We may not like advertising, but in this case, some dirty activity has been uncovered on YouTube, and we have advertisers to thank for helping to put a stop to it.
It seems the comments sections in YouTube have been used for pedophile communications, which is supporting a "a soft-core pedophile ring" that monetizes their behavior. This information was originally brought forth by a YouTubeer named Matt Watson:
Youtube is Facilitating the Sexual Exploitation of Children, and it's Being Monetized (2019)
Over the past 48 hours I have discovered a wormhole into a soft-core pedophilia ring on Youtube. Youtube’s recommended algorithm is facilitating pedophiles’ ability to connect with each-other, trade contact info, and link to actual CP in the comments. I can consistently get access to it from vanilla, never-before-used Youtube accounts via innocuous videos in less than ten minutes, in sometimes less than five clicks.. Additionally, I have video evidence that these videos are being monetized.
This loophole is wrong, something needs to be done. Its's being monetized. CP is being traded as well as social media and WhatsApp addresses. Youtube is facilitating this problem. It doesn't matter that they flag videos and turn off the comments, these videos are still being monetized, and more importantly they are still available for users to watch.
As a result of Watson's investigation and video exposing this underbelly of activity, some high profile companies have taken notice of it, and given notice to YouTube. Walt Disney, Nestle and Epic Games started to pull their advertising from the platform in response to finding out about this activity. Disney withheld spending on ads, and "all Nestle companies in the U.S. have paused advertising on YouTube." Epic Games "paused all pre-roll advertising."
You can bet this made YouTube notice. Money talks, and it talks loud. With companies pulling out of paying for advertising, YouTube will quickly do whatever they can to remedy the situation. In this case, it was for a good cause: to stop pedophile communications and monetization.
YouTube quickly responded by deleting accounts, comments and reporting activity to authorities:
'Any content — including comments — that endangers minors is abhorrent and we have clear policies prohibiting this on YouTube. We took immediate action by deleting accounts and channels, reporting illegal activity to authorities and disabling violative comments."
I don't really like all the crap advertisements that litter the internet. I doubt many people do. Big corps got the dough to pay though. And at least in this case, their advertising influence and money they throw at Google/YouTube resulted in some free market pressure being applied to force YouTube to do something about it. It may not always be the case that the pressure of money will get positive results, as our society and even Steem shows. But sometimes, the power players use their influence for the good ;)
Thank you for your time and attention. Peace.
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