Social media giant Youtube admitted Wednesday that its new “moderators” inadvertently removed multiple “right-wing channels” after testing new methods to reduce harmful content on the video-sharing platform.
The revelation comes just days after a devastating school shooting in southern Florida prompted a fierce national debate over gun violence and mental health; with many using social media and the internet to voice their opinions on the hot-button issue.
“YouTube’s new moderators, brought in to spot fake, misleading and extreme videos, stumbled in one of their first major tests, mistakenly removing some clips and channels in the midst of a nationwide debate on gun control,” reports Bloomberg.
“In the wake of the Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, some YouTube moderators mistakenly removed several videos and some channels from right-wing, pro-gun video producers and outlets,” adds the technology website.
The video-sharing site and other social media platforms have been struggling to weed-out “fake news” and exploitative content after special counsel Robert Mueller’s recent indictment of thirteen foreign nations; accusing them of using the popular sites to influence the US electoral system.
A NEW LOW: Schiff Claims RUSSIA Pushed SECOND AMENDMENT so AMERICANS Can ‘Kill Each Other’
Rep. Adam Schiff took his all-out obsession with Russian collusion to a new level Monday evening, breathlessly suggesting the Kremlin promoted the Second Amendment on Facebook to help Americans “kill each other” during the 2016 presidential election.
Democrat Adam Schiff: Russians Promoted 2nd Amendment So Americans Would ‘Kill Each Other’ pic.twitter.com/WW5P1K70pm
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) February 5, 2018
“We can see for example on Facebook, so graphically what I was mentioning earlier; the multiple aims of the Russians in their interference in our elections. On Facebook you had the content that was clearly anti-Hillary and you had the content that was very pro-Trump,” said Schiff.
“Of course, they parroted Black Lives Matter to try to broaden the racial divide in this country. Fascinatingly they also trumpeted the Second Amendment. The Russians are very big fans of our Second Amendment,” he added.
“The Russians would be very thrilled if we would be doing nothing but killing each other every day, and sadly we are,” said the liberal lawmaker.
COLLUSION: Trump Says Facebook and 'Fake News' Campaigned for Clinton
Federal investigators are probing whether Russian-backed organizations purchased nearly $50,000 worth of phony Facebook advertisements. According to sources close to the probe, the ads allegedly focused on issues relating to immigration and Clinton’s ongoing FBI investigation.