Disney, Nestle, Epic Games pull ads from YouTube after reports of site facilitating child sex ring

[Linkura]

I noticed the original thread for this was locked, and the mods in it said a new thread could be made when there is more news. Well, there's some more news. Mods, feel free to edit/lock as you wish.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...be-ads-amid-concerns-over-child-video-voyeurs

Walt Disney Co. is said to have pulled its advertising spending from YouTube, joining other companies including Nestle SA, after a blogger detailed how comments on Google's video site were being used to facilitate a "soft-core pedophilia ring." Some of the videos involved ran next to ads placed by Disney and Nestle.

All Nestle companies in the U.S. have paused advertising on YouTube, a spokeswoman for the company said Wednesday in an email. Video game maker Epic Games Inc. and German packaged food giant Dr. August Oetker KG also said they had postponed YouTube spending after their ads were shown to play before the videos. Disney has also withheld its spending, according to people with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be identified because the decision hasn't been made public.

On Sunday, Matt Watson, a video blogger, posted a 20-minute clip detailing how comments on YouTube were used to identify certain videos in which young girls were in activities that could be construed as sexually suggestive, such as posing in front of a mirror and doing gymnastics. Watson's video demonstrated how, if users clicked on one of the videos, YouTube's algorithms recommended similar ones. By Wednesday, Watson's video had been viewed more than 1.7 million times.

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Google really making sure that they totally kill their original "do no evil" mantra.

 

[SageShinigami]

Let's GO! Come get this L for not doing your proper due diligence and allowing all this fuck shit, YouTube.

 

[MinusTydus]

Let this lead to the YouTube comments section being permanently shut down. If this doesn't do it, then nothing ever will.

Please, God.

 

[FreezePeach]

Let this lead to the YouTube comments section being permanently shut down.

Please, God.

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I cant imagine that world.

 

[Linkura]

Shit, forgot to include the word "child" before "sex ring" in the title.

 

[Slayven]

Shit got real, watch they suddenly can moderate videos now

 

[Taco_Human]

Make youtube squirm, take that ad money out.

 

[darkwing]

good, this can't be allowed to continue or work with the police

 

[Spinluck]

Google really is on some bullshit lately huh?

They were well on their way to ruining Youtube, but this... Really.

Good on those companies.

 

[Dalek]

Good.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Stop comments, stop autoplay, or create a less aggressive recommendation algorithm? What are the options here?

 

[Deleted member 32561]

I can't say I even knew this was a thing, I only knew about, like, adults doing ASMR or something. I guess that goes to show how deep it runs that it can go unnoticed for so long.

I hate that it takes other big corporations for websites to moderate themselves, but if this is what it takes...

 

[timrtabor123]

When fucking Nestle has the moral high ground you know you fucked up.

 

[Alwayscrazybacon]

Let this lead to the YouTube comments section being permanently shut down. If this doesn't do it, then nothing ever will.

Please, God.

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Nothing of value will be lost.

 

[PSqueak]

Good luck trying to separate your brand from youtube Epic, after that Rewind that is.

 

[Linkura]

When fucking Nestle has the moral high ground you know you fucked up.

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lmao seriously

 

[TemplaerDude]

Well, YouTube only cares about money so they'll probably have to do something I guess.

 

[Deleted member 19844]

Stop comments, stop autoplay, or create a less aggressive recommendation algorithm? What are the options here?

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I think another thing to add to this is for users to report this stuff (whether reporting videos that are exploitative or reporting commenters doing creepy things in otherwise innocuous videos).

The task of moderation on such a vast scale is daunting (thousands of hours of content uploaded every hour), but if they value money, which they do, they'll figure something out.

 

[TheUnseenTheUnheard]

Let this lead to the YouTube comments section being permanently shut down. If this doesn't do it, then nothing ever will.

Please, God.

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Yes kill the only sense of community on YouTube. There are a lot of bad people and many people who leave crap comments but as a creator I think I would miss comments.

 

[MinusTydus]

Nothing of value will be lost.

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And while they're at it, get rid of the "Dislike" button. It's only used for brigading anyway.

Keep the "Like" button and follow the old adage: "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

 

[Chopchop]

When fucking Nestle has the moral high ground you know you fucked up.

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Seriously.

We now live in a world where a company that kills kids is calling out another company for facilitating child porn.

 

[Arttemis]

YouTube comments and video recommendations should be permanently removed. Their role in furthering this garbage is disgusting, and their algorithms have 'red pilled' people in swaths. Christ.

 

[Deleted member 12352]

What would actually be lost if Youtube comments got shut down?

I mean, I'd happily see the entire fucking site consigned to hell... but that's not going to happen, so... why not just get rid of comments?

 

[ratcliffja]

Stop comments, stop autoplay, or create a less aggressive recommendation algorithm? What are the options here?

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Banning comments is probably the easiest solution. Without those, you'll have much fewer kids being enticed into doing exploitative stuff and there won't be the same context for the creepiness. If people still want comments, they can link to an outside forum in their video description.

 

[Deleted member 16657]

Fucking DISNEY pulled out? Holy shit that is big.

YouTube right now:

 

[Possum Armada]

While this is profoundly gross, what could Google have really done to prevent it outside of just getting rid of YouTube comments all together?

 

[killerrin]

I can't say I even knew this was a thing, I only knew about, like, adults doing ASMR or something. I guess that goes to show how deep it runs that it can go unnoticed for so long.

I hate that it takes other big corporations for websites to moderate themselves, but if this is what it takes...

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It's honestly pathetic. Just do the right thing, it's not hard

 

[Cort]

Fucking DISNEY pulled out? Holy shit that is big.

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Not receiving money from both the hottest video game publisher and the hottest movie studios are a huge blow

 

[entremet]

Wow! This is crazy. Heads are definitely gonna roll for this one.

 

[RoaminRonin]

That algorithm needs some serious rework. Why is youtube so quick to recommend conspiratorial videos to me off of mundane subjects? I watch some videos for "into the spiderverse reviews" and my recommended list if filled with "SJW killing Marvel", "why SJW are killing star wars".

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Not receiving money from both the hottest video game publisher and the hottest movie studios are a huge blow

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Isn't youtube already a loss leader for Google?

 

[OtherWorldly]

I don't really know why you need unchecked comments. The comments should be disabled by default and then only allow the author to approve comments individually .

 

[OwOtacon]

That algorithm needs some serious rework. Why is youtube so quick to recommend conspiratorial videos to me off of mundane subjects? I watch some videos for "into the spiderverse reviews" and my recommended list if filled with "SJW killing Marvel", "why SJW are killing star wars".

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Agreed. I just watch The Binding of Isaac letsplays and Japanese craft channels - why are you recommending me 4 hour long essays about how Star Wars is killing the white race?

 

[Linkura]

While this is profoundly gross, what could Google have really done to prevent it outside of just getting rid of YouTube comments all together?

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Do some fucking moderation and due diligence?

 

[Deleted member 1041]

Has anyone from google or youtube said anything?
Cause this is attacking the hands that feed them. YT will have to say something now.

 

[RochHoch]

Get fucked Youtube

 

[MrSaturn99]

I knew the site had massive issues, but I never imagined THIS. Unbelievable.

 

[Slayven]

That algorithm needs some serious rework. Why is youtube so quick to recommend conspiratorial videos to me off of mundane subjects? I watch some videos for "into the spiderverse reviews" and my recommended list if filled with "SJW killing Marvel", "why SJW are killing star wars".

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For a while every time i watched Jim Sterling youtube would recommend Ben Sharpiro videos, like other then living beings how are they related?

 

[Arttemis]

Seriously, comments and their recommendation system are the worst things to happen to the website.

 

[OtherWorldly]

Unless this gets reported by the big wigs of media all over the place nothing will happen. This needs traction

 

[Deleted member 19844]

Do some fucking moderation and due diligence?

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The scale at which that needs to be done, though, when thousands of hours of content are uploaded every hour, is daunting.

 

[Siggy-P]

Saw that Matt Watson video, shit is fucked. Some of the videos he find genuinely makes your stomach turn.

The scale at which that needs to be done, though, when thousands of hours of content are uploaded every hour, is daunting.

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Ofcourse but these videos tend to get pushed by the algorithm. That is what the Watson video demonstrates. They should at the very least be aware of what their system is pushing at that level.

 

[Nuclearaddict]

Yes kill the only sense of community on YouTube. There are a lot of bad people and many people who leave crap comments but as a creator I think I would miss comments.

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Exactly. I absolutely love being able to drop positive comments to the amateur musicians I follow. Especially words of encouragement to the adult beginners vlogging their experience learning violin.

 

[Deleted member 8861]

I cant imagine that world.

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You can make it a reality. There are comment blocker extensions.

 

[Flaurehn]

Finally, is always sad that Google losing money is the only thing that would/will make them take actions but I'll take it, this thing is abhorrent and something needed to be done.

 

[jett]

How utterly fucked up. Why was the original thread locked?

 

[Linkura]

The scale at which that needs to be done, though, when thousands of hours of content are uploaded every hour, is daunting.

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With great power comes great responsibility.

 

[jon bones]

good, fuck youtube

 

[OtherWorldly]

Yes kill the only sense of community on YouTube. There are a lot of bad people and many people who leave crap comments but as a creator I think I would miss comments.

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Comments should be disabled by default in kids videos or videos of kids. You don't need comments in such content

 

[jontin]

I'm only on intro to programming, but isn't this all more indicative of a malicious code that a pedophile at YouTube would create? This guy used a BRAND new account and went directly to YT, searched for a relatively innocuous video, was recommended something REALLY sketchy looking, and from there got into a little pocket of YT adjacent to YT? He says flat out that once inside the wormhole there is NO other content.

Seems like a intentional loophole used deliberately by pedophiles.