YouTube has finally decided to axe those videos that encourage others to get involved in violence. Goodbye to videos that show people being beheaded, shot, amputated and even addresses by those who cultivate violence in others, a.k.a terrorists etc.
The Washington Post reports about the action being taken after Senator Joseph I. Lieberman termed the site to be very open to terrorists. YouTube had earlier removed various videos that were linked to terrorist organizations but it declined the senator’s demand of removing most of the videos that were on his list.
He had asked Google to track down such videos and also prevent them from being uploaded in order to maintain a check and balance on what media is shared across YouTube. To this Google had nothing save for the fact that it was impossible for it to maintain vigilance over the thousands of videos that users upload worldwide. Instead it relies on users to flag videos that have disturbing content and those that violate its Guidelines.
Many videos that are on Lieberman’s list remain on the site, YouTube called that its purpose is to encourage free speech and express their point of views:
While we respect and understand his [Lieberman's] views, YouTube encourages free speech and defends everyone’s right to express unpopular points of view…
Any video that has a bit of violence can very well incite others to do so and there is no way you can cut out the entire library of videos, I recall reading that an Indian girls committed suicide when she heard about the Large Hadron Collider project going into the working phase. Hadn’t this news incited terror and made someone commit violence upon her?
There are terrorist organizations working up and getting their hands at every modern bit of technology to get their message through. And the stance the senator takes can be widened to include videos on wars and speeches to encourage soldiers who are on for a battle. I guess Reyes puts it quite well:
We subscribe to the common sense rule. Our guidelines are not written for lawyers.
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[...] had earlier written about YouTube readying it to axe videos that incited violence upon the demand of Senator Joseph I. Lieberman who termed the site to be very open to terrorists. [...]