Police chief to discuss web 'smut' words with Etisalat

Monday, 11 May 2009 12:51 PM

INTERNET SMUT: Dubai chief of police is meeting Etisalat officials in the next two weeks to discuss the 500 banned words. (Getty Images)

The chief of Dubai’s police said on Monday he would be meeting with Etisalat officials later this month, to discuss the 500-strong list of offensive words that will be used to block access to internet sites.

Speaking exclusively to Arabian Business Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim said that he would be meeting with the telecoms provider in the next two weeks.

He added that Etisalat, the UAE's largest telecoms provider, had compiled the list of words, not the police, or the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, as had been previously reported.

“The 500 words were composed by Etisalat not by me. I will talk to Etisalat in the next two weeks,” Tamim said on the sidelines of the Arab Media Conference in Dubai.

The 500 word list came to light last month when it emerged that the deputy chief of police had met with a Google official in Dubai to discuss their use as a means to bar internet searches.

It is part of a plan to protect the UAE's young people from "pornographic" and "anti-religious" content on Google and YouTube, Tamim added at the time.

What words make up the list is still unknown, but they are described by Tamim as “smut” words.

“These (500) terms open the door into the smut in the cyberspace bringing in devastating effect on the young generation as the studies had shown,” he said in a statement published by state news agency WAM said on April 13.

Google, the world's largest search engine, has denied it is in the process of drawing up a censorship plan for the UAE.

Etisalat were not immediately available for comment.

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Posted by: Khalid Saturday, 13 June 2009 3:17 AM[UAE]

Actually this is just the start of Tamim's commendable campaign of reform. To reach the highest form of society, we need to ban internet altogether, which is Tamim's next step. Only then will we be able to eradicate vice altogether. This guy is a genius.

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Posted by: Harry Winston Friday, 12 June 2009 10:09 PM[UAE]

DP should stick to policing the real world and not the internet. Only child pornography should be their jurisdiction so they can focus on these two words. Leave the rest to the TRA and parents.

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Posted by: Ali Friday, 12 June 2009 3:58 PM[UAE] - UAE

1. The effort of DP is apreciated in protecting the culture, but some "realiies" in the streets and hotels need to be monitored as well. 2. Internet access can't be blocked. There are many ways of bypassing Etisalat. 3. Google's interest, of course, is making money out of the whole issue. So watch out.

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Posted by: MHD Tuesday, 12 May 2009 11:08 AM[UAE] - UAE

If you are targeting the youth, if you are saying that DONT do that, DONT do this, DONT See this.... then they will have the urge to know more about it; to see it..... You cannot control the youth using this keywords/ blocking some sites. Big threats here in dubai are violation of traffic laws, tinted glass usage...While driving on Emirates road, I was around 110KM speed, in the fast track, I have seen a bike rider was trying to overtake me, he is crossing Yellow track to overtake, I immediately looked into the right side mirror, a landcruiser with glossy tinted glass passed me with more than 200KM spead I believe. I was not able to see the road for almost 10 secs because of the glare. After 10 secs I realized that I reached in 2nd track and the traffic going smoothly. If im turning/stop my car to any side then atleast 3 drivers will get killed including me. The authorities have to think about this... how this can be solved.

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Posted by: Christopher Tuesday, 12 May 2009 8:31 AM[UAE] - UAE

One must appreciate the efforts put up by Etisalat and Dubai police to control the young minds getting into the act of watching pornography and non religious things on the web. In my opinion they are wasting their time, in this modern world where the technology has taken over the values and traditions, it?s highly impossible until and unless you ban internet and mobile phones. Mobile phones are the most dangerous then the internet, one can use SMS for the foul language, MMS to watch dirty pictures, Bluetooth to get an access to others phone and finally arrange a meeting just calling the number?

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