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AT&T and Hasbro pull YouTube ads over abuse claims | AT&T and Hasbro pull YouTube ads over abuse claims |
(32 minutes later) | |
AT&T and Hasbro have become the latest firms to pull adverts from YouTube over claims paedophiles are leaving offensive comments next to videos of children on the platform. | AT&T and Hasbro have become the latest firms to pull adverts from YouTube over claims paedophiles are leaving offensive comments next to videos of children on the platform. |
The telecoms firm and toymaker follow food giant Nestle, which on Wednesday said it had also "paused" its ads. | The telecoms firm and toymaker follow food giant Nestle, which on Wednesday said it had also "paused" its ads. |
YouTube said it had disabled comments on millions of videos that "could be subject to predatory comments". | YouTube said it had disabled comments on millions of videos that "could be subject to predatory comments". |
It is not the first time it has faced anger over comments left on its site. | It is not the first time it has faced anger over comments left on its site. |
The latest allegations surfaced on Wednesday, when a YouTube vlogger claimed that paedophiles were latching onto innocuous videos of children and objectifying them in the comments section. | The latest allegations surfaced on Wednesday, when a YouTube vlogger claimed that paedophiles were latching onto innocuous videos of children and objectifying them in the comments section. |
Matt Watson also claimed time stamps had been left on videos marking child nudity. | Matt Watson also claimed time stamps had been left on videos marking child nudity. |
The vlogger said ads for companies such as Nestle and Disney had run before the videos, effectively allowing YouTube to "monetise" the exploitation. | The vlogger said ads for companies such as Nestle and Disney had run before the videos, effectively allowing YouTube to "monetise" the exploitation. |
A spokesman for AT&T, America's biggest telecoms company, said: "Until Google [which owns YouTube] can protect our brand from offensive content of any kind, we are removing all advertising from YouTube". | A spokesman for AT&T, America's biggest telecoms company, said: "Until Google [which owns YouTube] can protect our brand from offensive content of any kind, we are removing all advertising from YouTube". |
Hasbro said it was "pausing all advertising on YouTube, and has reached out to Google/YouTube to understand what actions they are taking to address this issue and prevent such content from appearing on their platform in the future". | Hasbro said it was "pausing all advertising on YouTube, and has reached out to Google/YouTube to understand what actions they are taking to address this issue and prevent such content from appearing on their platform in the future". |
According to reports, Disney and McDonald's have also suspended their ads. | According to reports, Disney and McDonald's have also suspended their ads. |
And Epic Games, the maker of the popular online video game Fortnite, said it had "paused all pre-roll advertising" on the platform. | |
YouTube said it had taken "immediate action" by deleting offending accounts and reporting the illegal activity to authorities. | YouTube said it had taken "immediate action" by deleting offending accounts and reporting the illegal activity to authorities. |
It also said it had disabled comments on tens of millions of videos that "could be subject to predatory comments". | It also said it had disabled comments on tens of millions of videos that "could be subject to predatory comments". |
"There's more to be done, and we continue to work to improve and catch abuse more quickly," it said. | "There's more to be done, and we continue to work to improve and catch abuse more quickly," it said. |
White nationalism | White nationalism |
YouTube has run into this kind of problem in the past. | YouTube has run into this kind of problem in the past. |
Part of its system for reporting sexualised comments left on children's videos did not function correctly for more than a year, a BBC Trending investigation found in 2017. | Part of its system for reporting sexualised comments left on children's videos did not function correctly for more than a year, a BBC Trending investigation found in 2017. |
And a host of firms including AT&T, Marks & Spencer and Audi have pulled ads in the past after they appeared next to videos promoting conspiracy theories, white nationalism and terrorist groups. | And a host of firms including AT&T, Marks & Spencer and Audi have pulled ads in the past after they appeared next to videos promoting conspiracy theories, white nationalism and terrorist groups. |
Despite growing pressure on Google and YouTube to crack down on offensive content, the firms' advertising revenues continue to grow. | Despite growing pressure on Google and YouTube to crack down on offensive content, the firms' advertising revenues continue to grow. |
Their parent company, Alphabet, earned almost $137bn (£105bn) in revenue in 2018, up 23% from the prior year. | Their parent company, Alphabet, earned almost $137bn (£105bn) in revenue in 2018, up 23% from the prior year. |
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