After having its YouTube site blocked in Thailand due to videos considered offensive by the country's government, and facing the specter of a lawsuit over the matter, Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) executives can sleep a little better tonight: Thailand has dropped its lawsuit against the company. The Ministry of Information's decision came after Google agreed to remove the 12 offensive video clips, which depicted things like shoes with their soles directed towards the King, which is offensive in that country.
It's unclear exactly how Thailand would have enforced any judgment its courts gave it against the company and, frankly, I'm a little disappointed to see YouTube backing down on this matter. In a letter to the country's Ministry of Information, Google wrote that "We have the deepest respect for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. We likewise respect Thailand's law and tradition and hope that we will be able to reach a mutually acceptable resolution to the current controversy."
Couldn't YouTube have said, "We respect the King but we also respect free speech and are committed to promoting these values"? It's not the first time Google has backed down in a free speech right. It also agreed to censor its site for China, removing references to events the government there considers offensive.
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