In an attempt to remove terrorism-related videos in their site, Google has agreed to take down and delete at least 640 videos from a number of user accounts.
These accounts came from a list by the Association of Chief Police Officers, which they claim as promoters of terrorism.
Google has been criticized by politicians both from the United States and Britain for hosting propaganda videos in their video sharing site YouTube. These includes sermons from Anwar al-Awlaki who was a senior al-Qaeda cleric.
About 5,000 video sermons by Awlaki were uploaded to YouTube. In one of these sermons, he told followers: “Jihad today is obligatory on every capable Muslim.”
“The hatred of kuffar is a central element of our military creed. Jihad must be practiced by the child… Arms training is an essential part of preparation for jihad,” he added.
Google didn’t remove all ACPO’s request for deletion or removal.
Even Canada’s Passport Office who requested for YouTube to delete a footage of a Canadian citizen urinating on his passport and then flushing it down the drain wasn’t removed.
Google, who owns YouTube, is one of the world’s leading online companies. Their video sharing site, YouTube, is considered by many as the foremost in its class.
Is this a form of stifling the media?
Image Source: allthingsd.com
