Video sharing platform YouTube has announced it will "specifically prohibit" user-generated content that alleges a group of people is superior to another and any videos that deny well-known violent events, like the Holocaust and Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, happened.
The , released on Thursday morning by the Google-owned company, specifically named videos that promote or glorify Nazi Ideology as a category that would be targeted in the new policy.
"We're taking another step in our hate speech policy by specifically prohibiting videos alleging that a group is superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion based on qualities like age, gender, race, caste, religion, sexual orientation or veteran status," it read.
The Christchurch shooter live-streamed his violent attack on social media. Source: AAP
The announcement is the latest in a series of tech moves to filter out violent and hateful content, an when a terrorist lived-streamed his shooting rampage against Muslim worshippers in Christchurch, New Zealand, which left 51 people dead.
Social media platforms also came under fire in April, when in the wake of the Notre Dame fire a series of fake videos were released .
One doctored video purported to show Muslim people 'laughing' in reaction to a video of the cathedral burning, and another which had unrelated audio of people shouting "Allahu Akbar" edited over the top.
YouTube and other platforms have also been seen as havens for conspiracy theorists denying Holocaust or the 11 September attacks and for Nazi and white supremacist groups.
Earlier this year, social media giant Facebook announced it would ban praise or support for white nationalism, as US President Donald Trump claimed social media companies are suppressing conservative voices.
In Wednesday's statement, YouTube team said it would also seek to limit the spread of content that is "borderline" and misinformation, including from 'flat earthers' (people that believe the world is flat).
"Our systems are also getting smarter about what types of videos should get this treatment, and we’ll be able to apply it to even more borderline videos moving forward," they said.
For videos that fall into this category, YouTube said it will continue to promote content from trusted news sources, for example, in the watch next panel.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks white supremacists and other extremist groups, said the ban will only be effective if YouTube enforces it.
"As with other outlets before it, YouTube's decision to remove hateful content depends on its ability to enact and enforce policies and procedures that will prevent this content from becoming a global organizing tool for the radical right," the group's intelligence director Heidi Beirich said.
"Tech companies must proactively tackle the problem of hateful content that is easily found on their platforms before it leads to more hate-inspired violence."
YouTube did not disclose the names of any groups or channels that may be banned.
With AFP
