YouTube has recently informed its users that restrictions against certain videos including gun usage and promoting of gun sales are soon to come.

YouTube states that it will prohibit the videos including the construction and the sale of firearms. This new policy has been developed in four months by the experts on the subject and is expected to be officially introduced soon.

The company, in addition to its already existing prohibition on the sale of firearms, will now also prohibit any content which involves the promotions of the sale of guns and gun-related accessories such as ammunition.

YouTube informed its users about the upcoming policy change in a forum post. Priorly, the videos demonstrating methods to discharge guns faster had been removed from the platform which was a method used by a gunman who was involved in a mass shooting in 2017.

Gun rights advocates in particular object to the policy change. National Shooting Sports Foundation express their disapproval by stating that “YouTube acts as a virtual public square”. They add that this prohibition is against the commercial free speech, which has constitutional protection.

The policy change happens as YouTube and other technology platforms face increased views after the Parkland shooting, in which 17 people were killed. Following that, a video on a conspiracy theory about a shooting survivor has gone viral on YouTube which resulted in banning of all similar types of videos. Furthermore, these types of policy changes keep emerging in various other platforms, as well as businesses.

By Hande Kardas

Reference: YouTube to Ban Videos Promoting Gun Sales