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YouTube is now demonetizing videos from content creators deemed too controversial for the platform, and conservatives and independents are being heavily impacted.

The move follows YouTubes announcement earlier in August to catch and flag controversial religious and supremacist content hosted on the popular video-hosting website. Political and social commentators on YouTube are feeling the hurtand they believe that they may be on a blacklist for having the wrong opinions.

The Daily Caller previously spoke to several popular commentary YouTubers who expressed skepticism of the system when the move was first announced last week.

Affected creators are unable to make money from their work, which is automatically flagged or vetted by volunteer experts. In addition, the new system incorporates tougher standards for controversial videos that do not break YouTubes terms of service, which are placed in a purgatory state that effectively censors them from being recommended to YouTube viewers.

The Daily Caller spoke to conservative and independent YouTubers whose channels are now being affected by the new policy. Conservative journalist Lauren Southern believes there is a drive to stifle politically divergent voices.

I think it would be insane to suggest theres not an active effort to censor conservative and independent views, said Southern. Considering most of Silicon Valley participate in the censorship of alleged hate speech, diversity hiring and inclusivity committees. Their entire model is based around a far left outline. Theres no merit hiring, theres no support of free speech and there certainly is not an equal representation of political views at these companies.

Independent journalist and activist Luke Rudkowski, who runs WeAreChange, told The Daily Caller that hundreds of his videos were demonetized in a single day on Thursday, effectively killing his ability to earn a living on YouTube.

Having had 660 of my videos demonetized in one day left me a little stunned since this is the core for my income but left me with the impression that this was done on purpose, said Rudkowski, who said that the videos included some of his most popular videos from years ago. This was videos from years ago predominately targeting the most viewed videos which has eviscerated my income.

Rudkowski, who believes it isnt a coincidence that he was targeted, says that he has experienced repeated issues with YouTube.

After dealing with all the repeated issues with YouTube it is clear that this is a campaign to de-incentivize any critical thinkers and anti authoritarians from their platform, he said.

Daniel Sulzbach, better known as MrRepzion, told the Daily Caller that YouTubes demonetization of his videos has hurt his incentive to make new content. He says that it hasnt been the first time his videos were demonetized, but when the issue happened previously in early 2017, he was able to successfully appeal for them to be restored.

The difference now is that my videos are not being restored with monetization when I file for manual review, said Sulzbach.

The YouTuber, who is known for his blistering culture critiques, discussions about atheism, and video game topics, says he doesnt understand why so many of his videos were flagged.

Some of them make zero sense, especially my video game streams, he said. This is just conjecture at this point, but I think my channel could be on a potential blacklist or list of some sort where my content is looked upon more than others?

I dont make any crazy radical videos, he continued. I hardly even do videos regarding feminism, social justice, etc. anymore. He says that even a 2-year old video response to an Instagram was demonetized without explanation, as well as content from when he was still a Christian.

Sulzbach told the Daily Caller that he plans to rely solely on Patreon to keep making videos, for now. If I fall below a threshold, Ill just quit, he said.

Edgy YouTube comedian Razorfist says every single one of his videos was demonetized. His biggest issue with the site was how the platform values progressive voices over everyone else through biased algorithms. Razorfist cited a video rebuttal to Sam Seder (a left wing comedian) as an example of the bias. He claims that Seder posted a reply containing Razorfists video in its entirety, but the algorithm flagged the original video for demonetization.

If leftist channels are being white-listed, someones going to have to explain to me how this algorithm is functionally any different than a conservative blacklist, he said.Razorfist tells the Daily Caller that he knows his content is edgy and profane, and understands why large family-friendly companies wouldnt want to advertise on his videos, but he wants to know why Google allows for leftist comedians to perform the same humor without any backlash.

Googles going to need to explain to me why John Oliver can engage in weekly invective punctuated by a hail of profane epithets, skew it leftward, and still have ads for Pampers and pimple cream adorn the margins of his unwatchable videos, he said.

Conservative vlogger and cultural pundit Mark Dice told The Daily Caller he believes YouTube is upset at the rise of conservative channels on YouTube over the past year, and that the new policies are designed to squelch dissenting voices.

I think YouTube is furious that so many conservative channels have gotten so popular in the last year, and they dont want us to be able to work full-time doing what were doing because our message is at odds with almost everything that Google and YouTubes leadership stands for, said Dice, who says that even his monetized videos are underperforming as a result of the changes.

To deal with the demonetization of his channel, Dice said that he plans to continue producing videos and supplementing his income through Patreon and merchandise sales, and a new book. He says that his videos performed better when he had a 10th of his subscriber count, years ago.

Dice believes that despite the seeming hopelessness of the situation expressed by so many other YouTubers, Google and YouTube may have made have shot themselves in the foot by censoring conservatives.

YouTube has kicked a bees nest by going after Diamond and Silk [a channel of two black female Trump supporters]. I think it wont be long before President Trump is commenting on YouTubes censorship, he said.

Ian Miles Cheong is a journalist and outspoken media critic. You can reach him through social media at@stillgray on Twitterand onFacebook.

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Conservative And Independent YouTube Channels Hit By Censorship And Demonetization - The Daily Caller

New street art mocks Google's decision to reject those who "Think Different".

Artwork mocking Google for its oppressive censorship is popping up all over the Los Angeles area, near Googles office in Venice, California.

Earlier this week, Google fired one of its engineers, James Damore, after he wrote a 10-page memo criticizing the way the tech giant treated female employees as well as the companys crippling level of liberal bias. In the memo, Damore pointed out the fact that men and women are different, and argued Googles refusal to recognize these differences and embrace them was hurting the company. The memo was distorted by members of the media as an anti-diversity tirade, when in reality, as many social scientists pointed out,science backs up Damores statements.

Portions of the memo violate our Code of Conduct and cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace, Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in a memo earlier this week.

Right-wing street artist Sabo took credit for the work in a series of tweets blasting the tech company.

Last night, news broke that Google cancelled an all hands on deck meeting about Damores firing out of fear that it would leak to the media. New York Times columnist David Brooks called for Pichai to resign. And Damore has taken to the pages of the Wall Street Journal to explain why he was fired.

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Artwork Mocking Google's Censorship Just Started Popping Up In California - The Federalist

Dear Pahlaj Nihalani,

So long. Farewell.

I am sad to see you go. I hope you know that you will be missed. The last two-year-and-a-half years weve spent together have been so memorable.

Pahlaj Nihalani. File Photo

It seems like just yesterday when you took over from Leela Samson, who had suddenly resigned over the cinematic masterpiece MSG: The Messenger of God. Samson, along with 12 members of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), quit amid complaints of political interference and corruption. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, minister for Information and Broadcasting and a rare piece of eye candy in the corridors of power in Delhi, made all the right noises.

Read on Firstpost Pahlaj Nihalani removed as CBFC chief: A look at some of his most controversial decisions

No government or political interference in the CBFC is what Rathore promised. Then he promptly named you, Mr Nihalani, a self-confessed BJP person, who has called Prime Minister Narendra Modi his action hero and the voice of the nation to head the board. Detractors said you were being awarded for the viral video Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi (launched before the 2014 general elections). That same Diwali, you proved all your critics right by releasing 'Mera Desh Hai Mahaan', another tribute to Modi. If this is chamchagiri (sycophancy) then I am proud of it, you said. As a wise woman (fine, it was Taylor Swift) once said, Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate so you kept shaking it off.

In this short time, you gave us #SanskaariJamesBond and a U/A certificate to the childrens film The Jungle Book. You worked tirelessly, against public opinion, to protect our weak, impressionable minds from hearing un-sanskaari words like 'intercourse' and watching lady-oriented films. And, then there were all those homosexual films (Unfreedom, Ka Bodyscapes, Aligarh)! All you were trying to do was preserve the fabric of our parampara. After all, like you said, India is a land where people put Gangajal on their face.

The press might have loved you but Bollywood definitely didnt. But they should! The Udta Blank (I agree with you, Mr Nihalani. Using a states name in a film about the drug epidemic in that state is wrong) fracas brought together an industry thats always been divided. Your demand for 89 cuts is what brought Mahesh Bhatt, Imtiaz Ali, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap on the same platform.

This, for me, will always be your biggest contribution to Bollywood. Even greater than Anil Kapoor pulling his lungi and singing Khada Hai, khada hai, khada hai while trying to lure Juhi Chawla into bed.

Its such a shame your three-year tenure was so abruptly cut short. There was so much more we still needed you to censor and ban. You promised to censor films online. And, what about films that dont get censored before they are screened at international film festivals? Who will ban smoking and drinking on screen? *sob*

In your place, we now have Prasoon Joshi, a writer of poems and new-fangled ads. Will he even know that words like saala and saali need to be banned or how long a sanskaari kiss should be? Will he cut the troublesome Anurag Kashyap down-to-size? Will he be dictatorial and love Modi as much as you did? Like you, I also hope that your successor doesnt succumb to false notions of liberalism propagated by the pseudo-progressive elements in our film industry and work in a direction opposed to mine.

The age of Sanskaari Nihalani has come to an end. The only thing stopping me from collapsing into a puddle of tears is your promise I am returning to my first love, film production, in a big way.

Lets not say our final goodbyes as yet. I have a feeling well meet again soon.

Yours truly,

Karishma Upadhyay

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Pahlaj Nihalani, farewell: Your brand of sanskaari censorship will be missed (not) - Firstpost

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is investigating its top social media sites, including WeChat and Weibo, for failing to comply with cyber laws, the latest step in the country's push to secure the internet and maintain strict Communist Party control over content.

President Xi Jinping has made China's "cyber sovereignty" a top priority and has also reasserted the ruling party's role in limiting and guiding online discussion. Surveillance is being further tightened ahead of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party later this year, when global attention will be on news coming from the world's No.2 economy.

Apart from Tencent Holdings Group Ltd's WeChat and Weibo Corp, China's Cyberspace Administration said it was also investigating Baidu Inc's forum site Tieba over failing to comply with strict new laws that ban content which is obscene, violent and deemed offensive by the Communist Party.

"Users are spreading violence, terror, false rumors, pornography and other hazards to national security, public safety, social order," the regulator said on its website.

Baidu said it felt "deep regret" over the content and will "actively cooperate with government departments to rectify the issue and increase the intensity of auditing".

Tencent and Weibo did not respond to requests for comment.

Shares of the Hong Kong-listed firm were in the red after the news, down almost 5 percent. Investors will now be waiting to see how shares of the U.S.-listed firms react.

Just last month, all three were asked to carry out immediate "cleaning and rectification" at a meeting with authorities who cited examples of illicit content, including rumors about party officials and misrepresenting Chinese military history.

Prior to the meeting, Weibo was asked to partly close its video site over violations, wiping out a total $1.3 billion worth of stock between Weibo and parent firm Sina Corp.

In recent months, regulators have taken severe and unprecedented moves to shutter content and media across a variety of platforms. In May, it released regulations for online news sites and network portals that expanded curbs on content and required all services to be overseen by party-sanctioned editorial staff.

It has taken down popular celebrity gossip social media accounts and there has also been a sweeping campaign to remove virtual private network apps that allow users to circumvent China's so-called 'Great Firewall' and access foreign websites.

Western social media websites like Facebook and Twitter are banned by the country's censors, which in turn has helped drive up the popularity of home-grown messaging app WeChat and microblogging service Weibo.

WeChat and Weibo have about 940 million and 350 million monthly active users, respectively.

Reporting by Cate Cadell; Editing by Neil Fullick and Himani Sarkar

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China investigates top local social media sites in push to control content - Reuters

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A British bill is trying to give social media users more control over what stays on the Internet.

The British government has proposed a bill that would allow individuals to ask for their old childhood posts to be completely erased from social media websites.

The Data Protection Bill, introduced by Digital Minister Matt Hancock on Monday, seeks to give Britons more control and protection when it comes to their personal data. Its similar to the European Unions right to be forgotten rule, which also allows people to ask for their personal datato be removed from search engines such as Google.

READ MORE:6 tips to protect your personal information when using public Wi-Fi

But one researcher says nothing similar is in the works in Canada, although it could happen in the future.

I think, in general, the European Union is ahead of us in terms of data policy, Anatoliy Gruzd, director of research at Ryerson Social Media Lab in Toronto, told Global News.

In an email, theOffice of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) told Global News that while no right to be forgotten law currently exists, the commission helps individuals who have concerns about their privacy being violated. It outlined its role in a January 2016 discussion paper called,Online Reputation: What are they saying about me?

READ MORE:Free Wi-Fi has driven 88% of Canadians to put their personal info at risk, report finds

Individuals have been turning to the OPC for assistance when they come across websites that have posted their personal information without consent, the paper reads.

The OPC also launched consultations about online reputation last year, which it says will help form any future changes to rules.

The proposed U.K. law would ensure that sites such as Facebook will have to delete a users posts if asked, unless there is a legal reason to keep it online. It would also require companies to disclose what personal data they have to the corresponding individual. In addition, it would createoffences for those who break data rules.

WATCH:If you dont have privacy, you dont have you, Edward Snowden says

The countrys information commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, praised the proposed changes in a press release.

We are pleased the government recognizes the importance of data protection, its central role in increasing trust and confidence in the digital economy, and the benefits the enhanced protections will bring to the public, Denham said, according to the release.

READ MORE:5 Canadians on what social media is doing to their mental health

Gruzd says there is a lack of transparency in the data industry, which lawmakers are trying to correct with more regulations on who is accessing data and how its being used.

Its to give more power to people who actually created the data, he explained.

While social media users can delete their posts from websites, Gruzd notes theres a huge difference in asking for data to be deleted.

READ MORE:6 steps Canadians can take when they spot hate speech online

When you delete your post, the data stays on multiple servers, Gruzd, who is also an associate professor at Ryerson University, said.

He explained that most social media users have little information about who has access to their data, and the servers it exists on.

While the information is disclosed in a websites terms and conditions, Gruzd points out that users rarely read it before clicking accept. Social media websites can then sell data to advertisers and other organizations.

If these data protection rules are enforced, Gruzd says the social networks will have to adjust their policies and algorithms accordingly.

2017Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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Canada lags as Britain moves to give citizens more control over personal data - Globalnews.ca