YouTube admits it has a Neo-Nazi problem
LUTON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 05: Members of the English Defence League demonstrate in front of police on February 5, 2011 in Luton, England. A counter demonstration was held by the Unite Against Fascism group in the town centre with over 1000 police drafted in from a number of forces from across the country. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
A series of fascist hate videos have been found on the platform, leading to concerns over whether YouTube and other social media platforms are doing enough to tackle the disturbing emergence of the alt-right.
A BBC investigation identified 99 videos and one channel which were potentially in violation of local laws as well as YouTube’s own rules.
The company, which prohibits “content that promotes violence against or has the primary purpose of inciting hatred against individuals or groups based on certain attributes”, have banned the use of the platform to promote hate speech.
However, videos called the likes of Fire up the Ovens by a band called the Bully Boys have proved that the streaming service is still being used by Neo-Nazis to spread racial hatred.
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The problem also recently emerged on Spotify.
38 fascist bands spouting hate-fuelled lyrics were removed from the website after a report uncovered their existence.
“We do not allow videos that incite hatred on YouTube and work hard to remove infringing content quickly, through flagging and through advances in technology,” said the channel to the BBC.
“We know there’s more to do here and we’re committed to getting better. We’re making progress in our fight to prevent the abuse of our services, including hiring more people and investing in machine learning technology… we also support creators who promote tolerance on their YouTube channels.”
Britain First’s Jayda Fransen and Paul Golding were suspended by Twitter in the purge.
Since then, they have also been arrested for hate crime and are serving an 18-week sentence in prison.
