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There's a problem in the UK where people get splashed with acid. A UK kid made a prank out of it (using water instead to scare them) .. and Google banned his en

There's a problem in the UK where people get splashed with acid. A UK kid made a prank out of it (using water instead to scare them) .. and Google banned his entire YouTube channel. Was what he did stupid? Oh absolutely. Maybe he needed to be taught a lesson .. but now his entire channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers is gone, and so is the ad revenue .. and all the videos/content. Because of the dependence on that platform, Google can kill anything they deem unworthy. You could say, "Well so could television companies, or Netflix/Amazon Video," but you typically enter in a contract with those companies, and there's some degree of oversight on the content. Here people are giving YouTube their content, and then monetizing it only if/after they get popular.

ori_b 9y ago
> Was what he did stupid? Oh absolutely. Maybe he needed to be taught a lesson .. but now his entire channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers is gone, and so is the ad revenue .. and all the videos/content. Do you believe that the government would be more or less ok with allowing controversial content like that? I suspect that government regulation would make this problem worse, not better.
- stevenicr 9y ago
  Depends on which govt. I am no expert, but being a news junky the past few years I would think that Germany may side with censoring, and I would hope that the US would push for free speech above all else. The UK is looking at pushing google, visa/mc, and ISPs to choke anything sexually arousing online and then forcing blocks nationwide. Getting rid of religious stuff has been interesting the past couple of years. I am looking forward to more routers like the disney router to make these choices easier for households, and less about the portals relaying info posted by others. At the same time people should have easy access to unfiltered net as well. Too many groups pushing to censor millions of minds here and there. Govt could make it better, and of course they could make it worse. Can tech really give those choices to the adults to make for themselves?
- Slansitartop 9y ago
  >> Was what he did stupid? Oh absolutely. Maybe he needed to be taught a lesson .. but now his entire channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers is gone, and so is the ad revenue .. and all the videos/content. > Do you believe that the government would be more or less ok with allowing controversial content like that? I suspect that government regulation would make this problem worse, not better. In the US, the government would absolutely be OK with it. Protection of speech from government interference is one of the most fundamental and sacred cornerstones of US law.
jerkstate 9y ago
out of all of the examples I can think of for unjustly banned youtube content, that is one of the least compelling example I've ever heard of. I'm not a lawyer but that "prank" is almost certainly a crime.
oldcynic 9y ago
Seems like he got off lightly. Wouldn't be surprised if someone is looking if a prosecution is viable. Assault perhaps? First he's not "a kid", looks more like 18 - 22. So old enough to know better. Second there's something of an epidemic of acid attacks in London recently. So scare the shit out of random strangers for clicks n giggles. He should try his "humour" in an airport or on a copper - I'm sure he'd get plenty of extra views.
s73v3r_ 9y ago
I have no sympathy for that person. If you want to cite a reason why Google/YouTube should be regulated, that was not it.
Nux 9y ago
That kid should be grateful he was not put in a hospital, he got off lightly. Acid attacks are extremely, extremely horrible and damaging.

ori_b 9y ago

> Was what he did stupid? Oh absolutely. Maybe he needed to be taught a lesson .. but now his entire channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers is gone, and so is the ad revenue .. and all the videos/content. Do you believe that the government would be more or less ok with allowing controversial content like that? I suspect that government regulation would make this problem worse, not better.

stevenicr 9y ago
Depends on which govt. I am no expert, but being a news junky the past few years I would think that Germany may side with censoring, and I would hope that the US would push for free speech above all else. The UK is looking at pushing google, visa/mc, and ISPs to choke anything sexually arousing online and then forcing blocks nationwide. Getting rid of religious stuff has been interesting the past couple of years. I am looking forward to more routers like the disney router to make these choices easier for households, and less about the portals relaying info posted by others. At the same time people should have easy access to unfiltered net as well. Too many groups pushing to censor millions of minds here and there. Govt could make it better, and of course they could make it worse. Can tech really give those choices to the adults to make for themselves?
Slansitartop 9y ago
>> Was what he did stupid? Oh absolutely. Maybe he needed to be taught a lesson .. but now his entire channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers is gone, and so is the ad revenue .. and all the videos/content. > Do you believe that the government would be more or less ok with allowing controversial content like that? I suspect that government regulation would make this problem worse, not better. In the US, the government would absolutely be OK with it. Protection of speech from government interference is one of the most fundamental and sacred cornerstones of US law.

jerkstate 9y ago

out of all of the examples I can think of for unjustly banned youtube content, that is one of the least compelling example I've ever heard of. I'm not a lawyer but that "prank" is almost certainly a crime.

oldcynic 9y ago

Seems like he got off lightly. Wouldn't be surprised if someone is looking if a prosecution is viable. Assault perhaps? First he's not "a kid", looks more like 18 - 22. So old enough to know better. Second there's something of an epidemic of acid attacks in London recently. So scare the shit out of random strangers for clicks n giggles. He should try his "humour" in an airport or on a copper - I'm sure he'd get plenty of extra views.

s73v3r_ 9y ago

I have no sympathy for that person. If you want to cite a reason why Google/YouTube should be regulated, that was not it.

Nux 9y ago

That kid should be grateful he was not put in a hospital, he got off lightly. Acid attacks are extremely, extremely horrible and damaging.