YouTube Censors Anti-Dem 'Scary Movie' Commercial [Lefty users block non-registered from viewing]

NewsBusters ^ | October 10, 2006

[RatherBiased.com]

The video sharing site YouTube, just recently purchased by Google, has once again allowed a band of determined users to censor something they don't like.

The latest casualty is a a controversial spoof political ad by a Republican filmmaker David Zucker (producer of such films as "Scary Movie 4," "Airplane," among others) which depicts former secretary of state Madeline Albright, a Democrat who served in the Clinton administration, acting as a maid, servant and cheerleader for Islamic terrorists and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. After the Republican party declined to run with it, the ad was sent to Matt Drudge who splashed it worldwide by embedding it in a page on his site.

The story doesn't end there, though. After Drudge picked it up, Democratic YouTube viewers used the site's software to "flag" the video as "inappropriate," a designation usually reserved for extremely violent or sexually explicit video clips. There is nothing even remotely sexual or violent in the clip. The closest thing to an explicit image in the ad is a scene in which "Albright" bends over and her skirt tears a bit in the seat, hardly the stuff that sets FCC commissioners' hearts aflutter.

While you can still view the video if you watch it embedded on another web site, if you try to watch it on YouTube, you'll be greeted with the message: "This video may contain content that is inappropriate for some users, as flagged by YouTube's user community. To view this video, please verify you are 18 or older by logging in or signing up."

This isn't the first time YouTube's editorial buzzsaw has dismembered conservative and politically incorrect speech. The site has repeatedly pulled videos critical of Islam, and even gone so far as banning popular conservative blogger Michelle Malkin from posting videos. No similarly high-profile liberal or anti-Christian censorship has been reported.

Questions also remain about YouTube's editorial process. It appears that the site allows anything (including sexually suggestive content and entire episodes of television shows) to be posted initially but if too many complaints about a particular clip come in, the software will automatically censor it. Almost certainly what happened with the Zucker ad is that liberal users complained it was "offensive" and managed to get the clip censored automatically.

I'm certain that the site allows administrators to override user votes for and against video clips. Will they do so in a patently obvious case of "flag spam" or will YouTube once again allow angry activists to censor speech they dislike? YouTube put controls on disingenuous users who aren't looking out for objectionable content but instead trying to stifle those with whom they disagree?

Here's a link to Hot Air's embedded version of the ad. Decide for yourself whether the ad is "inappropriate."

[shield]

Several conservatives have it now up on their sites.

http://donsurber.blogspot.com/2006/10/not-everyone-in-hollywood-is.html

[SaltyJoe]

What's interesting is that when North Korea again tries to blackmail the world, they make it easier for conservatives to win votes.

Recall that the Bin Laden video before the 2004 election equaled votes in favor for self preservation.

In essence, the opposition to global security will have to politely beg hostile nations' tyrants to hold off on rattling the liberal media's cage so that Democrats can win elections. The irony is that when a bully senses such weakness, it's a shark that sniffs blood in the water.

Thus, what the present conservative decision is advertising to the traditionally Democrat voter is the chance to see the conservative leadership as who they are: wise enough not to endorse a very funny parody against liberal leadership because conservatives value a party of ladies and gentlemen polite even to those having an opposite opinion.

...but if a group of Swift Boat Veterans want to spend their own money and efforts to expose political candidates, well then we have free speech and a free enterprise economy that allows such actions. Heck, we're so secure with freedom and power, we even allow a foreign despot to call the President "the devil" within our own border.

[giotto]

(From Drudgereport story) However, the advertisement was deemed "too hot" by GOP strategists all across Washington, DC who have refused to use it!

To paraphrase the Zucker video, can we afford a party that's so stupid?

[Quix]

Great spoof far too full of truth for comfort!

[Stentor]

This is a Bob Hope classic on You Tube.

Democrats.

[incredulous joe]

Awesome!

I got to the 'log in' window then found the same video at Drudge. I ain't signing in for YouTube.

You'd think that for 1.6 billion dollars these braniacs couldn't afford to discrimninate between potential users.

[Greystoke]

Woah. It WASN'T pulled. It WASN'T censored. People, get a grip. Because - for whatever reason, it was deemed "offensive", they slapped a "mature audiences only" flag on it, and you have to log in and agree you're over 18 to watch it. BIG DEAL. Even if you're not registered with Youtube, you can go to bugmenot.com, and easily retrieve a login to get in with. But let's not get hyterical here - the ad was neither censored or removed. And, yes, I, too, think it's very funny and right on target... COME ON, RNC. GROW A PAIR AND RUN THE DAMN THING. THE RATS WOULD CERTAINLY RUN SUCH A THING AGAINST US. This may be true, but it is also no longer available when you search YouTube. It also no longer shows the video as having any 'Honors'. an 'Honor' being awarded to a video for different accomplishments, such as 'Most watched today' and Most Commented on today' and so forth. This afternoon it had 10. Then around 4:30 CDT all of them disappeared.

[shield]

He is now.

[Greystoke]

Woah.

It WASN'T pulled.
It WASN'T censored.

People, get a grip.

Because - for whatever reason, it was deemed "offensive", they slapped a "mature audiences only" flag on it, and you have to log in and agree you're over 18 to watch it.

BIG DEAL.

Even if you're not registered with Youtube, you can go to bugmenot.com, and easily retrieve a login to get in with.

But let's not get hyterical here - the ad was neither censored or removed.

And, yes, I, too, think it's very funny and right on target... COME ON, RNC. GROW A PAIR AND RUN THE DAMN THING. THE RATS WOULD CERTAINLY RUN SUCH A THING AGAINST US.

This may be true, but it is also no longer availible when you search YouTube. It also no longer shows the video as having any 'Honors'. an 'Honor' being awarded to a video for differant accomplishments, such as 'Most watched today' and Most Commented on today' and so forth. This afternoon it had 10. Then around 4:30 CDT all of them dissapeared

[sizzlemeister]

"Thus, what the present conservative decision is advertising to the traditionally Democrat voter is the chance to see the conservative leadership as who they are: wise enough not to endorse a very funny parody against liberal leadership because conservatives value a party of ladies and gentlemen polite even to those having an opposite opinion."

A fine point indeed, but of the democrats and liberals I know, the former would enjoy the humor while the latter could care less about being genuinely polite even amongst themselves.

Such and ad would energize the base, and let's be honest, the base will primarily help keep the GOP seats. It would also anger many a liberal who, as we know, make more mistakes the angrier they are. The ensuing democrat comedy could help drive enough of the "undecided" our way.

However...
"...but if a group of Swift Boat Veterans want to spend their own money and efforts to expose political candidates, well then we have free speech and a free enterprise economy that allows such actions."
I agree this is the ideal scenario. It keeps the party clean enough to avoid a legitimate rebuke by the MSM and other democrat dogs.

"Heck, we're so secure with freedom and power, we even allow a foreign despot to call the President "the devil" within our own border."
Hmm, I'm not so sure we're so wise in feeling "secure" with our power and freedom at this point in time. Indeed it's never wise, IMHO, to take it for granted thusly.

[KneelBeforeZod]

the only site on the entire interweb that can host videos is haxx0r3d!!!! everybody panic!!!

[Lancey Howard]

Cool! Thanks for a link that works. I tried to "register" with YouTube but it kept coming back and telling me something or another was wrong with my registration info. I tried about 10 fairly unique names and all of them were allegedly already used. So I gave up and forgot about it.

[SaltyJoe]

The biggest advantage for the GOP stepping aside on letting the free market and free speech to step is that it gives us opportunity here at the FREE REPUBLIC to put in our 2 cents worth worth.

As far as Chavez making "devil" speeches, Latinos know better:



Chavez guards attack oppositionist Elinor Montes.

Maybe Hispanic men can be accused of being rough on their women, but for a man to be in full body armor and using such actions against a woman clearly puts excess on any male's acceptance for use of force. Chavez blackmailed his former ruling government of the consequences of using force against pro-Communist demonstrations. Well? What now? No guards roughed up the "Bush is the devil" speaker at the UN. Will Venezuelans get to speak their vote with the same security for those having a different opinion?

[an amused spectator]

But let's not get hyterical here - the ad was neither censored or removed.

Post # 69 is the reason it's not a good idea to make blanket pronouncements about news-in-process.

They're pretty much censoring it.

[StayoutdaBushesWay]

Bump!

[muawiyah]

Peiping has 141,000 listings in google.com.

Peking has 17,600,000 listings in google.com

Free Republic has 181,000,000 listings.

I say we call it "Free Republic" and be done with it.

[LowOiL]

http://www.lo-l.com/political/democomercial.mpg

MPG format... can save to your computer, can view in numerous players... like Quicktime and Media Player Classic...