Content creators on YouTube have long had a tenuous relationship with the platform. Frequent changes to policies and an imperfect detection system can lead to YouTube demonetized or even removing videos by mistake. The video site targeted and removed a recent video from Charlie ‘Cr1TiKaL’ White for violating YouTube’s Community Guidelines.
On his channel penguinz0, White uploaded a video of what appears to be several costumed characters (including Mickey Mouse and Spongebob) attacking a person at an intersection. It’s a case of road rage backfiring but no one seems particularly injured after the fight. The video also appears to have been staged, with White claiming on Twitter that the video is a “staged viral YouTube video” that has been around for several years.
Was going to handle this privately but it seems there is actually no human review in these things. The video that was taken down and put a strike on my channel is not even a real road rage incident and has no injury, blood or anything. Not even fake blood or injury @TeamYouTube pic.twitter.com/dVR5k38uD3
— Charlie (@MoistCr1TiKaL) September 1, 2020
Despite this, the video was removed from White’s channel for violating Community Guidelines, specifically for “violent or graphic content.” After an appeal, YouTube determined that the violation still stands and a strike was placed against White’s channel. White posted a screenshot of his strike and tagged the YouTube support account on Twitter who said they would investigate the strike. Fans of White took to Twitter to voice support, using the hashtag #AnswerUsYouTube to try and get the strike removed.
Markiplier voices his support for Cr1TiKaL against Youtube
Several hours after posting his strike screenshot, White posted a screenshot from Markiplier’s four-year-old “Try Not to Laugh Challenge #2’. The video shows Fischbach laughing over the same video, which had very similar content that gave White a penalty. White explained that “no one should be in trouble for joking about what is clearly a staged video; I’d just like to know why only mine was deemed ‘disturbing and shocking.’” Not surprisingly, Fischbach agreed with White in saying that YouTube’s policies were unfair.
Fair is fair @TeamYouTube where’s my strike? #AnswerUsYouTube https://t.co/PL4tq9PNx4
— Mark (@markiplier) September 2, 2020
“Fair is fair @TeamYouTube where’s my strike? #AnswerUsYouTube,” Fischbach said in support of White and his content. Unsurprisingly, only several hours later, Fischbach’s video was removed for violating YouTube’s guidelines.
“I’m absolutely shocked Youtube is deciding to die on this hill,” White said when he learned that Fischbach’s video was taken down. “Striking even the most wholesome creator on their site rather than admit it was a mistake in the first place.”
In a rare retraction, YouTube admitted that it made a mistake with the strikes. Claiming that they are not dying on this particular hill, the Team YouTube Twitter account admitted that after further review, neither video violated the community guidelines. The site also admitted that the strike was an over-enforcement of YouTube’s policies.
Update: we’re not going to die on this hill. You were right – after (even further) review, your video & others are back up and these strikes have been removed. This was an over-enforcement of our policies, especially w/ the added context/commentary as you originally pointed out.
— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) September 2, 2020
Both White and Fischbach’s videos are back up on their channels. YouTube has removed both strikes from the channels as well. Over on the YouTube Community Guidelines Enforcement FAQs, YouTube does admit that reviewers can make mistakes, which is why the appeal system exists. When the appeals system doesn’t work though, sometimes all it takes is the support of thousands of fans across a couple of major channels to get an appeal. Stick with Daily Esports for any further updates.
