YouTube Revises Company Policies, Say Goodbye To Dangerous Prank Videos

AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

SAN BRUNO, Calif. (AP) — YouTube is trying to prevent otherwise bright people from doing dangerous things. The video-sharing network owned by Google is cracking down on harmful or dangerous pranks.

Videos by Rare

Updated policies no longer allow challenges that present “an apparent risk of death” and ban content featuring children “participating in dangerous challenges that pose an imminent risk of injury or bodily harm.”

YouTube also says it is drawing the line on content that “intends to incite violence or encourage dangerous or illegal activities” that have a risk of serious harm or death. They include bomb making or pranks that put people in physical danger.

A recent “Bird Box challenge” featured videos of people engaging in activities while blindfolded. People also were sickened in a challenge that involved eating Tide detergent pods.

Videos that we consider encouraging dangerous or illegal activities include, among other things, the following:

  • Instructional bomb-making
  • Challenges that encourage acts that have an inherent risk of severe physical harm
  • Pranks that make victims believe they’re in physical danger
  • Pranks that cause emotional distress to children
  • Hard drug use
  • Other acts that may result in serious injury

In regards to what is accepted, YouTube added,

“A video that depicts dangerous acts may be allowed if the primary purpose is educational, documentary, scientific, or artistic (EDSA), and it isn’t gratuitously graphic. For example, a news piece on the dangers of choking games would be appropriate, but posting clips out of context from the same documentary might not be. Videos that incite others to commit acts of violence are strictly prohibited from YouTube. If your video asks others to commit an act of violence or threatens people with serious acts of violence, it will be removed from the site.”

Watch: Ultimate Pranks on YouTube

What do you think?

Man Threatens to Kill Neighbor With 'Kindness'...The Name of His Machete!

Man Threatens to Kill Neighbor With ‘Kindness’…The Name of His Machete!

40,000 Pounds of Liquid Chocolate Spills Onto Arizona Highway

40,000 Pounds of Liquid Chocolate Spills Onto Arizona Highway, Creates ‘Chocolate River’