Should YouTube Ban Violent Videos?

YouTube has taken a sharp change in its content control position, agreeing to ban any video content that “incites other to violence.”

Site execs agreed to the change following an ongoing effort from Senator Joseph Lieberman. Lieberman had pointed out the high number of terrorist-affiliated videos on the site, many of which even had Al Qaeda logos stamped in the corners, and demanded the clips be removed.

Initially, YouTube shot the senator’s request down, as the videos didn’t technically violate the site’s terms of use. (They didn’t show graphic violence, even if they suggested it.) Representatives said they didn’t prescreen videos, instead banking on the site’s user flagging system to mark out any inappropriate submissions. A statement also raised the issue of free speech:

“While we respect and understand [Lieberman's] views, YouTube encourages free speech and defends everyone’s right to express unpopular points of view.”

Now, though, YouTube has revisited its terms of use and left open the door to subjective decisions on what content might be considered “inciting others to violence.” A spokesperson told the Washington Post the site will follow the “common sense rule” when deciding whether or not to remove a video.

It’s that ever-fine line between free speech and national security, and it’s never an easy answer. In agreeing to remove the Al Qaeda content, YouTube may have also opened the door to subjectively censoring other content that may or may not pose any real danger. Did they make the right decision?

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