James Delahunty
28 Aug 2007 20:42
Once again Google Inc.'s YouTube service is once again being criticized for hosting content uploaded by its users that is considered offensive or inappropriate. This time, the video-sharing giant is taking fire for hosting clips that allegedly incite racial hatred. Report Mainz aired a program on German TV about the situation, which showed YouTube hosts videos such as "Jud Suess", a 1940 anti-Semitic propaganda film and music videos from outlawed German rock band Landser that depict Nazi military operations.
Social Democrat (SPD) parliamentarian Dieter Wiefelspuetz said distributing the clips on YouTube was scandalous and he was quoted as saying, "publishing these films amounts to aiding and abetting incitement of the people," - a potentially dangerous mindset to apply to a public user-driven video service like YouTube.
Germany's Central Council of Jews Vice President Salomon Korn is also considering pressing charges against Google Germany. German youth protection body Jugendschutz.net has apparently complained to Google Germany more than 100 times to remove the clips - some of which have been on the site for almost a year.
Source:
Reuters