Google Will Not Remove Anti-Muslim Video From YouTube Despite WH Request for Review

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Google ruled on the side of free speech on Friday, announcing it will not remove a controversial anti-Muslim video from YouTube despite being pressured by the Obama administration to review the clip and see if it violates the site's terms of service.

"We work hard to create a community everyone can enjoy and which also enables people to express different opinions," a YouTube spokeswoman said in a statement. "This can be a challenge because what's OK in one country can be offensive elsewhere. This video — which is widely available on the Web — is clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube."

The statement continued: "However, we've restricted access to it in countries where it is illegal such as India and Indonesia, as well as in Libya and Egypt given the very sensitive situations in these two countries."

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney confirmed to Politico in an email that the White House reached out to Google about the video on Tuesday.

"The White House asked YouTube to review the video to see if it was in compliance with their terms of use," Carney wrote.

The clip in question contains scenes from a low-budget film called "Innocence of Muslims." The film depicts the Muslim prophet Muhammad as a moronic adulterer who approves of sexually abusing children, among other things.

Crowds allegedly angry the YouTube clip have assaulted U.S. embassies across the Middle East. However, others have suggested that radical Islamists are merely using the controversial film as cover to carry out attacks and violent protests.