Tegan and Sara criticize YouTube's "Restricted Mode"
[Photo credit: Pamela Littky]
After it was revealed that YouTube's “Restriction Mode” was censoring LGBTQ content, including music videos from artists such as Troye Sivan, Halsey and Panic! At The Disco, Tegan and Sara criticized the site after discovering that some of their music videos also disappear while on the mode.
Check out what the duo had to say below!
Read more: YouTube announces live TV service, we now have no reason to turn off our laptops
The overall purpose of “Restriction Mode” is to keep children from seeing content that YouTube deems offensive or inappropriate, however it appears that when the mode is on, YouTube also censors many videos that even mention the LGBTQ community, whether Q&As, educational videos or vlogs.
Twitter users trended #YoutubeIsOverParty to protest yesterday evening, which prompted this response from the website.
A message to our community … pic.twitter.com/oHNiiI7CVs
— YouTube Creators (@YTCreators) March 20, 2017
Many YouTubers immediately criticized the response, including Hank Green and Jenna Marbles.
@YTCreators Step 1: Agree that there is a problem. Step 2: Suspend the program. Step 3: Thank creators for discovering this problem.
— Hank Green (@hankgreen) March 20, 2017
@YTCreators @YouTube By users you mean advertisers right? Be transparent with us dad we'll take note of who advertises on restricted mode and not buy their shit
— Jenna Marbles (@Jenna_Marbles) March 20, 2017
Tegan and Sara also criticized the website after discovering that some of their videos were censored, even some that featured no “sensitive” content. Check out their tweets below.
If you put @YouTube on restricted mode a bunch of our music videos disappear. I checked myself. LGBTQ people shouldn't be restricted. SAD!
— Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) March 19, 2017
Don't worry though. Our super sexual video about fruits and vegetables (Stop Desire) is still on @YouTube https://t.co/DAK1KNqCUI
— Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) March 19, 2017
Sadly our U-Turn video also is gone. Nothing gay in it accept us. Our dancing IS pretty bad. Must be why? @youtube is it our dancing?
— Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) March 19, 2017
Our super gay video for Be With You made it past the censors at @youtube though! Celebrate by watching it! https://t.co/ur8CVDexKh
— Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) March 19, 2017
Looking forward to @youtube fixing this restricted content issue ASAP! To our fellow LGBTQ content creators + LGBTQ friends MUCH LOVE TO U!
— Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) March 19, 2017
Our videos for Alligator, That Girl + U-turn still restricted. None have “sensitive content” in them unless us dancing is “sensitive”. https://t.co/IvFQfxYplZ
— Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) March 20, 2017
I am OUTRAGED FOR YOU! @YTCreators this is ridiculous! This site gives ADVICE to young LGBTQ people! https://t.co/RZQDcW3mCL
— Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) March 20, 2017
YouTube have not made any additional comments since their original statement last night.
