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Seeing as I can still watch kids make backyard flamethrowers and attempt to break bottles over their heads, it's interesting that this is where YouTube chooses

Seeing as I can still watch kids make backyard flamethrowers and attempt to break bottles over their heads, it's interesting that this is where YouTube chooses to make a stand. Is this politically motivated, i.e. pro-gun control? If so, that is not good. The last thing I want my tech companies deciding is what constitutes free speech. This huge anti-Silicon Valley backlash has very dangerous unintended consequences.

King-Aaron 9y ago
> Is this politically motivated, i.e. pro-gun control? I like how this seems to be framed as something negative
- olliej 9y ago
  I think the comment was more along the lines of “did they block it because it purports to be education for children but it’s actually propaganda” which was last year’s “YT is evil” story :D
- bhhaskin 9y ago
  Censorship is always negative.
  - ogdoad 9y ago
    There is a point behind prohibiting "just about everyone" from having access to easy gunpowder. Consider how "just about everyone" includes anything from anti-social prankers to vengeful people with no concern for collateral, to plain `terrorists`.
    - bhhaskin 9y ago
      Gunpowder isn't some super secret formula. Anyone with basic chemistry knowledge can make it. I remember kids making it in high school chemistry class to make a black powder rocket.
olliej 9y ago
The real problem is that everything is so concentrated - YouTube blocking something functionally censors it completely. On the other hand 20 years ago such a channel couldn't even really exist. It would be more feasible if people were willing to pay for things like this, and that setting up such a payment system would be viable (yes I know that was what bitcoin was ostensibly meant to do) Alternatively I wrote this but decided it was too snarky but I don’t want to delete it: This is American dammit, we need to protect children from dangerous things like how to make gunpowder, kinder surprises, science, etc. Otherwise when will they find the time to play with their guns?

King-Aaron 9y ago

> Is this politically motivated, i.e. pro-gun control? I like how this seems to be framed as something negative

olliej 9y ago
I think the comment was more along the lines of “did they block it because it purports to be education for children but it’s actually propaganda” which was last year’s “YT is evil” story :D
bhhaskin 9y ago
Censorship is always negative.
- ogdoad 9y ago
  There is a point behind prohibiting "just about everyone" from having access to easy gunpowder. Consider how "just about everyone" includes anything from anti-social prankers to vengeful people with no concern for collateral, to plain `terrorists`.
  - bhhaskin 9y ago
    Gunpowder isn't some super secret formula. Anyone with basic chemistry knowledge can make it. I remember kids making it in high school chemistry class to make a black powder rocket.

olliej 9y ago

The real problem is that everything is so concentrated - YouTube blocking something functionally censors it completely. On the other hand 20 years ago such a channel couldn't even really exist. It would be more feasible if people were willing to pay for things like this, and that setting up such a payment system would be viable (yes I know that was what bitcoin was ostensibly meant to do) Alternatively I wrote this but decided it was too snarky but I don’t want to delete it: This is American dammit, we need to protect children from dangerous things like how to make gunpowder, kinder surprises, science, etc. Otherwise when will they find the time to play with their guns?