YouTube bans dangerous pranks after Bird Box challenge
In an update to its policies about posting prank videos, YouTube is banning users from uploading footage that tricks people into thinking they are in danger — such as fake home invasions or drive-by shootings.
“We’ve made it clear that our policies prohibiting harmful and dangerous content also extend to pranks with a perceived danger of serious physical injury,” the video-sharing network announced Tuesday, according to the New York Post.
“YouTube is home to many beloved viral challenges and pranks, like Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘Terrible Christmas Presents’ prank or the water bottle flip challenge,” said YouTube, which is owned by Google’s parent, Alphabet.
“That said, we’ve always had policies to make sure what’s funny doesn’t cross the line into also being harmful or dangerous.”
Heads up! Your feedback helped us identify 3 areas of our Community Guidelines where we can clarify policies & strengthen enforcement:
— Team YouTube (@TeamYouTube) January 15, 2019
1⃣Custom thumbs
2⃣External links
3⃣Pranks & challenges
Read how enforcement will ramp up over the next few months → https://t.co/CkaAiHsp4z
The clarifications “make it clear that challenges like the Tide Pod challenge or the Fire challenge, that can cause death and/or have caused death in some instances, have no place on YouTube,” the company said.
A “Fire Challenge” dared people to put flammable liquid on their bodies and ignite it, while a “Tide Pod Challenge” involved people biting into the encapsulated candy-coloured laundry detergent.
Most recently, the Bird Box post-apocalyptic thriller released recently on Netflix inspired a foolhardy challenge for people to do things blindfolded — mimicking characters in the film.
A 17-year-old girl in Utah crashed her truck earlier this month while driving at about 55km/h with her eyes covered. Fortunately no one was injured after she slammed into another vehicle.
Bird Box Challenge while driving...predictable result. This happened on Monday as a result of the driver covering her eyes while driving on Layton Parkway. Luckily no injuries. pic.twitter.com/4DvYzrmDA2
— Layton Police (@laytonpolice) January 11, 2019
Can’t believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE. We don’t know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes.
— Netflix US (@netflix) January 2, 2019
YouTube policy also bans pranks that cause children trauma, such as the fake death of a parent or abandonment.
Accounts that post videos violating YouTube’s policies will get a “strike” that will limit some features such as livestreaming.
A second strike within three months will lead to even more limited use of YouTube, while accounts getting three strikes in that time period will be terminated.
This article first appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission
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