Google rejects Lieberman’s request to remove content

Internet giant Google on Tuesday rebuffed Sen. Joe Lieberman’s (I-Conn.) request to remove Internet video content produced by terrorist organizations, claiming the action would stifle the “free speech” the Google-owned site YouTube encourages.

On its blog, the company said that while it “respects his views,” it disagrees with Lieberman “about the details of our policies.”

{mosads}“YouTube encourages free speech and defends everyone’s right to express unpopular points of view,” the company replied. “We believe that YouTube is a richer and more relevant platform for users precisely because it hosts a diverse range of views, and rather than stifle debate we allow our users to view all acceptable content and make up their own minds.”

In a letter Lieberman sent Monday, he asked Google to “immediately remove content produced by Islamist terrorist organizations from YouTube.”

“Islamist terrorist organizations use YouTube to disseminate their propaganda, enlist followers, and provide weapons training — activities that are all essential to terrorist activity,” Lieberman wrote.

Google said that it had taken down some of the videos the senator alerted the company to “primarily because they depicted gratuitous violence, advocated violence, or used hate speech,” but said that it would not change its policy of allowing users to self-police the site by reporting objectionable content.