YouTube asks for photo ID for people who want to access video about transgender synth pioner Wendy Carlos
Last year this blog posted a story about the role of Wendy Carlos in the development of the modern synthesizer. You can read it here. It is an interesting story.
Today I discovered that YouTube has put some kind of age restriction on the video. Logging in as @jackmolay I was asked to provide some kind of photo ID! I am not kidding.
Why on earth would you need an age restriction on a 1989 BBC program on the development of “music synthesis” and Wendy’s musical compositions?
My immediate concern was that the video is about a transgender scientist. Mind you, the TV program does not mention her being trans.
So does YouTube now think of transgender content as dangerous to minors? That would be political and commercial suicide, as I see it. Besides, other types of transgender content is open for people of all ages.
I believe I found the answer in the text under the video, where it says:
（✿＾－＾) ~~**TERFS/TRANSPHOBES DO NOT INTERACT**~~ （＾－＾✿）
Somehow transphobic comments, or this very reference to anti-trans statements, have triggered an automatic (?) filter over at YouTube. It is as if YouTube is trying to protect kids from the hate speech of trans-exclusionary radical feminists.
As much as I appreciate YouTube’s concerns, I have to say that this is a dangerous policy. This means that all you have to do to restrict a video is to bombard it with hateful comments. In other words: This policy is not working as intended, and I suggest YouTube find another solution to this problem.
Screenshot from the original post, as seen by me:
You can try for yourself here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3cab5IcCy8
YouTube has labelled the video “ Age-restricted video (based on Community Guidelines) “ adding a link to its community guidelines.
This is not the first time YouTube has gotten into trouble for restricting LGBT+ content. Back in 2017 its family oriented “Restricted Mode” blocked videos by gay, bisexual and transgender creators.
Originally published at https://trans-express.lgbt.
