SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 16, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – YouTube on Tuesday clarified rules
against posting videos of dangerous pranks, as risky “challenges” prompt
people to video themselves doing things like biting into laundry soap or
driving blindfolded.
The company already forbid content inciting dangerous activities likely to
result in serious harm.
But the clarifications “make it clear that challenges like the Tide pod
challenge or the Fire challenge, that can cause death and/or have caused
death in some instances, have no place on YouTube,” the company said in a
blog post.
“We’ve made it clear that our policies prohibiting harmful and dangerous
content also extend to pranks with a perceived danger of serious physical
injury,” said YouTube, which like other social networks is trying to show
that it is better tackling problematic content.
It made clear the updated policies ban pranks that trick people into
thinking they are in danger, such as fake home invasions or drive-by
shootings.
“YouTube is home to many beloved viral challenges and pranks, like Jimmy
Kimmel’s ‘Terrible Christmas Presents’ prank or the water bottle flip
challenge,” said YouTube, owned by Google’s parent Alphabet.
“That said, we’ve always had policies to make sure what’s funny doesn’t
cross the line into also being harmful or dangerous.”
While playful or goofy challenges or pranks have become raging trends
online, with video shared at YouTube or Facebook, some “memes” have put
people in jeopardy.
A “Fire Challenge” dared people to put flammable liquid on their bodies
then ignite it, while a “Tide Pod Challenge” involved people, typically
teens, biting or chewing the encapsulated candy-colored laundry detergent.
A “Bird Box” thriller released on Netflix a month ago inspired a challenge
for people to do things blindfolded, mimicking characters in the original
streaming film.
A US teenager over the weekend crashed while driving with her eyes covered,
taking part in a challenge inspired by the hit Netflix show, according to
media reports.
YouTube policy also bans pranks that cause children trauma, for example the
fake death of a parent or severe abandonment, according to the firm.
Accounts that post videos violating policies on pranks will get a “strike”
that will limit some features such as live streaming.
A second strike within three months will result in even more limited use of
YouTube, while accounts getting three strikes in that time period will be
terminated.