The Afghan government plans to institute censorship of certain websites in the country, according to a Reuters (News - Alert) report. The country’s minister said it will block Internet sites with sexual or violent content but has denied that its plans were an attempt at censorship or that it would include the Taliban’s website.

The government in Afghanistan said it plans to clarify its new restrictions on news coverage of Taliban strikes. This announcement came after the receipt of widespread criticism of the plan by media rights groups and some of its most important allies, including the United States.

Journalists were summoned by Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS (News - Alert)) earlier this week to outline the new restrictions. A day later, the government hinted it is considering scaling back some of the more draconian measures.

According to Information and Culture Minister Sayed Makhdoom Raheen, the new Internet bans were not linked to media freedom issues. 'We have specified that four sites which announce sexual issues, drug trafficking and cultivation, violence issues -- like making bombs and gambling -- must be banned,' he told Reuters. 'There were complaints from the families and the intention is to stop the seduction of the youth generation.”

The communication ministry is currently working with Internet providers to impose the ban, although Raheen has not ordered a ban on a website the Taliban uses. This site regularly shows footage of Taliban attacks such as suicide raids. It also includes military and political statements.

Even with these objections from the ministry over attempts to block the Taliban site, it has not been possible to gain access to the site for several days. The Taliban has openly criticized this movement as censorship and attempted restrictions of television coverage of the attacks. The group claims its site has been blocked.

According to Raheen, the government has not yet drawn up the guidelines for coverage of the attacks. The NDS has threatened to arrest anyone filming while attacks are taking place, yet President Hamid Karzai's spokesman promised the guidelines would not amount to 'censorship.'

The government claims the goal of this initiative is to prevent insurgents from using live media reports to get tactical information. It also aims to keep journalists out of danger at the scene of violence.

TMC (News - Alert) reported earlier this week that Senate leaders took U.S. technology companies to task on Tuesday for succumbing to pressure by overseas governments to censor or block Internet sites in countries like Iran or China.

In Canada, a paper released by the Canadian International Council argued Canada must strike a balance between its broader political and economic interests in China and open criticism of China's human rights policies, Internet censorship and computer espionage abroad.