Beware! YouTube to remove hacking videos

Google owned video sharing website, YouTube has updated its list of "harmful or dangerous content" and added "instructional hacking and phishing" videos to it. The changes have left content creators puzzled, a report by IANS says.

"Harmful or dangerous content" that aims to encourage dangerous or illegal activities that risk serious physical harm or death are not allowed on YouTube. Image source: Reuters

Google owned video sharing website, YouTube has updated its list of "harmful or dangerous content" and added "instructional hacking and phishing" videos to it. The changes have left content creators puzzled, a report by IANS says.

"Harmful or dangerous content" that aims to encourage dangerous or illegal activities that risk serious physical harm or death are not allowed on YouTube. The video-sharing platform has been facing adverse criticism for building a business on other people`s copyrights and for its wavering policies on irredeemable content.

Before the update, hacking videos could be removed if enough number of viewers submitted reports objecting to them or if moderators found the videos violating the policies of YouTube.

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Kody Kinzie, a security researcher and educator who uploads hacking videos to YouTube channel "Null Byte" tweeted yesterday that, "We made a video about launching fireworks over Wi-Fi for the 4th of July only to find out @YouTube gave us a strike because we teach about hacking, so we can't upload it."

But later, Kinzie thanked people who supported him to get his channel off the list. He said that he was able to upload his video today.

The list of "harmful or dangerous content" policy also prohibit the videos which shows extremely dangerous challenges, dangerous or threatening pranks, instructions to kill or harm, hard drug use or creation, eating disorder, violating events and instructional theft.

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