters of Islamic political party Jamaat-e-Islami shout slogans during a protest in Khyber Agency on Saturday.
Pakistani Muslims burn a U.S. flag during a protest rally in Islamabad on Saturday. The Pakistani Taliban on Saturday issued a call to young Muslims worldwide and within the country to rise up against an anti-Islam movie.
Mourners shout slogans during the funeral of a protester who was killed two days ago during clashes with security forces at the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, on Saturday . According to media reports, at least four people were killed when hundreds of Yemeni protesters stormed the embassy on Wednesday.
Smoke billows from the burning German Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, as a policeman stands next to a man preparing to extinguish the fire caused by protesters the anti-Islam film. Around 5,000 protesters in the Sudanese capital stormed the embassies of Britain and Germany, which were torched and badly damaged.
A Sudanese protester, right, takes off his clothes to show policemen that he is unarmed during a protest in Khartoum on Friday. Two protesters were killed as security forces used tear gas against thousands of demonstrators trying to approach the U.S. mission after storming the British and German embassies.
A Jordanian protester holds an Islamic book near the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, on Friday. Hundreds of members of Jordanian Salafi Movement gathered after Friday noon prayers in protest of a controversial anti-Islam film.
Police stand guard near protesters near the U.S. Consulate General in Sydney on Saturday, September 15.
Protesters clash with police on a street in Sydney's central business district on Saturday.
Indian policemen walk past smashed windows of the U.S. Consulate building, caused by a mob of demonstrators protesting against an anti-Islam film, in Chennai, India, on Friday, September 14.
Tunisian protesters try to storm the U.S. Embassy in Tunis on Friday.
A Tunisian protester holds an Al-Qaeda affiliated flag amid the smoke coming from the tear gas fired by riot police outside the U.S. Embassy in Tunis on Friday.
Yemeni riot policemen stand guard at a crossroad leading to the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa on Friday.
Yemeni protesters burn a U.S. flag on a street leading to the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa on Friday, September 14.
Yemeni protesters shout during a demonstration near the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa on Friday.
Yemeni protesters run for cover from tear gas fired by riot police in Sanaa on Friday.
Jordanian protesters burn a U.S. flag near the U.S. Embassy in Amman on Friday.
Jordanian protesters shout in Amman on Friday.
Israeli police officers stand behind their shields during clashes with stone-throwing Palestinian protesters in a demonstration against an anti-Islam film in front of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Old City on Friday.
Israeli police arrest a Palestinian protester on Friday.
Boys inspect fast food chains Hardee's and KFC after they were torched during a protest in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Friday.
Bangladeshi Muslims attempt to break a police barricade during a protest in Dhaka on Friday.
Supporters of Jamat ud Dawa shout during a protest against an anti-Islam video in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Friday.
A Muslim protester defaces a mural on a wall of the U.S. Consulate in the southern Indian city of Chennai on Friday.
Muslim protesters burn a U.S. flag outside the U.S. Consulate in the southern Indian city of Chennai on Friday.
Muslim protesters shout outside the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Friday.
Pakistani soldiers hold back protesters attempting to reach the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on Friday.
An Egyptian protester throws a tear gas canister toward riot police during clashes near the U.S. Embassy in Cairo on Friday.
A Sudanese demonstrator burns a German flag after torching the German Embassy in Khartoum on Friday.
Protesters throw stones toward riot police during clashes along a road leading to the U.S. Embassy near Tahrir Square in Cairo on Friday, September 14.
A riot police officer shouts a warning during clashes in Cairo on Friday.
Protesters chant during a march to the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, on Thursday, September 13. One protester was killed in clashes when Yemeni security forces dispersed hundreds of demonstrators who gathered around and inside the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa.
A protester shouts after sustaining injuries in a confrontation with riot police who fired tear gas outside the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa on Thursday.
Protesters carry flags that read "There is no God but Allah, Mohammed is Allah's messenger" and chant during a protest in Tripoli, Lebanon, on Thursday.
Palestinians protest the movie "Innocence of Muslims" in front of the Legislative Council in Gaza City on Thursday.
Iranian demonstrators chant anti-American slogans during a demonstration on Thursday in front of the Swiss Embassy, which serves as the U.S. interests section in Iran, in Tehran.
An Iranian police officer shows a victory sign during Thursday's demonstration in Tehran.
Supporters of Sunni Muslim Salafist leader Ahmad al-Assir burn Israeli and U.S. flags during a protest in Sidon, Lebanon, on Thursday.
Kuwaiti police stand guard as hundreds of demonstrators protest near the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City on Thursday.
Arab-Israeli men wave green Islamic flags with the Muslim profession of belief: "There is no God but God and Mohammed is the prophet of God" during a protest in front of the U.S. Embassy on Thursday in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Egyptian protesters throw stones at riot police during clashes near the U.S. Embassy in Cairo on Thursday.
Riot police take cover from stones thrown by protesters on Thursday.
Egyptian protesters help a man who inhaled tear gas during clashes at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo on Thursday.
A burned-out pickup sits between Egyptian protesters and riot police in Cairo on Thursday.
Egyptian protesters take cover during clashes with riot police on Thursday.
An Egyptian protester wears a makeshift mask and helmet for protection while fighting riot police on Thursday.
Egyptian protesters run for cover from tear gas fired by riot police during clashes on Thursday.
An Egyptian riot police officer fires tear gas toward protesters during clashes Thursday with police near the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
Iraqi protesters burn Israeli and U.S. flags during a protest Thursday. The U.S. ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, and three others were killed during a protest outside the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Tuesday.
Egyptian protesters clash with riot police Thursday near the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
Iranians protest against a film mocking Islam near the Swiss Embassy in Tehran on Thursday. Up to 500 people chanted "Death to America!" and death to the director of the movie, which was made in the United States. The demonstration ended peacefully in two hours.
An Egyptian protester throws a tear gas canister at riot police Thursday during clashes near the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
Police use tear gas on crowds protesting Thursday outside the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
The U.S. Consulate in Benghazi is seen in flames Tuesday, September 11.
A vehicle and the surrounding area are engulfed in flames after it was set on fire inside the compound on Tuesday.
A protester reacts as the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi is seen in flames Tuesday night.
Yemeni protesters gather around a fire Thursday during a demonstration outside the U.S. Embassy in the capital of Sanaa. Yemeni forces fired warning shots to disperse the thousands of protesters approaching the main gate of the mission.
Yemeni protesters try to break the security camera at the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa on Thursday.
Egyptians shout slogans during a protest in front of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
Egyptian protesters gather in front of the U.S. Embassy the morning after it was vandalized by protesters during a demonstration on Wednesday in Cairo.
Protesters shout outside the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia, on Wednesday, September 12.
A group of protesters attend a demonstration outside the U.S. Embassy in Tunis on Wednesday.
A demonstrator walks on a U.S. flag during a Wednesday's demonstration at the U.S. Embassy in Tunis.
People inspect the damage at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Wednesday, the day after four people were killed.
Egyptian demonstrators continue to stake out the U.S. Embassy in Cairo on Wednesday.
Police confront protesters praying in front of the U.S. Embassy in Casablanca, Morocco, during a rally against the anti-Islam film on Wednesday.
Moroccan women gather near the U.S. Embassy in Casablanca on Wednesday.
A Palestinian man holds a placard praising Islam's prophet Mohammed during a demonstration against the film on Wednesday in front of the United Nations headquarters in Gaza City.
Palestinian men burn the American flag during Wednesday's demonstration in Gaza City.
A man waves his rifle as buildings and cars are engulfed in flames inside the U.S. Consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya, late on Tuesday, September 11.
The U.S. Consulate in Benghazi is set on fire during a protest. Armed gunmen attacked the compound on Tuesday evening, clashing with Libyan security forces before the latter withdrew as they came under heavy fire.
Protesters destroy an American flag pulled down from the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt.
People stand around a drawing that says "Remember your black day 11 September" during the protest in Cairo.
People shout and light flares in front of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
People shout in front of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
Protesters pull down a U.S. flag.
Thousands were angered by the controversial film.
Demonstrators yell outside the U.S. Embassy.
Egyptian riot police stand guard as protesters climb down from the wall.
An Egyptian protester waves a black flag inscribed with the Muslim profession of faith -- "There is no God but God, and Mohammed is the prophet of God" -- as he stands above the door of the U.S. Embassy.
Protesters gather along the U.S. Embassy wall. 
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