Innocence of Muslims: Cleric slams Google

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Even as the wave of violent protests against the anti-Islam movie ‘Innocence of Muslims’ by US filmmaker Sam Bacile escalates worldwide, the role of Google-owned YouTube has come under steep fire.

Google, accused of fanning discord, may have officially blocked controversial content in the Middle-East as well as in the countries like Singapore, Malaysia and India. Despite this, ancillary video clips still exist on video sharing site YouTube.  

The Arab Netizens have launched an array of Web-driven campaigns to shun Google search engine and its much-hyped Chrome browser. On popular microblogging site Twitter, the cause under the hashtag #BoycottYoutube has generated much fervor.

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Speaking exclusively to CIOL, India-based Islamic cleric Syed Kalbe Jawad said that Google has a shoddy role in the entire matter. “The Internet companies should have taken a pro-active approach in disbanding anti-Islamic content,” he said.

These firms (referring to Google), Jawad said, have no code of conduct and behave irresponsibly. “They tend to provoke and then defend such blasphemous acts on the ruse of free speech,” the cleric stressed. There is a fine line between freedom of speech and hate content, he added.

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Jawad strongly feels that there should be a law and cross-border treaty that could facilitate removal of libelous content and to deal with such situations in an effectual fashion. “Had it been against Jesus or Queen Elizabeth, they would have been acted promptly,” he said. 

Going forward, Jawad said, the protests must be technical in nature. “There is an instant need to boycott Google products and services and the Islamic world should look at developing compelling alternatives,” the cleric urged. 

Disparaging the YouTube, Jawad said that the Arab countries should look at a possibility of inventing ‘Islamic Tube’– wherein the content should be brought in with ethical ascendancy.

“There is a need to fill in the dearth by creating indigenous alternative to the Internet companies,” he added.

The Indian government, Jawad said should revisit the IT Act 2000. “The Centre should incorporate stricter law so as to punish individuals who abuse freedom of expression and attempt to tear the social fabric of the country,” he opined.