Kuwait’s Ministry of Communication has instructed local ISPs to block YouTube access. The video website has come under fire from the ministry due to content considered offensive to Muslims, a source within the industry told a local newspaper.
The Ministry pointed to content including a video of a man signing
verses from the Quran while playing the oud (a type of guitar) and
another video showing caricatures of the prophet Mohammad.
Local ISP Fasttelco sources confirmed receipt of the ruling. "It's
supposed to be blocked right now. But due to technical preparations the
blocking may take until [Sept 22]," said the source, speaking to the
Kuwait Times. The site was accessible Sunday. Kuwait’s Communications
Ministry regularly issues memos to ISPs asking them to block certain
websites, including those containing pornographic photos or services
like Skype.
The ban may be temporary, given that the Islamic world is currently focusing on the holy month of Ramadan.
YouTube is widely used in Kuwait, says the Kuwait Times report. “A
search of the word 'Kuwait' turned up 59,000 videos, including
everything from videos of car crashes on Fahaheel Expressway and
Jessica Simpson's concert for US troops in Kuwait to protests in front
of Abdullah Al-Salem hall in the run up to the 2006 parliamentary
elections.”
Kuwait’s Ministry of Communication has instructed local ISPs to block YouTube access. The video website has come under fire from the ministry due to content considered offensive to Muslims, a source within the industry told a local newspaper.