Fees on Demand…YouTube set to start charging for its channels and become liable to the expensive ATVOD censorship regime for Video on Demand

Read more ATVOD Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from pocket-lint.com

The Financial Times is reporting that Google will launch paid subscription channels on YouTube sometime very soon. Channels will be priced from about £ 1.30 a month. The idea would allow traditional broadcasters to offer content to viewers YouTube has been interested in creating more high-quality channels for some time now. Recently it awarded grants of $1million to several UK bidders who pitched channel ideas. There is one interesting side issue here, because at some point YouTube will become, in the eyes of the UK government – and likely others – a broadcaster. When that happens, the firm is going to have to obey UK censorship laws and make sure that under-18s are protected from unsuitable content. Pocket-lint understands that the money YouTube gave to its channel partners to start channels was paid in advance specifically to avoid the need to be censored by ATVOD and Ofcom. ATVOD’s censorship fees are very expensive and the money is mostly spent dreaming up ways to suffocate the UK adult internet business. YouTube is currently outside of the grasp of ATVOD as user content is specifically excused from their censorship under European law. However material from commercial channels which may be TV programmes is not exempt from TV censorship once it is under editorial control and uploaded by the channels themselves.

Inciting Censorship…Private members bill introduced to give police censorship powers over YouTube videos

Read more UK Parliament Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from guardian.co.uk

MP Heidi Alexander has launched a private members bill allowing police to censor social media videos that incite violence. She has been in the forefront of attacks against social media since the riots in August. MPs have now backed a call for police to be given censorship powers to block or take down YouTube videos that could incite violence.  MPs voted in favour of allowing Alexander to bring forward her bill, which will receive a second reading in March. However, the proposals are unlikely to become law without government support. Alexander told MPs: I am introducing this bill because I am appalled by the proliferation of online videos which glorify gangs and serious youth violence. Police, via the courts and internet service providers, need to be given explicit power to get these videos taken down or access to them blocked. I recognise the policing of the internet is always going to be incredibly difficult but unless we start to grapple with the online manifestation of gangs, I question our ability to really tackle the problem We can talk about gang injunctions all we like, and yes, there may be a need to stop a certain individual or group coming into a certain area at a certain time, but don’t we too need to recognise that the same individual may be causing an equal amount of fear by his or her actions sat on a computer at home, or spreading these vile videos through social networking sites? Similar powers already exist to take down or block access to websites that could incite racial hatred or feature extremist material.

Google Transparency Report…Google reveal the number of requests for them to remove or hide content

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See UK report from google.com See US report from google.com

Google have revealed the number of requests for them to remove content, mostly from YouTube and to hide content from searches. The figures cover the period January to June 2011. UK Google received 7 UK court orders to remove 43 items from searches. 14 on grounds of defamation and  28 on grounds of privacy or security. Google received 1 UK court order and 52 letters from the likes of police and government requesting removal of a total of 220 YouTube videos. 61 for privacy and security, 135 for national security, 3 for violence and 1 for hate speech. US Google received 24 US court orders and 3 government/police requests to remove 198 items from searches. 188 of these on grounds of defamation Google received 6 US court order and 26 letters from the likes of police and government requesting removal of a total of 113 YouTube videos. 62 for privacy and security, and 16 for defamation. Google also received 5 court orders to remove 379 Google Groups on grounds of defamation. Also 18 requests to remove 47 items from Blogger blogs. The US requests are a 70% increase over the previous 6 month.