Senator Lieberman's staff identified numerous videos that they believed violated YouTube's Community Guidelines. In response to his concerns, we examined and ended up removing a number of videos from the site, primarily because they depicted gratuitous violence, advocated violence, or used hate speech. Most of the videos, which did not contain violent or hate speech content, were not removed because they do not violate our Community Guidelines. Senator Lieberman stated his belief, in a letter sent today, that all videos mentioning or featuring these groups should be removed from YouTube -- even legal nonviolent or non-hate speech videos.
I'm not a big fan of YouTube, though I'll freely admit that my abivalence is based on the very reason why YouTube is also such a valuable resource. The reality is the 99.94% of everything posted on YouTube is total crap, but as a medium for creativity and communcation, it's unparalleled. Yes, most of what you'll find on YouTube IS total crap, but the beautiful thing is that no one gives a tinker's damn about my opinion. On YouTube, everyone can pretend to be Martin Scorcese or Brian DePalma...even if no one else on the planet happens to share that self-assessment.
Another beautiful thing about YouTube is that it's about freedom- of speech, of expression, of communication. Like any community, there are rules, but they're generally minimally invasive and designed to ensure that everyone gets along. I doubt you'll get much of an argument that videos which depict "gratuitous violence, advocated violence, or used hate speech" have no place among a community of well-meaning people. Sen. Joe LIEberman, though, seems to have no problem with taking things one step further in demanding that YouTube remove any and "all videos mentioning or featuring these [terrorist] groups should be removed from YouTube -- even legal nonviolent or non-hate speech videos".
Free speech? Don't you know there's a war on? Do you REALLY want to be seen as giving aid and comfort to those who would destroy our way of life??
Yes, that's right, y'all; in order to save our democracy and freedom of speech and expression, Sen. LIEberman would destroy them. Never mind the fact that the mere discussion of controversial ideas such as terrorism and radical Islamofascism is not the threat here. The real threat is provided by people like Sen. LIEberman, who seeks to exploit our fears and uncertainty for the advancement of his own political agenda.
And to think that this troglodyte was a few hanging Florida chads away from being one heartbeat removed from the Presidency...and I voted for him. Well, no; actually I voted for Al Gore. Sen. LIEberman, as it turns out, was one of those decisions that I'd imagine Gore would consider a HUGE mistake. LIEberman, a Democrat In Name Only, will, with any luck will be politically neutered after Election Day- when Democrats will no longer need him to ensure the survival of their currently razor-thin majority.
While we respect and understand his views, YouTube encourages free speech and defends everyone's right to express unpopular points of view. We believe that YouTube is a richer and more relevant platform for users precisely because it hosts a diverse range of views, and rather than stifle debate we allow our users to view all acceptable content and make up their own minds. Of course, users are always free to express their disagreement with a particular video on the site, by leaving comments or their own response video. That debate is healthy.
We appreciate Senator Lieberman alerting us to videos that violated our policies -- and encourage our users to continue to do the same through the flagging tool. And while we disagree with him about the details of our policies, we respect his views and thank him for giving us the chance to respond to his concerns.
(Translation: will someone PLEASE take this pointy-headed, anti-democratic troll out back and beat the $#!% out of him...or at the very least knock some sense into him? Jeebus Krispix, sheeple; it's called the Bill of Rights for a reason, knowhutimean??)
It makes me sick to think that a man who, if there was any justice in this world, would now be Vice President, would openly and unabashedly advocate for the curtailment of the freedom of speech and expression...two things expressly provided to ALL Americans by the Bill of Rights.
YouTube is NOT the problem here. Anti-democratic, knee-jerk fear-mongers like LIEberman are...and he ought to be ashamed of himself.
