Posted on Jul 7, 2022
Highland Park suspect’s videos in 'grey area' that YouTube struggles to moderate
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The videos posted on YouTube accounts associated with the suspect in the Highland Park, Illinois, shooting included the kinds of images and themes that pose a particular challenge to technology companies’ moderation efforts: violent but vague.
The suspect, Robert E. Crimo III, was also a rapper under the name “Awake,” posting videos of himself and his music. Some videos depicted extreme and ultraviolent imagery, including scenes of shootings. Ten months ago, on a separate account that featured numerous videos of Crimo, a video of an apparent view of the parade route in the majority-Jewish suburb of Chicago where the attack occurred was posted. Other videos on the channel included narration warning viewers about what someone who appeared to be Crimo described as his unstoppable destiny.
They’re the kinds of videos that can be tough for automated moderation technology or even human moderators to catch.
The suspect, Robert E. Crimo III, was also a rapper under the name “Awake,” posting videos of himself and his music. Some videos depicted extreme and ultraviolent imagery, including scenes of shootings. Ten months ago, on a separate account that featured numerous videos of Crimo, a video of an apparent view of the parade route in the majority-Jewish suburb of Chicago where the attack occurred was posted. Other videos on the channel included narration warning viewers about what someone who appeared to be Crimo described as his unstoppable destiny.
They’re the kinds of videos that can be tough for automated moderation technology or even human moderators to catch.
Highland Park suspect’s videos in 'grey area' that YouTube struggles to moderate
Posted from nbcnews.com
YouTube
Social Media
Internet
Technology
Video
Posted 2 y ago
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From a clinical perspective, his posts are quite revealing of his malignant intentions.
Rich
Rich
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."“There are a lot of different ways that machine learning tools for content moderation can build in and build upon existing societal biases,” Llansó said.
The content attributed to Crimo fell into a gray area not covered by YouTube’s guidelines, which ban videos recorded by a perpetrator during a “deadly or major violent event” and incitements to viewers to commit acts of violence, Fishman said.
Even though some content from some shooting suspects occupies that middle space, Fishman said, there are characteristics that could still be identified in material that is potentially dangerous.
“Oftentimes those sort of ‘artistic’ depictions do glorify previous attacks,” Fishman said.
Fishman, who is a senior fellow with the International Security Program at New America, a Washington, D.C., think tank, said researchers are increasingly working to differentiate between “direct threats” and those engaged in subcultures that are “pretty disgusting but don’t pose real-world threats.”
He also said that platforms might not alert authorities when creators violate rules about violent content and that content moderation usually doesn’t generate referrals to law enforcement.
Despite the challenges social media companies face in content moderation, Fishman said, they have a responsibility to look for solutions.
“I think that’s what they signed up for when they became large, ubiquitous platforms,” he said."
..."“There are a lot of different ways that machine learning tools for content moderation can build in and build upon existing societal biases,” Llansó said.
The content attributed to Crimo fell into a gray area not covered by YouTube’s guidelines, which ban videos recorded by a perpetrator during a “deadly or major violent event” and incitements to viewers to commit acts of violence, Fishman said.
Even though some content from some shooting suspects occupies that middle space, Fishman said, there are characteristics that could still be identified in material that is potentially dangerous.
“Oftentimes those sort of ‘artistic’ depictions do glorify previous attacks,” Fishman said.
Fishman, who is a senior fellow with the International Security Program at New America, a Washington, D.C., think tank, said researchers are increasingly working to differentiate between “direct threats” and those engaged in subcultures that are “pretty disgusting but don’t pose real-world threats.”
He also said that platforms might not alert authorities when creators violate rules about violent content and that content moderation usually doesn’t generate referrals to law enforcement.
Despite the challenges social media companies face in content moderation, Fishman said, they have a responsibility to look for solutions.
“I think that’s what they signed up for when they became large, ubiquitous platforms,” he said."
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