The Reload reports that the affected videos included guides to utilizing suppressors as well as those where the presence of the attachments was merely incidental.
At issue is the obvious fact that attaching a suppressor to the barrel of a firearm is not modification or manufacture, which is banned by platform policy. It merely shows an attachment, something countless movie clips on YouTube also feature.
The company regularly incorporates algorithms to monitor content, which is reasonable when considering the sheer volume that is uploaded 24/7. How much volume?
As of June 2022, the site accepts 500 hours of new content every single minute of every day. Mistakes will be made when sifting through that much material, whether utilizing human eyes or electronic formulas.
The tech company said it is in the process of reloading the videos and channels back onto the platform.
A YouTube spokesperson told the outlet that “upon review, we determined the videos in question are not violative of our Community Guidelines and have reinstated them. When it’s brought to our attention that content has been mistakenly removed, we review it and take appropriate action, including reinstating and removing associated strikes.”
A long list of very popular channels were targeted by content moderators, and the official channels of Ammoland, Recoil Magazine, and SilencerCo were deleted. Several individual videos from content creators were also removed.
And that’s where a fundamental lack of communication entered the process.
All the creators received from YouTube were automated emails informing them that “content that instructs viewers on how to make firearms, ammunition, and certain accessories; or how to install those certain accessories is not allowed on YouTube.”
Channel owners struggled to find ways to be in compliance with the ever-changing rules. Some used the platform’s tools to blur potentially “offensive” images of suppressors being attached to the end of a gun barrel.
Many scrambled to go back through videos that had been in favor for years before being yanked by platform censors.
And several reported that appeals to get specific explanations for the takedowns and gain reinstatement went nowhere.
OreGear’s Ryan Miller told The Reload that “despite my best efforts, I couldn’t get them to explicitly tell me how I violated the policy.” He concluded that, based on what other users recounted, his “violation” was “simply attaching a silencer in the videos.”
Others expressed concerns that simply showing the act of attaching a magazine or even loading a firearm would be considered a violation. This strict procedure, of course, would eliminate virtually all firearm-related videos from YouTube.
YouTube said in response that the company’s firearms policy has not been changed. However, it noted multiple complaints from content creators protesting the takedowns and determined a review was needed.
That review resulted in determining that the deplatforming of both individual videos and entire channels was done in error.
Some, however, remain unhappy with the social media giant.
Ian McCollum of the popular Forgotten Weapons channel told The Reload that the company is a “fundamentally unreliable partner” that does not engage in meaningful dialogue with its content creators. In fact, he described the relationship as one where YouTube works against those it should be teamed up with.
His primary concern, along with many others, is the lack of communication from the platform when it arbitrarily makes decisions that affect so many. This is a regular complaint that should be seriously addressed by the company with both firearms content creators and the general YouTube community at large.
