Mastodawn

As mentioned in my video today on YouTube, I've been helping a new channel try to share some very old music that is quite special to me. It's been problem after problem with YouTube.

Have a look at this...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pj9RLatOjgvKUhPfdD0wMAWx1eJss_Ha/view?usp=drive_link

...and tell me why you think it's banned?

YouTube is flagging old Irish folk songs as being "support or recruitment" for "violent criminal organizations."

Yes, these songs are political — much of the Irish music I like is — but you can't join the IRA without a time machine, not to mention the songs that are getting banned aren't "Broad Black Brimmer" or "Men Behind the Wire" but things like the song at the above link... "Grace"

Have a look at the video at that Google drive link and tell me what you think?

pfriedma 1d ago

@deviantollam
This is entirely anecdotal, but I've heard from several people that YT, Reddit, Facebook, and even LinkedIn are increasingly flagging anything remotely relating to resistance, solidarity, anti-capitalism, or general "anti establishment" . Often under a vague "violates content guidelines"

Not sure if the AI is just more agro, or related to the new updates to US counterintelligence, or more bootlicking.... Or if there's just more automated non-human moderation than there was a year ago

pannier pete not peter pan 1d ago

@deviantollam I think the flagging has nothing to do with the lyrics and everything to do with the visuals, esp. the IRA poster near the beginning plus the Brigade Belfast poster at 0:30.

Deviant Ollam 22h ago

@pnuw stuff out of focus in the background that isn't even legible??

pannier pete not peter pan 22h ago

@deviantollam yes. the pattern recognition is why I think your video was banned, not the text itself. Also I would argue the letters "IRA" on the poster in the very first frame are very much in focus AND associated with a drawing of a man in a balaclava, military garb, and an automatic rifle.

But don't take my word for it. Post another version with no audio and prove me wrong.

Edit: post another version with no audio or lyrics and prove me wrong.

pannier pete not peter pan 22h ago

@deviantollam or, perhaps it would be more fun if you recorded a karaoke version of just the song with you singing it, and see if Google tags it as inappropriate.

I say this because I recently posted a dozen-ish one-mic' recordings of my jam band covering a bunch of songs, with me playing drums and singing along very tongue-in-cheek. The YT uploader still tagged several songs as Copyright violations and wouldn't even let me post them as Unlisted.

Deviant Ollam 22h ago

@pnuw we might have to continue to play with it and adjust it, yeah

pannier pete not peter pan 22h ago

@deviantollam maybe don't try to do your Rod Stewart impression, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxIrmWfKJuQ

Rod Stewart - Grace (Audio)

YouTube

Arnaud Tabarly 22h ago

@pnuw @deviantollam
peertube man 🍻

@arnaud_tabarly @pnuw @deviantollam

True, but it won't have the t reach at this time.

AAA Trans Pirate 22h ago

@deviantollam @pnuw

wild stab in the dark but I bet it's this image that's getting the video banned. also, mentions of death are blocked (not just suicide) and there's the word "die" in the lyrics.

I went through YT and found a bunch of Irish songs that are pro IRA/anti English.

IMO, the algorithm isn't programmed to specifically block resistance content. it's running on keywords and associated imagery.

Deviant Ollam 21h ago

@coolcalmcollected @pnuw indeed... I'm talking to the video editors about a re-render with some blurring involved like this...

@deviantollam
This is what happens when they use AI to moderate the content and, if you think the AI is wrong and appeal, using AI to validate your appeal. It's no wonder that it comes to the same (wrong?) conclusion twice. Enjoy, this is the new AI Future.

Deviant Ollam 22h ago

@momo It is completely like that yes

Martin Vermeer FCD 23h ago

@deviantollam Why not peertube

Underthehighwatermarc 23h ago

@deviantollam Couldn't get the video to play.

@deviantollam I feel like this is the Palestine playbook — supporting Palestine means the endless "do you condemn Hamas", so maybe supporting Irish identity might soon start being met with "do you condemn IRA"

@me @deviantollam
The Algorithm might have been trained on the many Flegs in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8JqKxrloQQ

The Blame Game: Flegs

YouTube

acffh morst 21h ago

@deviantollam YT is awfully commercial. Why not upload content to archive.org instead!?

Deviant Ollam 21h ago

@morst oh we absolute plan to do that, too. but we also want people to enjoy this content and YT is the platform where most folk will do so.

Jason844 🙃21h ago

@deviantollam The YouTube algorithm(s) are evil.

Nova Rivera 19h ago

@deviantollam I called a Googler that works in the appropriate department and your problems seems to be with the UK government, they have been calling any Patrick Pearse and James Connolly in a good light song, basically terrorism propaganda. Al-Qaeda and the Easter Rising are the same as far as the UK is concerned. The person in question might be wrong, we are like moderately friends, and I'm not willing to vouch for this.

Deviant Ollam 18h ago

@novarivera I appreciate the additional context.

Derek Robson 18h ago

@deviantollam there are many other version on YouTube, so I would assume it’s in the visuals, either the captions of lyrics or the art in the background.

https://youtu.be/bR_NQOLrc-s

Much Loved Irish Ballad (Grace) Performed Absolutely Beautifully by Zoe Clarke.

YouTube

Deviant Ollam 16h ago

@deviantollam idiots