The Congress celebration accused YouTube of being in cahoots with the ruling authorities after Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi’s movies have been tagged with ‘suicide topics’ on the platform.
The Congress on Thursday slammed YouTube India for including a warning tagline to a video of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s speeches in Telangana, alleging that the social media platform is enjoying into the palms of the ruling dispensation.
The criticism got here after YouTube India put a “viewer discretion” warning on the video on Congress’ YouTube channel of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi’s speeches made in Telangana on Wednesday, stating that “the following content may contain suicide or self-harm topics”.
A person can proceed to the video of the speeches after clicking on an icon saying — “I understand and wish to proceed”.
In a publish on X, Congress basic secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh stated, “Only a few days ago, the Washington Post revealed how social media platforms including @YouTube were playing into the hands of the ruling dispensation in India. The article had also mentioned that the messages of the Opposition were being suppressed.”
Only a couple of days in the past, the Washington Post revealed how social media platforms together with @YouTube have been enjoying into the palms of the ruling dispensation in India. The article had additionally talked about that the messages of the Opposition have been being suppressed.
Today, @YouTubeIndia has… pic.twitter.com/vwrsv3f3wV
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) October 19, 2023
“Today, @YouTubeIndia has vindicated what the Washington Post wrote and what were already our genuine apprehensions. By putting a warning tagline on @RahulGandhi’s and @priyankagandhi’s speeches, made in Telangana yesterday, that the content ‘may contain suicide or self-harm topics’, YouTube has proved beyond any doubt that it is playing into the hands of India’s ruling dispensation which has been desperately trying to block the messaging from the Opposition,” Ramesh stated.
Will Google, which owns YouTube, clarify what’s “suicidal or self-harming” of their speeches, Ramesh requested.
Will now elevating points that matter to the individuals be censored, he additional requested.
“We have written to them in the past and we will keep raising our voice in the future for a level-playing field and an unbiased approach from global social media companies — a critical necessity today for free and fair elections in India and all over the world,” Ramesh stated.
According to YouTube’s coverage on such cautioning, it doesn’t permit content material that promotes suicide, self-harm, or consuming problems, that’s meant to shock or disgust, or that poses a substantial danger to viewers.
In her speech in Telangana, Priyanka Gandhi had referred to a lady job aspirant, who allegedly died by suicide in Hyderabad final week, and stated “one girl committed suicide and questions were raised that she did not fill up the application herself”.
“Without resolving the problems of youth, fingers are raised on them and employment is not given to you (youth),” she had stated.
Ramesh’s remarks come days after the opposition INDIA bloc had written to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai over their social media platforms’ alleged position in “aiding communal hatred” within the nation and demanded that the platforms keep neutrality within the upcoming elections.
The letters had come after the Washington Post newspaper flagged alleged bias of Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube in the direction of the ruling BJP and the Narendra Modi dispensation.
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