YouTube is facing criticism for reportedly profiting from content promoting anti-Muslim sentiments on its platform, despite having guidelines that prohibit such material. Channels like Sudarshan TV have allegedly been permitted to broadcast divisive content that targets Muslims, attracting advertisements from prominent brands and resulting in YouTube profiting indirectly from these narratives.
Through its Super Chat feature, which allows users to pay for highlighted messages during live streams, individuals sharing Hindutva ideology have been able to spread inflammatory messages. In a recent incident, popular creator Ajeet Bharti hosted a stream alleging a "Muslim conspiracy" involving "love jihad." During the stream, a viewer reportedly paid to post a message about forming a violent group, which violated YouTube’s policies on dangerous content but remained visible on the platform despite multiple reports.
Bharti allegedly earned Rs 2,100 in one stream and Rs 14,000 in another for similar content, benefiting from YouTube’s revenue-sharing model, where creators retain 70% of Super Chat earnings. This has raised concerns over the platform’s role in monetising hate speech. Critics point to YouTube's lack of transparency in enforcing its policies, especially around high-profile Super Chats, and question its effectiveness in moderating harmful content.
Research shows that nearly half of India’s population relies on social media for news, with 54% using YouTube as a primary source.
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Bareilly (UP), Nov 24: Three people died when their car fell into the Ramganga river from a partially constructed bridge here on Sunday, police said, adding that they suspect the driver was misled by its navigation system into taking the unsafe route.
The accident occurred around 10 am on the Khalpur-Dataganj road when the victims were travelling from Bareilly to Dataganj in the Badaun district, they said.
"Earlier this year, floods had caused the front portion of the bridge to collapse into the river, but this change had not been updated in the system," Circle Officer Ashutosh Shivam said.
The driver was using a navigation system and did not realise that the bridge was unsafe, driving the car off the damaged section, the police said.
There were no safety barriers or warning signs on the approach to the damaged bridge, leading to the fatal accident, Shivam said.
Upon receiving information, police teams from Faridpur, Bareilly and Dataganj police station rushed to the spot. They recovered the vehicle and the bodies from the river, Shivam added.
The circle officer said that bodies had been sent for post-mortem. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
— Bareilly Police (@bareillypolice) November 24, 2024