YouTube has announced updates to its cyberbullying and harassment policies. The platform will no longer permit content that "realistically simulates" minors and other victims of crimes narrating their deaths or the violence they endured.
This policy revision specifically targets a disturbing trend within true crime circles, where AI-generated depictions of victims, including children, describe violent acts against them. These videos often utilize AI-generated, childlike voices to recount gruesome details of high-profile cases, prompting outrage from the families of the victims who have deemed the content as "disgusting."
Under the updated policy, a violation will result in a strike against the channel hosting the content. This strike not only removes the offending material but also imposes temporary limitations on the user's activities on the platform. For a first strike, users may face restrictions such as a one-week suspension of video uploads. Subsequent violations within a 90-day period will escalate the penalties, potentially leading to the removal of the entire channel.
YouTube's decision comes amidst a broader industry-wide effort to address the challenges posed by synthetic content generated through artificial intelligence. Platforms like TikTok have implemented measures requiring creators to clearly label AI-generated content. Earlier, YouTube established stringent guidelines concerning AI voice clones of musicians, differentiating them from more lenient rules applicable to other content creators.