Blog #7: YouTube Has Responsibilities

Authors: Anvith Potluri, Kevin Li, Kevin Nguyen, & Varad Thorat

Youtube is responsible for providing a platform so that users can speak their mind and disseminate their views to the greater public. However, Youtube is also responsible for ensuring that the content that is being posted on their platform is appropriate and that the content does not cross any boundaries. If Youtube provides a platform for people that are not doing what’s right this creates a dangerous situation. Youtube is also responsible to the advertisers so that they play advertisements on videos that are in line with a company’s views. If advertisements for a company are played on inappropriate videos, this would be bad for the company’s image (Brodkin) . 

Youtube is responsible for the content that is placed on their platform which means they must moderate the content and ensure that it falls into line with what is on their company standards. However, the media is in charge of shaping the conversation about youtube and it’s content. If the media frames youtube’s content as inappropriate or extreme Youtube would lose credibility as a platform and lose both users and advertisers.

If Youtube moderated their content fairly and properly the business model would be considered ethical. But due to the ambiguity and lack of clarity with their standards, Youtube’s business model is not ethical as it discriminates against youtubers that create certain types of content while letting some extreme content stay on it’s platform (Albright). Looking at Youtube’s model from a consequentialist framework, it is clear that their model is not ethical as Youtube videos have a serious impact on how society perceives certain things; sometimes unfairly.

Youtube should not be able to make money off “fake news” videos and the user should not as well. These videos should be taken down swiftly as they pose a significant threat to society. Technology’s role here is neutral because Youtube has a plethora of videos that provide valuable tutorials and tips but also there are videos that abuse Youtube’s platform. 

Sources:

Albright, Jonathan. Untrue-Tube: Monetizing Misery and Disinformation, Medium, February 25, 2018.

Brodkin, Jon. YouTube loses advertisers over “wormhole into pediphilia ring”, Ars Technica, February 21, 2019.