YouTube criticized for promoting videos claiming Las Vegas shooting was faked

[midian182]

Bizarre conspiracy theory videos certainly aren’t a new phenomenon for YouTube, but the streaming site is facing criticism for promoting content in its search results that claims the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas was a hoax.

Stephen Paddock killed at least 59 people and injured over 520 others when he opened fire on crowds at a country music festival from the Mandalay Bay Resort Sunday night.

As reported by The Guardian, videos asking if the most deadly mass shooting in modern US history even happened have already gained millions of views on YouTube. Typing “Las Vegas shooting videos” into the site’s search bar brings up a number of clips that claim the incident was faked, while others insist it was a false flag operation used to bring in tighter gun controls. Those that deny it happened say green screens were used during post-shooting interviews, and that the victims were “actors.”

“When I see my wife fighting for her life with a gunshot wound to her chest, and my daughter was also shot, it’s pretty conclusive evidence that it did happen,” said Stephen Melanson, whose wife and daughter were both shot during the attack. Witness Krista Metz added, “It’s not a conspiracy. It’s not a joke. It did happen. I was there [...] We literally thought we were going to die.”

This year has seen YouTube introduce several new measures to help identify and remove terrorist or violent extremist material. But the company says these type of conspiracy videos don’t violate its standards, so they’re unlikely to be taken down.

While most people won't believe the videos' claims, the clips can have consequences for the survivors and victims' families. A father of one of the Sandy Hook shooting victims has faced numerous death threats from those who believe the incident was faked.

In the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, Google and Facebook also promoted multiple fake news articles and conspiracy theories. Both companies released statements that placed the blame firmly on their algorithms.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/71269-youtube-criticized-promoting-videos-claim-las-vega-shooting.html

 

[Uncle Al]

"Both companies released statements that placed the blame firmly on their algorithms."

So if it's their algorithms and there have been PLENTY of fake news stories on all sorts of topics that they have apparently not fixed ..... how is it not their fault? Sounds like MORE fake news that they will have to fix!

 

[davislane1]

Cry me a river. Wishy washy conspiracy theories are going to be dismissed by anyone with half a brain cell and any of the theories that are algorhythmically hidden are going to become even more persuasive to conspiracy nuts because now they're trying to "bury the truth."

 

[MoeJoe]

I can't believe this is even a thing.
Oh wait ... yes I can.

 

[Panda218]

The same exact thing happened after the Sandy hook shooting so I'm not surprised in the least bit

 

[madboyv1]

...anyone with half a brain cell...

Well... about that...

 

[pcnthuziast]

God fearing, 2nd amendment advocating, white Christian conservatives, were the demographic of the crowd in attendance and even the musicians that performed there. Stephen fits no profile to have a grudge against said demographic. #defendtheconstitution #falseflag #redherring

 

[wiyosaya]

God fearing, 2nd amendment advocating, white Christian conservatives, were the demographic of the crowd in attendance and even the musicians that performed there. Stephen fits no profile to have a grudge against said demographic.

I am sure there were others who do not fit that bill there, too. In fact, take a look at this - https://www.boredpanda.com/las-vegas-mass-shooting-heroes/

Or are you saying "In God we trust and all others who do not look like us get a bullet"?

The same exact thing happened after the Sandy hook shooting so I'm not surprised in the least bit

Well, not only that, but Irma was a hoax, too, at least according to one God fearing, 2nd Amendment supporting, white christian who likely has no more than half a brain cell, IMO.

I am sure that most any tragedies that shed a negative light on the fake reality that many people live in are all hoaxes at least from that fake reality side of the tracks.

 

[Nobina]

This will just make YouTube become even more shitty by creating useless alogrithms that will impact it's users in a negative way.

 

[commanderasus]

Explain This

This guys father was on the fbi most wanted list in the 70's that's the only connection this man had to a crime.
But the fbi already knew who he was.for decades.
Never a single arrest or citation
Never a mental health problem
No links to anything radical
Nothing.like a ghost
He gets a job for the united states post office
Next job is for the internal revenue service
Next he's rich.
Millionaire investor real estate agent
His girlfriend is from a foreign country
He out of nowhere makes a decision to go to a hotel with 20 guns and massacre people.
Kills his self.so no one can ask him any questions
And now the debate for unarming citizens can carry on.while the country is being confused about an NFL player kneeling about police shooting unarmed citizens.
Does any of this seem odd?


A retired 64 year old multimillionaire who spends his days traveling to Vegas and Dubai with his thick jungle Asian sex toy and gambling, lives in a half million dollar house, is a pilot who owns two airplanes, and hunts big game in Alaska decides to commit a mass shooting at a Jason Aldean concert and then commit suicide when the cops arrive.

He has no military experience, yet manages to exquisitely plan his attack. He books two connecting rooms that offer multiple firing positions overlooking the concert months in advance while his jungle Asian just happens to book a trip to the Philippines at the same time. He books them in his jungle Asian's name, so that his name, as a big time gambler, won't trigger the casino's computer and give him comps and draw attention to him.

He acquires automatic weapons somehow and knows enough to put tripods and optics on them. He moves it all up to the hotel room three days in advance and keeps it hidden from housekeeping.

He brings a tool to smash the windows instead of shooting through them. He does enough recon on site to realize they close all of the entrances to the concert area but one at 10 so he starts shooting at just after 10 so people have fewer exits to escape through.
Following so far?

He even thinks of perimeter security and sets up GoPros connected to a tablet so he can watch for the police to arrive.

He thinks of EVERYTHING!

Then he starts shooting. At this point, despite such detailed planning, he starts to **** everything up. He sustains fire until the drum is empty instead of firing controlled bursts, degrading the effectiveness of his fire. He only has one drum and then has to switch to 30 round magazines. That means more time reloading and less time shooting. His room is too high up which increases distance to target and makes his fire more plunging than grazing and degrading its effectiveness.

He doesn't know how to use an automatic weapon. He doesn't know the first thing about that.

How can someone who knows nothing about something so fundamental be able to plan the rest of the operation in such precise detail?
Something isn't right. Who is the professional who planned it for him? How did they get this guy with no criminal record and a life full of wealth, sex, adventure, etc., to do something like this?

Please explain to me how a 64-year-old accountant with absolutely no firearms training, no gun experience and no physical stamina was somehow able to expertly wield a highly complex (and physically demanding) weapon system for 10 sustained minutes. Even highly trained Navy Seals would have a difficult time running a full auto weapon for 10 minutes straight. Such weapon systems are brutal on the operator. They require tremendous strength, stamina and expert troubleshooting to keep running. Full-auto weapons overheat and jam. They demand incredible strength to keep aimed on target. They require expert reloading and weapons clearing in the case of jams, and the hotel room would have been so full of smoke and powder residue that it would be almost impossible to keep breathing from that enclosed space.

 

[Impudicus]

So, videos that question the "official" story are fake news? How dare they question what happened. Most of these videos are garbage but this is america where we are allowed to express what we think and feel about anything. It's what set us apart from the rest of the world, what made this country great. This mean we all get this right. We can express what we feel even if it is wrong, and in some cases may even be right. This is what used to be at the core of great Journalism before all the news agencies were slaves to their sponsors and their political ties. Now what we are left with are amateurs with limited sources trying to make sense of what happened, pointing out inconsistencies by our media, who by their own means left them self open to such criticism. Just wait until they start taking down any videos criticizing the president of the United States, citing it could potentially contribute to a risk of their safety and security.