This is the second time within the past year that YouTube has come under fire for a new regulation to its platform.
Last week, YouTube added new restrictions to its restricted mode. Restricted mode is intended to function as a way for anyone younger than 18 or institutions to use YouTube without being met with explicit content.
Nobody wants to stumble upon a risqué music video while in middle school nor does any parent want their child to be able to view anything pornographic. I’m still a little baffled that any pornographic content passed YouTube’s video regulations to begin with, but it’s there.
The new wave of restrictions has created a backlash for YouTube, though. And it’s not a good one. I was initially offended and flabbergasted that LGBT content was being flagged as necessary for restriction, especially the videos that were innocent except for the fact that they were published by LGBT users.
As I began to do research into the issue, I learned that YouTube has taken measures to apologize and confess that it had mistakenly flagged many videos to be restricted that were not meant to be.
YouTube claims that the systems do the flagging, but it is curious so many LGBT videos were flagged to begin with.
This is to be expected if they all contained explicit material or inappropriate language, but many did not. While YouTube is working on training the systems to not automatically flag videos, the videos flagged as restricted are not able to make any money off of ads. To those of us who are viewers, this is not a big deal because we are not the ones who make a living off of making YouTube videos.
Not only are members of the LGBT community being restricted, but many channels that showcase video games have been restricted as well.
On the plus side of all of this, it does not seem that restricted mode is the default. It can be turned on or off by the institution or parents who control the channel. This can still be tricky for children who are questioning their sexuality or identity and live in a household where this type of questioning is not tolerated. This is one of the big reasons why YouTube is reconsidering the filter for restricted videos.
I think it’s great that YouTube is apologizing and fixing this issue, but I wonder if it would have been done if artists and users did not lash out against the platform.
I want to give YouTube the benefit of the doubt and believe that it would have been realized sooner rather than later.
YouTube is becoming such an important resource for adolescents. I really hope YouTube keeps its promise and regulates the restricted mode better for those who have no choice but to view in restricted mode.
mmgarbac@umail.iu.edu
