Having become the favourite website of teenagers, YouTube has been affected by a case involving paedophile networks, denounced in particular by American blogger Matt Watson.
The e-Enfance association revisits this case and also provides advice on how to regulate the use of YouTube and, where necessary, follow the procedure for reporting content.
Are there paedophile videos on YouTube?
YouTube n‘does not host child pornography content and reaffirms its strict moderation policy in this regard. This has been criticised by YouTuber Matt Watson in the United States, and before him, YouTuber Le Roi des Rats in France., it is the presence and development of paedophile networks on YouTube.
How? These users interact in the comments section of completely harmless videos, such as children doing gymnastics, dancing, going to the beach, etc.
The YouTuber King of Rats, which specialises in Internet abuses, already warned about this phenomenon in its video #YouTube WakeUP: a new unhealthy network on YouTube! in June 2018.
These paedophiles then use comments under videos to identify and transmit content to other paedophiles. In this way, they circumvent YouTube's bans on child pornography and succeed in creating genuine networks.
The Rat King and blogger Mat Watson particularly question YouTube's recommendation algorithm.
«The recommendation algorithm used by YouTube makes it easier for paedophiles to connect with each other, share information and insert links to real points of contact in the comments,» says Matt Watson.
And what about YouTube in all this?
YouTube claims today to be leading the way a clear policy against videos and comments that sexualise or exploit children on its network. The platform's spokespersons assure that they have taken measures beyond the reporting procedures by:
- deleting thousands of inappropriate and illegal comments
- removing videos that clearly show minors in danger
- applying a blanket suspension of the ability to comment on most videos featuring children.
- Developing a « classify » (that is to say, a artificial intelligence) to try to automatically detect «predatory» comments.
So what should be done?
In any case, the e-Enfance Association encourages users to report this type of content on the platform directly by following the procedure :
You may also report such content and comments on the government's reporting website : https://www.internet-signalement.gouv.fr/PortailWeb/planets/Accueil!input.action
or via our partner Contact point.
Finally, please do not hesitate to contact us. the e-Enfance team on 3018 if you would like assistance with your efforts and/or if you notice that a child is in immediate danger due to content or comments.
Under the status of « trusted flagger », trusted flagger for YouTube, lReports from Net Écoute benefit from an expedited processing procedure. At the same time, we forward any reports to the government's reporting platform, where applicable.
