A shocking and gruesome video recently made its rounds on YouTube, depicting a man holding what he claimed to be his father’s decapitated head. This disturbing content was viewed by over 5,000 people before it was finally taken down. Sadly, this is just one example of the disturbing and horrifying content that often slips through the cracks on social media platforms.
This incident unfolded just hours before major tech CEOs were scheduled to face Congress for a hearing on child safety and social media. Notably absent from the list of chief executives attending was Sundar Pichai, the CEO of YouTube’s parent company, Alphabet.
YouTube acted swiftly, removing the graphic video and terminating the channel of the uploader, Justin Mohn, citing violations of their policies on graphic violence and violent extremism. Nevertheless, this incident raises significant concerns about the effectiveness of content moderation on online platforms.
Many social media companies have faced criticism for their insufficient investments in trust and safety teams. In 2022, Company X eliminated teams dedicated to security, public policy, and human rights issues under new leadership. Similarly, Twitch, owned by Amazon, laid off employees working on responsible AI and trust and safety initiatives, while Microsoft disbanded a key team focused on ethical AI product development. Facebook’s parent company, Meta, also reduced staff in non-technical roles during its recent layoffs.
Critics argue that social media platforms often prioritize advertising revenue over safety, resulting in a slow response when it comes to removing disturbing content. Algorithms used by these platforms tend to favor videos with high engagement, exacerbating the issue. Even when companies label violent content, they frequently struggle to moderate and remove it promptly, leaving children and teenagers exposed to harmful imagery before it is eventually taken down.
The sheer volume of content requiring moderation has overwhelmed these platforms, negatively impacting children’s mental health and well-being. Traumatizing images can leave lasting scars on young viewers.
As tech companies face tough questions from Congress, they are expected to present tools and policies designed to protect children and provide parents with more control over their kids’ online experiences. However, critics argue that these measures often fall short, shifting the primary responsibility of safeguarding teenagers onto parents and young users themselves.
Advocates widely agree that tech platforms can no longer be entrusted to self-regulate effectively. They are calling for stricter regulation and oversight in the interest of child safety on the internet.