State of the YouTube: YouTube’s half-hearted shrug against harassment makes no one happy

by Tanner Kinney Another day, another problem for massive video-sharing giant YouTube. It seems like every few months, the platform gets itself wrapped up in another controversy. Sometimes it can be controversies created by the platform itself, other times it’ll be controversies connected to YouTube. For the low-level grunts running the social media accounts and dealing with customer service, it has to be frustrating getting so many awful things airdropped in out of nowhere, then being forced to deal with the consequences because upper-management is too busy figuring out new ways to promote up-and-coming stars like Jimmy Fallon or Will Smith. Oh, that’s not-so-hot, is it? Well, unfortunately for YouTube they found themselves in scalding hot water once again. And unlike the last few times, this case can truly set a precedent for the future of the platform.

Crowder v. Maza, featuring vicious indifference

a video detailing numerous cases where Crowder used derogatory language to insult Maza

That being said, I'm not mad at Crowder. There will always be monsters in the world. I'm f**king p*ssed at @YouTube, which claims to support its LGBT creators, and has explicit policies against harassment and bullying: https://t.co/K9XJGAP7Xp pic.twitter.com/4GUfTDuOXS

— Carlos Maza (@gaywonk) May 31, 2019

demonetizing LGBT content in the past

okay hello yes my issue isn't actually with Youtube TV, apologies. it is with repeated targeted homophobic bullying on your platform as evidenced below. why do you allow this harassment on your platform?https://t.co/npiS3RX88H

— Shaun (@shaun_jen) May 31, 2019

quoted Crowder’s personal video on Twitter another Tweet from Shaun “apology video”

(4/4) Even if a video remains on our site, it doesn’t mean we endorse/support that viewpoint.

There are other aspects of the channel that we’re still evaluating– we’ll be in touch with any further updates. — TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) June 4, 2019

technically something

A literal swedish nazi had one of my videos taken down by abusing your horrible system, but you won't punish a channel where a mug salesman commands an audience of millions to harass a gay journalist

Just in awe at how little youtube functions or cares on any level https://t.co/deYWfvQMGt — Hbomb (@Hbomberguy) June 5, 2019

YouTube’s dangerous dilemma

before

If @YouTube is now going to police insulting speech -- not violent speech, not incitement, not actual fake news -- because a virulently censorious, radical activist masquerading as a journalist complains about being insulted, they're a joke.

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) June 5, 2019

video essay he did recently

The defense of “comedy”

Notice how this entire story never labels @scrowder a comedian. Which is, of course, rather important for interpreting his words. https://t.co/pMRtHPhf4v

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) June 5, 2019

that

What’s your call, YouTube?

PR department is currently in flames

I really haven't seen anything as depressing as this whole affair in quite a while. As long as harassment and bigotry are profitable, LGBTQ+ creators are just deemed to suffer at the end of it or are forced of the platform. https://t.co/jvXRhM5Ij3

— Dan Arrows ↙️↙️↙️ (@_DanArrows) June 5, 2019

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