Discussions

YouTube cracks down on 'sexually suggestive' content

Posted by timethief • 12/02/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: sexually suggestive content, videos, youtube

YouTube announced on Tuesday that it was cracking down on "sexually suggestive" videos in a bid to clean up the popular video-sharing website. YouTube, which already bans pornography, said it would be enforcing a "stricter standard for mature content" and "tightening the standard for what is considered 'sexually suggestive.'"

"Videos with sexually suggestive (but not prohibited) content will be age-restricted, which means they'll be available only to viewers who are 18 or older," the Google-owned website said.
read more -> ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/081202/entertainment/us_internet_youtube

Discussion questions:
(1) Do you think this change will improve your youtube video viewing experience or not?
(2) If so, why and if not, why not?

User Comments

12/02/08

luckyless

thats good

these kind of videos are not good for children

[reply]
12/02/08

LynneaUrania

There are already other U-Tube equivalents for amateur porn. Let them go there for this kind of stuff. U-Tube is doing the correct thing.

[reply]
12/02/08

Epicharis

I thought youtube already had this policy? If a member flags a video you then have to confirm that you are over 18 before you can view it. If people want to watch 'sexually suggestive' content they'll find it, if people are that upset by it then why are they clicking on videos that are likely to contain that content? I've never been watching something and unexpectedly found myself watching something sexual...if something is likely to be sexual it is signposted.

[reply]
1. 12/02/08
  
  timethief
  
  @SiuilARuin
  If you click the read more link in the OP you will see that they have taken further steps. Videos which contain sexually suggestive content or profanity will no longer appear on its lists of "Most Viewed" or "Top Favorited" videos, and those who use deceptive "sexy" titles to attract more views will have their accounts terminated. Basically, The seem to be aiming to make the site more family friendly.
12/02/08

timethief

@LynneaUrania
I think it's a good move too because as you say there are youtube equivalent sites for "adult" content.

[reply]
12/02/08

Epicharis

It doesn't really seem to be much of a change...not having sexual content appearing in the 'top' categories is not really going to change much, it's just going to make it so that people don't accidentally end up viewing stuff they don't want to. If people want to view anything that is 'sexually suggestive' they will just search for it. The 'sexy' thing seems less to do with things being sexual and more to do with the fact that people are mislabelling videos.

[reply]
12/02/08

curlydesigh

I don't use Youtube that often. But I think that is a decent policy.

[reply]
12/02/08

Anok

I don't think it'll make a difference at all.

[reply]
12/02/08

aningeniousname

Who goes to youtube when they want to indulge in a "five finger shuffle"?
It's like going to Starbucks when you want a beer.

[reply]
1. 12/02/08
  
  faithsju243
  
  The rabbit with the skin infection has a point.
2. 12/02/08
  
  kat822
  
  lol classic aningeniousname
12/02/08

pointlessbanter

I guess I should hold off posting that video of me humping a cantaloupe...

[reply]
12/03/08

orxan

It can change some people's interests probably, but will not affect the whole YouTube experience.

BTW, it affected me. Today, I wanted to make a blog post about "How to hypnotize girls at bars". And I have already added the video about it to the draft.

But when I clicked on video yesterday, there was "We are sorry - this video is no longer avaliable"

[reply]
1. 12/03/08
  
  CrisRo
  
  You use a pocket watch. DUH!?
12/03/08

SweetViolet

I seldom do videos...too costly in terms of bandwidth.

That said, I still think it is a good idea. "Suggestive content," to me, is like religion: I know where to find it, if and when I want it, and I don't like it thrown in my face the rest of the time.

Oh...and sanctioning people for misleading sexy titles? Hellooooo, BC Admins? Clue truck is stopping at your door...

[reply]
12/03/08

donkeySOUP

//"Videos with sexually suggestive (but not prohibited) content will be age-restricted, which means they'll be available only to viewers who are 18 or older,"//

Since when people have stopped creating fake ids?

and MANY may watch the following video for DIFFERENT reasons (check the no. of viewers and the type of comments there):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxv6R9fUO74

[reply]
12/03/08

ptitpraince

i will miss lesbian kissing

[reply]
12/03/08

IbneAdam

I think it is a good move.
YouTube has become a household name or site. Every one visits it, including kids. So it is better to have it as clean as possible.

[reply]
12/03/08

weblogian

The question is - Can youtube really clean it up all?

I have seen videos- very innocent in the starting but the real stuff(porn) starts after a minutes.

Will Youtube able to check all videos?

[reply]
12/03/08

libdrone

I think it's a good move. As some one else already pointed out there are adult sites for uploading amateur porn (eg xtube.com) and this should help to make a better user experience for everyone.

[reply]
12/03/08

orxan

I learned from Digg that, Bush administration is going to make porn-free Internet. Not sure, how it will be done, but it seems Google's latest change on YouTube says something.

[reply]
1. 12/03/08
  
  SweetViolet
  
  Gimme a break. Bush is a lame duck and his administration will be history in just a few weeks. You really think they can accomplish this by 20 January?
2. 12/03/08
  
  legbamel
  
  That had to have been a joke.
12/03/08

CrisRo

I'm glad that it's becoming harder and harder to access sites with sexual content. To be honest, I don't want it to be too easily accessed by my son whenever he becomes interested in it.

[reply]
12/03/08

flamingpoodle

Do you think this change will improve your youtube video viewing experience or not?
I'm over 18 and I view all youtube content via proxy because they banned some music videos etc from my country. In short, no it doesn't make a difference to me at all.

If so, why and if not, why not?
If they do somehow manage to prevent me from viewing solicited material like music videos on youtube, I will merely stop using youtube. Other than that, their regulations don't really make a difference to me.

[reply]
1. 12/03/08
  
  SweetViolet
  
  What did they ban from here (SA)?
12/03/08

melindaville

I always worry about these kinds of things--because sexuality is very subjective. For example, at Penn State, they took down Goya's Nude Maja painting, after an English professor complained about it as creating a hostile work environment. The painting is a classic from a master. Please!

If pornography is already banned (as I believe it should be from youtube) what kinds of content are they going to ban? Artwork? Who knows--but the big question is how they plan on policing this.

[reply]
12/03/08

legbamel

I'd be happy not to have little pictures of nearly-nude women pop up in "Related Videos" when I'm watching dancing Stormtroopers and Darth Vader with my kids. While such videos are probably not technically porn, they are intended to titillate and are inappropriate for my children. We also don't watch videos unless I've seen them first, because more than one innocent beginning has led to almost-undressed women simulating sex with various things and/or people in the name of dancing. I figure my boys can wait until they're at least 10 to watch stuff like that.

[reply]