After backlash, Youtube says better policies against hate speech in the works

BENGALURU: Google-owned video service YouTube is updating its hate speech policy, as it faces backlash over inaction in addressing hateful and borderline harmful content on its platform.

Starting Wednesday, YouTube will specifically prohibit videos with supremacist content that portray a race, religion or a group as superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion. YouTube will also remove several videos and channels that violate the new policies. YouTube said it will remove these videos even if they do not explicitly call for violence.

The company declined to disclose specific information on how many channels or videos would be taken down as part of the policy changes.