It has been over two-and-a-half months since Youtube was banned in Pakistan over the anti-Islamic video that Google refused to take down despite repeated requests by the Pakistani authorities. In a world of increasingly free internet and easier information sharing, the question remains what degree of control are we to allow our governments and internet corporations in our internet usage.
It is important to understand how Youtube (and by default, Google) makes its money. As with all internet-based businesses, Youtube sustains itself through ads. Pakistanis would not have experienced this while using it in Pakistan because Youtube does not advertise in the country. But if it did, before the start of a trending video, there would be a strategically placed commercial with duration of around one to two minutes. Irksome for some users, these ads usually have the option of skipping them after 30 seconds. So is the Youtube ban in Pakistan bad business for Google? After all, if Youtube does not make money off ads in Pakistan, why should it matter to the internet giant if the sixth most populous country is not using its services?
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