It’s unclear which rules the channels had broken, though, or even which ones have been taken down....
The news: YouTube has disabled 210 channels, writing in a blog post they had “behaved in a coordinated manner while uploading videos related to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong.”
The reasoning: YouTube said its action “was consistent with recent observations and actions related to China announced by Facebook and Twitter.” The two companies announced earlier this week that they’d suspended nearly 1,000 accounts thought to be part of a Chinese government operation to spread disinformation about the protests in Hong Kong. YouTube said it had detected the use of VPNs and other methods to disguise the origin of the accounts, as well as other activity usually associated with “coordinated influence operations.”
Vague details: In many ways, YouTube’s post raises more questions than it answers. Are these accounts being closed because they’re posting disinformation? Or because they are coordinating with each other? The post didn’t provide any examples of accounts that have been removed, or the sort of videos they were posting. There’s a risk that the company could appear to be selectively applying (unspecified) rules.
Double standards: YouTube’s decision raises another, obvious question: If it can remove these accounts so quickly, why can’t it do more to stop the far right and white extremists from using its platform to spread radicalizing views, or to crack down on conspiracy-theory accounts?
Sign up here for our daily newsletter The Download to get your dose of the latest must-read news from the world of emerging tech.
Desperate Venezuelans are making money by training AI for self-driving cars
Growing competition to develop self-driving cars—and the high stakes of getting things right—have created new crowdworking platforms that could be a lifeline for desperate workers.
Why you shouldn’t fear the gray tsunami
Many worry that aging populations will doom the world economy and make life miserable for everyone. Here’s why that’s wrong.
01.
What if aging weren’t inevitable, but a curable disease?
If this controversial idea gains acceptance, it could radically change the way we treat getting old.
02.
“Old age” is made up—and this concept is hurting everyone
Products designed for older people reinforce a bogus image of them as passive and feeble.
03.
Why are products for older people so ugly?
As the market for products aimed at older users explodes, some entrepreneurs are turning to a radical idea: actually get the customers involved.
Advertisement