YouTube Stands Up To IOC Over Free Tibet Video

Ian Lamont writes "The International Olympic Committee has withdrawn a DCMA takedown notice that targeted a two-minute long YouTube video of a Students for a Free Tibet protest at the Chinese consulate in New York. The video shows protesters gathering outside the building at night and projecting images of the Olympic symbol, 'tank man,' Tibetan riot footage and clips of victims of the Chinese police crackdown in Tibet. After receiving the request, YouTube contacted the IOC and asked if it really planned to pursue a claim. The IOC retracted the notice and the video was reposted within hours. Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society praised YouTube for 'going out of its way to do more than it's required to do under the law to protect free expression.'"

Comments

Re:I have a mod point...

[rolfc]

Oki
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j60x3C43Qao

Re:What did the IOC plan?

[Shakrai]

It's a bit like the US really

Except in the US you can criticize the party in power without being arrested and hauled away by the cops.

Re:What did the IOC plan?

[Shakrai]

As to the free press issue, American reporters go to jail over politics, too [cnn.com]

No, American reporters go to jail for refusing to testify in front of a Grand Jury. Bit of a difference there. I would argue that we need a press shield law on the Federal level (my state has one) but there's still a difference between going to jail for contempt of court and being whisked away for investigating Governmental abuses or corruption.

the right to free speech is supposed to be the right to not speak as well

Actually, no, there is no right not to speak if you are subpoenaed to testify. You have a right against self-incrimination but if you are offered immunity (i.e: nothing you say can be used against you) then you don't have the right to refuse to testify. This is based on hundreds of years of legal precedent and tradition.