"Civilized" Governments block YouTube

China followed few days ago the "liberal" and "democratic" example of other civilized countries and blocked youTube access, after video releases relevant to the protests in Lhasa, Tibet opposing the Chinese government currently in power. But the Chinese government doesn’t seem to be holding anything personal against YouTube, demonstrated by attempts to block news reports about the protests as well.

China’s intention for transparency and respect of human rights is clear, allowing as little of the public as possible to know about the opposition. The impact for YouTube is major as there are 210 million Internet users in China, while Pakistan and Turkey have acted similarly already.

So, as if blocking YouTube access has become a universal remedy for supressing liberal, self-respecting civilians, Armenia joined the club, since the new president has declared a state of emergency in the capital since March 2. The measure, signed by President Robert Kocharian, bans public gatherings and imposes restrictions on media reports. Under this state, no media is allowed to broadcast any information except official announcements. So, juntas from now on will be blocking access to Internet sites as well…