Google Apologise over YouTube ‘Rape’ Video

Google has been forced to explain why a three-minute video showing the alleged rape of a 25-year-old mother of one was hosted on their YouTube site and watched a massive 600 times, before it was taken down under the site’s graphic content policy.

The search engine giant was invited to explain their actions at the House of Commons to a Culture, Media and Sport committee, who are currently looking at the dangers that the internet can pose to children.

The film in question allegedly depicted the victim being sexually assaulted by three youths, after having her drink spiked. At the hearing, Google’s general counsel Kent Walker said: “I do not know exactly what happened, but it was a mistake.” However, he also explained that much content on the site was already screened and that items flagged as offensive by users were quickly deleted. He said: “Once flagged, more than 50 per cent is removed within half an hour; a large majority is removed within an hour.”

The rape video incident has led to further calls for tighter restrictions on the site. Despite this, Mr Walker believes a tighter screening process for the site would be ineffective, against the spirit of the internet and potentially stifling to creativity. He said: “If you tried to take that vast amount of content and pre-screen all of it, it's neither efficient nor effective and would burden the process of creativity.” However, Mr Walker’s pleas didn’t wash with MPs. Indeed, Paul Farrelly, Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, asked him: “Do you know how absurd you are sounding?”

These calls for tighter restrictions come just a week after the publication of a report commissioned by the Prime Minister, which said that that video sharing community sites like YouTube should seriously commit to the speedy removal of any violent or sexually explicit videos.

Source:

The Times
Daily Telegraph