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14 • JUNE 07, 2019 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
YouTube says abusive anti-LGBT comments don’t violate its rules By SEAN SHEALY Alphabet Inc./Google-owned YouTube has given its logo a rainbow look for Pride month. However, gay journalist Carlos Maza says the image contradicts the anti-LGBT abuse he’s dealing with on the platform. Maza is the co-producer and co-host of Vox media’s Strikethrough channel on YouTube. Maza says that for nearly two years, he’s been subjected to persistent and ongoing derisive videos posted by rightwing commentator Steven Crowder, who has more than 3.8 million subscribers on his own YouTube channel, “Louder with Crowder.” Crowder says his videos are allegedly intended to “debunk” videos posted by Maza, the BBC reported June 5. But Maza
considers Crowder’s language homophobic and says they have inspired others to post homophobic and racist comments. Frustrated, Maza produced a compilation video of the smears to @TeamYouTube “support,” asserting that the clips demonstrate that Crowder violated the video-sharing site’s hate-speech policies. In the compilation, Maza highlighted clips where Crowder labeled him; “a lispy queer, a gay Vox sprite, and a gay Mexican,” according to BBC. Crowder also mocks Maza’s accent in an exaggerated derisive imitation. YouTube reviewed the clips and told the journalist that “while we found language that was clearly hurtful, the videos as posted don’t violate our policies.” The platform added that “Even if a video remains on our site, it doesn’t mean we
endorse/support that viewpoint. There are other aspects of the channel that we’re still evaluating– we’ll be in touch with any further updates.” In an interview with the Los Angeles Blade, Maza pointed out that in addition to the abuse by Crowder, “These videos get millions of views on YouTube. Every time one gets posted, I wake up to a wall of homophobic/racist abuse, especially on Instagram and Twitter.” Asked about YouTube’s claims that the anti-LGBT slurs don’t break its rules, Maza said: “They’re right, their community standards are just a PR prop.” Arguing that YouTube is “exploiting” LGBT people by using rainbow-themed graphics, Maza says anti-LGBT abuse is “going to get so much worse now. YouTube’s just publicly
stated that racist and homophobic abuse doesn’t violate their community standards especially their anti-bullying policies.” British journalist Ben Hunte, the LGBT correspondent for the BBC, wrote: “Many professional LGBT video-makers will be familiar with uploading material online and instantly being tormented by certain audiences, solely because of their sexuality. YouTube’s take on this will disappoint the LGBT community. It will surprise them that hurtful things considered hate speech and punishable by law in real life can simply be labeled ‘debate’ online, and not require any repercussions.”
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