Facebook Blocked in Pakistan Following "Draw Mohammad Day" Competition

By: Jillian C. York on 19 May 2010
Posted in United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Asia, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Hate speech, Political filtering, Social filtering, Overblocking

Last month, following controversy over Comedy Central's decision not to show a depiction of the prophet Mohammad on the popular TV show South Park, Seattle-based cartoonist Molly Norris came up with the idea for "Draw Mohammad Day," to assert the right to free speech.

Though Norris has since backed out of the project, a Facebook group and blog have emerged to support "Draw Mohammad Day" on May 20.

There has been significant response on Facebook itself, with a number of users planning to boycott or quit Facebook on May 20. And today it was announced that a Pakistani high court has ordered the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block Facebook until May 31, at which point a longer hearing will take place.

According to ONI sources, the individual page has also been blocked in the UAE, and calls have been made in other countries for government authorities to block the group, or Facebook in its entirety.