Homeland Security chairman says Google is violating its own standards.Connecticut Independent Joe Lieberman called on Google May
19 to immediately remove videos produced by terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda.
Readily available on Google's YouTube, the videos show assassinations, deaths
of U.S.
soldiers and civilians, weapons training and incendiary speeches by al-Qaeda
leadership.
In a letter to Google Chairman and CEO
Eric Schmidt, Lieberman said the videos could be easily identified since most
carry al-Qaeda logos. Lieberman, chairman of the Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Committee, urged Google to enforce its own community
standards against videos that show gratuitous violence or people getting
"hurt, attacked or humiliated."
A Google spokesman told eWEEK that Lieberman's staff
contacted Google last week about the issue. In response, Google removed more
than 80 videos violating the company's policy against violent videos and hate
speech. However, the spokesman noted, YouTube users upload 10 hours of video
every hour, 24 hours a day.
"There are just so many videos we can't
prescreen," the spokesman said. The spokesman said it is up to YouTube
users to flag objectionable material. Once the YouTube community flags
material, YouTube staff determines if the videos meet meet YouTube standards.
"Islamist terrorist organizations use YouTube to
disseminate their propaganda, enlist followers and provide weapons
training," Lieberman said in the letter. "YouTube also, unwittingly,
permits Islamist terrorist groups to maintain an active, pervasive and
amplified voice, despite military setbacks or successful operations by the law
enforcement and intelligence communities."
If Video Shows Someone Getting Hurt, Attacked or Humiliated, Don't Post
According to a report just issued by Lieberman's committee,
Islamist terrorist organizations rely extensively on the Internet to attract
supporters. The report details how al-Qaeda operates a multitiered online
media operation that plays a "significant role in the process of
radicalization, the end point of which is the planning and execution of a terrorist
attack."
In the letter to Schmidt, Lieberman notes that Google posts
community guidelines for the posting of videos that state, "[g]raphic or
gratuitous violence is not allowed. If
your video shows someone getting hurt, attacked, or humiliated, don't post
it."
In addition to requesting Google pull the videos, Lieberman
also asked Schmidt to explain what measures Google plans to make in the future
to address violent extremist material.
"Protecting our citizens from terrorist attacks is a
top priority for our government," Lieberman wrote. "The private
sector can help us do that. By taking action to curtail the use of YouTube to
disseminate the goals and methods of those who wish to kill innocent civilians,
Google will make a singularly important contribution to this important national
effort."
But in a YouTube blog post May 19, Google said it had no
plans to remove all videos mentioning or featuring terrorist groups,
particularly nonviolent postings.
"Senator Lieberman stated his belief that all videos
mentioning or featuring these groups should be removed from YouTubeeven
legal nonviolent or nonhate speech videos," the blog post states.
"While we respect and understand his views, YouTube encourages free speech
and defends everyone's right to express unpopular points of view."
| | Reader Comments: Senator Asks Google to Can Terrorist Videos | | >>> Post your comment now!
| | End of civil liberties started in 1968Those who can't remember the past are doomed to relive it over and over. The start of removing civil liberties of the American people started in 1968... Posted At: 05-21-08 By: chip | | | | | | Free Speech or notIt seems to me that Homeland Security is a little bit like the SS of just a few years ago, we could call them the HS. With the broad sweeping... Posted At: 05-21-08 By: Scott | | | | | | A user comment on this articleThis is very simple. There is white and black, right and wrong. They are either good or bad. So remove all the videos, whether they talk nicely or... Posted At: 05-21-08 By: Anonymous | | | | | | Easy to say until it's your familyIf one of the images was your family member you would be outraged and singing a different tune. Just the fact that it shows another person being... Posted At: 05-21-08 By: Wade Chandler | | | | | | There are some limits to free speechThere are some limits to free speech. The Constitution and case precedent allows for certain kinds of limits to the freedom of speech. I know it is... Posted At: 05-21-08 By: friend9 | | | | | | Here We Go AgainThis is another attack on our civil liberties. Joseph Lieberman's attack on free speech needs to be countered. Instead of writing here we should... Posted At: 05-21-08 By: Mark | | | | | | Freedom of speechIf somebody or group wants to post anything they should be allowed to do so.
But be aware by allowing this posting will allow the intelligence... Posted At: 05-21-08 By: chip | | | | | | >>> Post your comment now! | | | | | |
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