comment by Jerry Gordon

Network Solutions is the US web host site for YouTube. Today, it basically censored the website for the anti-Islam film, ‘Fitna” produced by courageous Dutch MP Wilders.

Posted on Slashdot by kdawson on Sunday March 23, @05:11PM

from the pre-emptive-suppression dept.

h4rm0ny notes the furor over an anti-Islamic movie due to be released on the Web in the next week. After Pakistan disrupted YouTube worldwide over an interview with right-wing Dutch MP and filmmaker Geert Wilders, Network Solutions, acting as host as well as registrar, has suspended Wilders’s site promoting the 15-minute film “Fitna” (a Koranic term translated as “strife”). The site now displays a notice that it is under investigation for possible violations of NetSol’s acceptable use policy. According to the article the company’s guidelines include “a sweeping prohibition against ‘objectionable material of any kind or nature.’” The article describes the site’s content before NetSol pulled the plug as a single page with the film’s title, an image of the Koran, and the words “Coming Soon.” No one but Wilders has seen the film to date. The Dutch government has distanced itself from the film, fearing Muslim backlash. A million Muslims live in The Netherlands. Wilders’s party, which controls 9 of 150 seats in the Dutch parliament, was elected on an anti-immigration platform.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — The Web site where Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders was promoting his not-yet-released anti-Koran film has been suspended by its U.S. hosting service.

Demonstrators in Amsterdam during an anti-racism protest aimed at far right MP Geert Wilders on Saturday.

The site formerly showed the film’s title, “Fitna” — “Coming Soon” — and an image of a gilded Koran. Now it shows a note that the company — Network Solutions — is investigating whether the site violates its terms of service.

“Network Solutions has received a number of complaints regarding this site that are under investigation,” the note said.

While the exact contents of the 15-minute movie, due to be released by March 31, are unknown, Wilders has said it will underscore his view that Islam’s holy book is “fascist.”

Dutch officials fear the movie could spark violent protests in Muslim countries, similar to those two years ago after the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper.

Wilders has said he will release his movie on the Internet after television stations refused to air it.

Wilders, who lives under police protection due to death threats, could not immediately be reached for comment Easter Sunday.

“How many ways are there left for me to be worked against?” he was quoted saying Saturday night by Dutch press agency ANP.

“If necessary, I’ll go hand out DVDs personally on the Dam,” he said, referring to Amsterdam’s central square.

Thousands demonstrated on the Dam against Wilders’ film Saturday in a protest intended to show that he does not represent the whole country.

Wilders heads a reactionary party with nine seats in the 150-member Dutch parliament, elected on an anti-immigration platform.

Network Solutions could not immediately be reached for comment. Its terms of service contains a sweeping prohibition against “objectionable material of any kind or nature.”

A Dutch court will hear a complaint lodged by Muslim groups seeking to bar Wilders from releasing the film March 28, but there is no legal barrier preventing Wilders from releasing his film before then.

It was not clear whether YouTube or other video sharing sites would be willing to host the movie.

Last month, YouTube was inaccessible globally for several hours after the government of Pakistan blocked it, citing what it said were offensive clips in which Wilders made denigrating remarks about Islam