YouTube has announced an update to its harassment policies that will protect users from race-, gender identity-, and sexual orientation-based discrimination.
YouTube Vice President Matt Halprin released a statement on Wednesday (December 11) regarding the update.
“[YouTube] will not longer allow content that maliciously insults someone based on protected attributes such as their race, gender expression, or sexual orientation,” the statement reads. “This applies to every, from private individuals, to YouTube creators, to public officials.”
The policy will also ban “veiled or implied threats,” including “content simulating violence toward an individual or language suggesting physical violence may occur.”
This update comes more than six months after out journalist Carlos Maza criticized the video platform for ignoring conservative commentator Steven Crowder’s racist and homophobic harassment. YouTube responded by demonetizing Crowder’s channel.
However, Maza has criticized the harassment policy update, saying that demonetization “doesn’t work” and calling the content policy “vague.”
TL;DR: YouTube loves to manage PR crises by rolling out vague content policies they don't actually enforce.
These policies only work if YouTube is willing to take down its most popular rule-breakers. And there's no reason, so far, to believe that it is.
— Carlos Maza (@gaywonk) December 11, 2019