Video of hate is STILL on Youtube
Online site ‘is failing in duty to stop terrorists’
THE shocking jihadi recruitment video featuring British student Nasser Muthana was still on YouTube last night.
Although the original clip posted on Friday by Islamist militant group ISIS appeared to have been removed, copies posted by other YouTube users were still available.
A Labour MP said bosses at the video sharing site, which is owned by Google, were failing in their duty to help stop terror fanatics.
Paul Flynn said: ‘They should be hauled before someone to account for themselves. They are as rich as Croesus – they have made huge sums of money.
‘Now they should have the decency and the responsibility to act. We want to see them act as swiftly as possible.
‘I want to appeal to their better nature, struggling to escape their greedy nature. They should examine their consciences.
‘I’m sure these people have no idea what harm they are doing.
‘Videos which endorse violence and racial enmity should be taken down.
‘The laws against those who stir up religious hatred and racial enmity exist, it’s a question of applying them.’
YouTube insists its guidelines prohibit
Sophisticated social
media strategy
‘gratuitous violence, dangerous and illegal activities, inciting others to commit violent acts, and brandishing weapons’.
The site acts swiftly in copyright issues, removing videos such as music tracks which are posted online without permission.
ISIS has deployed a sophisticated social media strategy to promote jihad through YouTube and other sites.
Since its military offensive began on June 9, a string of Twitter accounts claiming to represent the group in Iraq and Syria have been active in providing live updates on the group’s operations and images illustrating their advances.
Although the accounts have not been officially endorsed by ISIS, they have been widely promoted as official regional accounts by the group’s many online supporters, issuing photos and statements to highlight its military strength and territorial advances in Iraq.
On June 15, images were uploaded of what appeared to be dozens of captured Iraqi security personnel along with threats and messages to surrounding towns warning residents of the group’s approach.
The photos included the apparent capture, transport and ultimate killing of the soldiers. The material went viral on the internet and was widely shared by ISIS supporters.
In its Twitter feed, ISIS gives extensive details of its operations, including the number of bombings, suicide missions and assassinations it has carried out and the names of checkpoints and towns it controls.
The group also produces professional promotional videos and urges support for its ‘one billion campaign’, which calls on Muslims to post messages, photos and videos of support on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
In an attempt to limit the impact of ISIS’s social media campaign, the Iraqi government has blocked Facebook, Twitter and other platforms.
Twitter has also taken some steps to suspend accounts, including an ISIS member who tweeted images of an amputation in February. But other accounts quickly spring up.
Last night a YouTube spokesman said: ‘YouTube has clear policies prohibiting violent content or content intended to incite violence, and we remove videos violating these policies when flagged by our users. We also terminate any account registered by a member of a designated foreign terrorist organisation and used in an official capacity to further its interests.
‘We allow videos posted with a clear news or documentary purpose to remain on YouTube, applying warnings and agerestrictions as appropriate.’
A Twitter spokesman said it did not actively monitor content on the platform but its rules ‘prohibited the publication or posting of direct, specific threats of violence against others or any unlawful use’.
He added: ‘We don’t comment on individual accounts.’