Google urged: Delete ‘vile’ anti-Semitic videos from YouTube platform
Jewish community leaders tell web giant to immediately remove more than 200 racist videos – that make money for those posting them.
Google has been urged to immediately remove “vile” anti-Semitic videos from its YouTube video platform – that make money for those posting them.
Dozens of brands including Havas, one of the world’s biggest advertising agencies, have already pulled UK clients out of Google’s advertising network following revelations in The Times that taxpayers and big brands were funding antisemitic videos through adverts.
More than 200 anti-Semitic videos are thought to be hosted on YouTube.
Marie van der Zyl, vice president of the Boards of Deputies, said: “These shocking and vile videos are packed with anti-Semitic tropes. They accuse Jews of murdering Christian children to use their blood in matzah – the classic blood libel; they accuse Jews of promoting paedophilia; they accuse Jews owning the world’s governments and media and they accuse Jews of being parasites. To say the videos promote racial hatred would be a massive understatement.”
Typically, those who post videos receive up to $7.60 per 1,000 views that an advert attracts. Some of the most popular extremist clips on YouTube have nearly one million hits and have existed on the site for a number of years.
As a result, the internet giant is facing growing criticism from MPs and campaigners, who have called for websites to face fines for failing to remove offensive material.
Van der Zyl added: “In its recent report, the Community Security Trust noted that 22% of anti-Semitic incidents in 2016 took place on social media. Therefore, more needs to be done by social media companies themselves to monitor and take action against online hate.
“YouTube would be acting irresponsibly if it knowingly allowed such material to appear on its platform. They must be taken down immediately and YouTube must do everything in its power to remove any others with similar content.”
Google has indicated that it relies on the public to report offensive YouTube videos, because the quantity of footage it hosts means it cannot proactively police the site.
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