Google is my friend? Not unless they FIX IT!

Please attend to the issues raised in the above reform request.

Please resolve this issue!

To neglect the appeal of those masses interested in seeing a more cooperative, fair,
and reasonable side to your service, is to denounce the very things they stand for
and to give might to those who would oppose such a movement. It is well within your
power to make appropriate changes.

Fix it. NOW.

Fix Youtube. We're asking as loyal users, not as an opponent. We want it to get
better because we know it can get better! We know that Youtube has the potential of
being the classiest and most professional video site on the net, so let's have it
already!   

The small errors on this site have led to substantially negative ramifications. 
Censorship is easy to do, and this is problematic for a forum that declares itself 
"open" or "free."
Please make it harder to DMCA videos so that this nightmarish censorship rubbish comes 
to an end.

hi

As a loyal user, I'm insulted at Youtube's inability to fix this. I used to really 
enjoy this site. =/

It's pretty shameful that this problem has been allowed to continue so long.  Many of
the channels I subscribe to have underwent ordeals with false DMCA flags and all have
had problems with votebots. 

Please, fix this issue, your users are desperate for the return of their free-speech
forum.

Youtube should fix this.

youtube should fix this because free speach is important

Please make free-speech a priority!

Youtube flagging system is unfair, ineffective.

YouTube is one of my main venues for entertainment. I enjoy the open exchange of
ideas between users more than anything. It seems though that YouTubers I sub to are
constantly having their accounts flagged and/or suspended over these issues listed by
CiphersSon. 

If you want to keep YouTube an enjoyable place for EVERYONE, this should be a priority.

Get it sorted 

It does need to be addressed as itis spoiling the youtube experience

I am in full agreement.
The second comment by rozeboosje is an excellent summary of the things that need 
attention and fixing with the current system.

I, like millions of other YouTube users value free speech as paramount and for
YouTube to continue to be the best video sharing site out there it needs to allow,
and even promote free speech. Please do something about these abuses.

The whims of a small minority are currently destroying the liberty of free speech
that used to exist on YouTube. 

Fix it. 

Free speech must be maintained, whether it is profitable or not.

Fix this problem or youtube might find itself becoming the empty graveyard, that msn has become.

Sort it out!!!!!!!!!

The scientifical community of YouTube is passionate and well-connected. We will fight
for our rightful freedom of speech. Better to deal with our request before its
proportions increase beyond control.

Fix this problem or youtube might find itself becoming the empty graveyard, that msn has become.

Sort it out!!!!!!!!!

There is something rotten with Youtube,
CURE IT!!!!

I agree that this is ridiculous.  It's interesting that anti-secular groups such as
Christians would steep to such a low level as to lie and cheat.  Though without proof
of what they believe in, I guess it's their only recourse.

Although I don't personally upload videos and therefore have never been directly
affected by this, I do subscribe to many people who have.  It is clear that they are
being falsely accused and not only does it cause them much unneeded trouble but it
also stops the subscriber, myself, from getting to view the wonderful content from
the video makers who are being attacked.

Please?

Please?

It's high time something is done about this!

Fix youtube now!

I am a firm believer in free speech. Please take steps to insure that everyone has a
free and fair voice.

I love seeing false DMCAers getting their ass handed to them, but I would love even
more for my favorite channels to not have to deal with pointless legal issues.

Wouldn't it be in YouTube's interest to cut on menagement costs and increase the
number of ad carrying videos?

No reason why this shouldn't have been addressed already.  Get with it Google, we've 
made you and your affiliates rich, now use those resources and protect freedom of 
speech.

Your system, and the ease at which a DMCA can be placed is shame, its horrendous how
peoples channels can be removed at the touch of a button by people wishing to censor
views and information which is perfectly within their rights to make available to the
world.

Sort it out, please.

This definitely needs to be fixed!

YouTube, YouSuck if you fail to address this. You know this is going on, yet for some
mysterious but doubtless cynical reason, Google doesn't want to have critical voices
on YouTube. 

Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself. I 
hope Google will fix this problem very soon.

Dear Google/YouTube,

Please protect YouTube users from false DMCA claims. Make it harder to lodge a DMCA, 
make it impossible to lodge one anonymously, and place a bigger burden of proof on 
the claimant that their copyright has been infringed BEFORE lodging the claim.

Thank you.

I've been votebotted, had comments on my videos voted down multiple times, and have
had one of my videos removed to a false inappropriate content flag.  Please fix the
system, Youtube.  

we need to to keep youtube a place of free speech with open ideas not a place for
censorship!!!

The current process is killing the ability of users to have a coherent voice. We want 
to be able to post without the possibility of false flags and DMCAs and the only way to 
do that is to change the system.

Reform is necessary.  It seems like every two weeks someone's channel is censored or taken down for no good 
reason.  If youtube supports free speech then something must be done.

As a developer, this problem of votebotting and DMCA flagging should provide a good 
challenge and good publicity for google.  I would think votebotting could be solved 
much more easily than the false DMCA'ing, but any steps to make either harder would 
most likely solve much of the problem.

False DMCAs hinder the education that is being put on youtube and is nothing but a hate 
response to conflicting ideas.  This completely disregards freedom of speech, something 
must be done.

I'm tired of people using false DMCA takedown notices to silence those that would
criticise them.

Please fix this problem. Youtube has the feel of a totalitarian regime.

proof of ownership should need to be provided before DMCA's are acted upon. What 
happened to innocent until proven guilty?

I really don't understand the logic of taking down a video or closing a channel when
no evidence is shown to warrant such an attack. Changes need to be made.

should be a high priority  item

I was so disgusted by YouTube's negligence of this issue in 2009. So many channels 
were suspended or cancelled due to a select few abusing the system and false 
flagging or false DMCAing videos that did not violate any YouTube guidelines, please 
take note of this issue!

OF HIGHEST PRIORITY

It's about time this problem is taken seriously

I have no doubt that the founders of Google are people who strongly believed in
freedom of thought and speech when they started Google but they seem to have lost
their perspective and forgotten their humble beginnings.

They need to wake up and remember their earlier selves.

There is a problem here on youtube. and there must be a way to fix it. 

Youtube is still broken, censorship will always be wrong.

Fix youtube!

Neglect won't fix the problem.

Its time to start walking the walk not just talking the talk. You can't say you're 
comitted to free speech and then ignore censorship of accounts and videos on your site 
by enemies of free speech (at least not without sacrificing all pretense to honesty, 
integrity, and morality

Youtube is the forum in which many voices are herd.  This kind of censorship is wrong.

Censorship cannot be allowed to win. If Google wants to stand by their motto of "Don't 
be evil" then they need to fix YouTube.

End the votebot, falseflag and DMCA abuse. Re-establish YouTube as the premier site
for the fair and balanced dissemination of ideas and information.

This is out of hand. Youtube could easily prevent the exile of some of its most
intellectual contributors.

It seems people believe in innocent until proven guilty, but on youtube it is the
other way around.  This needs to change.

I don't understand. these issues would be so easy to fix.

This should be a high priority item. This is far worse and has much greater real
world implications than any other bug on YT. Please fix this issue!

I don't see any reason why this shouldn't be implemented. Even something as simple as
requiring users watch an entire video before voting is standard on other sites and is
easy to implement. It may not be bulletproof but it will help.

Google should be ashamed that they own youtube and what it has become.

this should be dealt with as quickly as possible. no youtube user wants to be 
silenced with a false DMCA notice...

did anyone else realize that on the most popular threads page if you look for the 
next thread about youtube, its about making censoring comments easier?

I agree this needs to be fixed.

Its all been said before, needless to say, I support this change whole heartedly.

The reason - for quite a while now - that i come back to youtube is for its
EDUCATIONAL CHANNELS, not the bloody music videos for chart hits. I understand the
former probably don't make Google much money (if any), but it turned YouTube into a
worldwide resource for teachers, students and self-educating people.

The current DMCA takedown system lets the fringe people who're peddling their
brain-haired ideas to censor perfectly valid videos (based on science: evidence,
reasoning and discussion).

I'm not saying these guys should be banned or censored on Youtube; I supposed
everyone has the right to post videos here (as long as they don't go against the
Terms of Use). In the end, with time and discussion good ideas trump bad/stupid ones.
The problem is that the scientific community is having problems keeping their
arguments up, and this is unacceptable.

It's a shame the current state of affairs, all the more so with Google's commitment
to do good (though to be fair it's not entirely their fault). IT people say that this
is not hard to fix; then do so already.

My 2¢.

Must. Fix.

This is important.

I wholeheartedly support this.
Something has to be done,it's a JOKE that a site as big and as profitable as Youtube
allows such abuse to take place.

I am in support of this, and, considering the thrubbing that YouTube got from 4Chan over the closing of that 8 
year old's channel, clearly, something needs to be done.

I agree. This issue has gotten completely out of hand.

something must be done!

YouTube is almost as bad as mainstream media allowing such censorship. It is not a
wonder why YouTube hasn't done anything. We freethinkers don't make them loads of
money because we are too busy spreading education instead of slutty girls dancing
around some rapper talking about pimping them out.

YouTube ONLY LISTENS TO THEIR SHAREHOLDERS NOW! They are no better than Bank Of
America or General Motors. Us little guys mean nothing to them.

The Pirate Bay will always find a way to share information freely. No matter what. We
need to be as resourceful here. YouTube may do nothing at all. We need to be prepared
to seek out other methods of sharing information.

Please help to minimize the rewards that malicious users currently enjoy for DMCA and
flagging abuses; a morsel of feedback regarding such efforts would also be welcome. 

The current DMCA takedown system lets the fringe people who're peddling their
brain-haired ideas to censor perfectly valid videos (based on science: evidence,
reasoning and discussion).

Sort it out, please.

Censorship denies my right to hear the opinions of others, no matter how offensive 
they may be to me personally.  But for a more eloquent statement of my position:  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOck_bDb0JA

Needs to be looked into urgently. 

Please fix youtube

It is incredibly disturbing when videos are taken offline because of dogmatic
differences.  Like it or not, free speech and freedom of religion (or no religion)
are an incredibly important part of the values of the United States.  Censoring
videos on these grounds is immoral and only serves to hurt the population of the US
and the world.  Please fix YouTube.

More protection against false DMCA false flagging and votebotting on youtube! protect 
free speech.

This problem has gone on long enough. Please resolve this issue.  

We are NOT going to let Israel controll youtube.

We will not use YouTube if this happens.

set broken false.

Please address these issues. Without a fair and open community, youtube will alienate
its own users. Victimizing your own users does not make for a strong business model.

YouTube Censorship Reform for the win!

Australia is facing net censorship.  Now youtube is threatening to fall under the 
control of people who censor any unpopular or uncomfortable ideas.  Please youtube, 
don't let yourselves fall in with these people.  Let youtube be for everyone. 

The fact that YouTube has become one of the most powerful communication tools to 
ever exist demands an unyielding level of care in its administration.

YouTube has a social and moral obligation to not become a tool of censorship. Please
make it much harder for people who cannot stand criticism to censor those who stand
up to them.

FIX IT!

If Youtube isn't fair, people WILL leave.  Me included

Free speach on the web.

C'mon youtube listen to your users!! this is important.

This really is a rampant problem in YouTube.

the population of the world relies on informative media and entertainment for which 
they have kindly chosen youre site and formed it in to the most popular media site 
on the net so if you would be so kind as to fix this issue with youre own site it 
would be much appreciated.

Free speech for Youtube! Please stop the DMCA abuse and false flagging.

Please fix this, google! You guys are a good company and it is certainly within your 
grasp to do so.

Please fix this, google! You guys are a good company and it is certainly within your 
grasp to do so.

signed

YouTube allows ideas and voices to be heard, that would otherwise be lost.  Please, 
don't let others silence our voices.

This is a serious problem. YouTube IS essentially broken in it's current state.

Freedom of Speech is, I believe, one of the most important things to have and with
Youtube being one of the best way's to get your message across it is important that
people can't abuse the system causing others to be censored.  Freedom of Speech give
people the right to say what they want without being censored.  With this freedom
people are, or should be, accountable for what they say, what you say matters. 
Lastly freedom of speech does not give anybody the right to not be offended, in fact
it basically denies that right, because any place where people can say what they want
someone will say something that will make other people mad but that person should not
be censored because that person offended someone nor should the person being offended
not be allowed to state their mind on the subject as well.

Falsely issuing a DMCA claim is illegal, youtube has a responsibility to ensure that 
people who commit this crime are prosecuted.

True democracy deserves a chance. 

False Flagging,DMCA abuse and votebot attacks are major problems which allow users to
be censored by people with opposing views.If these problems aren't dealt with youtube
can never be considered an open forum where users can freely express their opinions
and ideas.

Signed. False flagging and vote bots are ruining YouTube.

It's not just random hit and runs either, Sony DMCA'd me for mirroring, Pogo's
"Bangarang" which is clearly fair use, and I don't feel I can issue a counter-notice
because it isn't my work.  DMCA abuse needs to stop.

My Youtube Experience is often hindered by constant false dmca's and false flagging.
I hope that there could be something you could do about it.

The ability to submit false DMCAs with little to no ramifications is just as harmful
(and just as illegal) as being able to upload copyrighted material.

As long as it's not treated as such, Google shows it only has interest in legality
when it affects current or future business partners.

The false DMCAs are definitely a big issue on Youtube and many channels and videos 
have been taken down due to false DMCAs.  There should be some actual negative 
consequences for the people involved in false DMCAs in order to fix this problem.

I must agree with the fact that false DMCAs seriously hinder the "YouTube experience"
which is supposed to promote free speech, not one-sided propaganda. The last thing we
need is another FOX "News."

It boggles my mind to come up with some reason as to why YT and Google continue to risk 
liability by tolerating and facilitating abuse of a federal law, especially for the 
purposes of denying other people their civil rights.

Current process is almost as mindless as the people abusing it.

Flagging could be enforced by a captcha test. That's the least you can do

how come companies that try to have good brainwashing msgs like dont be evil end up
supporting things that are despicable

even communists claimed they are trying to make the world better 

What bothers me in all of this is that it weakens one of the big advantages Youtube
has, in that it can allow for debate and discussion between multiple people. I am a
Christian, though not creationist, and I find the votebotting and other actions to be
terrible and shameful.

I have been a silent spectator of the on going abuse of the many flaws within the
YouTube system with regard to false flagging campaigns and false DMCA claims that
always result in the temporary and sometimes permanent suspension of accounts that
people have worked very hard to popularize and maintain. Meanwhile, in every
situation, those that perpetrate these deeds seem to get off scott-free with what
seems to be absolutely no repercussions, despite (in some cases) the eventual
reestablishment of the "offending" channel.

It's not right and it's not fair. These are relatively fixable problems that don't
need to be there and are cause of much undue stress and complications that otherwise
need not be. I ask this on behalf of those who make videos whose opinions I both
agree and disagree. No one should have to deal with the kind of tactics being
perpetrated by those who only wish to censor the content therein. Even though YouTube
delivers it's services to a worldwide audience, it's still an American company,
founded upon American ideals, and last I checked censorship is still prohibited by
our Constitution.

Systems like flags and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act were put in place to
protect the ownership of work and to encourage people against posting abusive or
obscene content. So far, in every instance that I've witnessed a DMCA claim made,
there was no such action being made, and in every instance is filed in order to
silence an opinion that conflicted with their own. As it stands, the procedure of
making these claims is far too easy to do and abuse and (again) seems to hold no
repercussions to those who abuse it.

Thank You.

YouTube user account: BiggestOfDaddies

This needs to be fixed.  

Youtube is often hindered by constant false dmca's and false flagging.
I hope that there could be something you could do about it.

This needs to be fixed

Google really needs to fix all of the false dmca's above all else, false flagging and
votebot attacks too though really need to be dealt with.

It is just sad. Fix the problem as soon as possible.

You think youtube would auotmatically delete videos from channels owned by tv 
channels?

You think youtube would auotmatically delete videos from channels owned by tv 
channels?

I think this is an important issue.

This is a massive problem that affects the image not only of YouTube but also of 
Google.  Please fix as soon as possible.

I can see that the developers intended YT to be in-part "self-moderating" where the
community helps by flagging videos that clearly violate ToS and giving poor content
low ratings to reduce search priority. Although the DMCA is questionable as to its
constitutionality, nevertheless, it is the law and YT has the legal obligation to
follow it.

As such, YT is obligated to monitor the community for abuse of this
"community-policing" system. YT has placed veto power in the communities hands. Do
not let a few motivated but misguided individuals co-opt YT and suppress opposing
viewpoints using dishonest tactics that border on civil rights infringement.

Has to be fixed.

Please fix this problem. 

Fix it please

It looks like some people are filing fals DMCA claims. This is crimminal. 
Unfortunatly it apears that YouTube is rewarding the guilty and punishing the 
innocent (users).

This must not go on.  Please fix!

Please fix it

While the DMCA system is a good way to protect media, it is also too easy to abuse.
Even more so if the abuse itself is not punished. Please adress this issue as it
causes unnecessary hinder for people who receive such false claims.

DMCA is not even the most vexing issue. A content servers' hands are mostly tied with
respect to how strictly they can handle take down requests. The blame for that lies
with congress and the way in which the DMCA legislation is written.

HOWEVER.. lack of attention toward issues Youtube does have DIRECT control over,
including Votebotting and False Flagging, is downright appalling. And we will
continue to speak out about it until something is done.

There have been various issues with the DMCA program setup on Youtube for some time.
The new system allows for flagging of video's in a fashion that gives those
attempting to censor the views of others a stark upper-hand. Efforts to remedy this
situation must be taken as soon as possible.

I think it would be appropriate to make illegal activities harder to engage in.

I'm tired of seeing video's from my favorite channels randomly removed by false flagging.

This issue needs to be fixed! even false flags can easily shut channels who dont 
have the time, energy, or money to fight agaisnt the acusations this issue needs to 
be resolved immediatly.

Please stop fascism on YouTube!

Honestly, how hard would it be to attach a captcha-esque challenge-response test to 
rating/commenting/flagging systems? you could cut down on votebots AND adbots.

The votebotting, false DMCA claims and other dishonest attempts to silence poeple
must end now!

Quit ignoring this issue please.  Google's motto is "do no harm" right?

Google often advertise themselves as being the bastions of free speech.  It's time
for them to show they mean it and attempt to rectify this issue. 

Focus on the user and all else will follow.

Help democracy on the web work better.

Great just isn't good enough.

YouTube is the largest video sharing site on the internet. Due to the rather
Byzantine way it makes (or does not make) money it is understandable that the site
cannot be perfect. Nevertheless, the use of dishonest tactics such as false-flagging,
vote botting, and illegal false DMCA notices severely undermines YouTube's
credibility. Furthermore, to continue to allow such tactics to be used, with
apparently very little in the way of consequence, is simply bad for business. It is
the most popular YouTube users who are active in complex and difficult debates who
are most likely to be afflicted by such tactics, they are also the ones who are vital
for YouTube's revenue streams and the site's credibility as a whole. From my own
experience I would cite users such as Thunderf00t, AronRa, dprjones, DonExodus2 and
others active in the creationism vs evolution arena of debate, whom I know to have
been the target of such attempted censorship. I wholeheartedly commend YouTube for
paving the way regarding video sharing sites, but must regrettably condemn them for
failing to take this issue seriously. I hope they will listen to the concerns raised
by users and respond appropriately.

please fix this

Google, please fix this asap.  

This needs to be fixed.

YouTube's System for removing videos is being abused and many users with 
opposing views have resorted to false flaging, votebotting (running 
software that auto votes one star on videos) and filing false DMCA notices 
on users in an effort to silence them.

Allowing this kind of censorship will make America a haven for oppression. This must
end here.

Will you fix this voluntarily, or will the solution have to be forced upon you - to
your terrible detriment? I hope the latter. As does my creator. ACAI "Virus-child", NME.

one fix please.

Fix youtube for epic justice!

Fix it PLEASE

False DMCA notices and vote-botting are YouTube vandalism and abuse of other peoples 
hard work. I like to see this addressed and stopped. 

Please re-think the DMCA procedures.  People work damn hard on their videos, and to 
see them flagged by narrow minded morons and subsequently and removed without 
thought, when there is nothing wrong with them must be utterly soul destroying.  
Also, please get your programmers onto the vote-botting problem, it's just a pain in 
the neck, and granted I'm no computer expert, but there must be some way around this?

A great concern to many of us.

Please stop this on going problem..with the flagging and so forth.. PLEASE!!

I made my YouTube account in January of 2006 when the site was very young.  YouTube
has greatly affected my life.  It's a hobby, and one which I have shared with my
friends and family.  I have collected various subscriptions over the years, and the
problems with vote-bots and false DMCAs have been a PLAGUE upon many of the people
that I most respect on YouTube.  It has been a continual source of distress,
witnessing Google's lack of concern for the disgusting tactics some users resort to
to silence others.  Ignoring these problems ENCOURAGES THEM.  

Please, please fix YouTube.

"With great power there must also come - GREAT RESPONSIBILITY!" -Stan Lee

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

Fix this problem!

This has truly got out of hand, YouTube. Nearly half (if not more) of the channels I
watch on this site have been threatened by one or several of the above listed issues.

It's sad to think that these days people interpret 'discourse' as "shutting up your
opponent so that you're more comfortable with your views" as opposed to "properly
facilitating debate for the purposes of coming to a relative truth." It's time to end
this bullshit.

It needs fixing, and Google has always been about what's good for all, not just a
handful.

Fix this problem ASAP please. It is a broken system.

I don't know what is more sad, the fact that this has no assigned priority, or that
they haven't assigned a priority with this being at the top of the list of starred
issues. I think we should actively work against Google, and boycott their
advertisers, publicly.

This is a matter of free speech. Fix it youtube.

YouTube needs to be more then a bunch of self important wanna be actors and video 
producers from LA who tape themselves going out to lunch with each other.  You know 
who I'm talking about, they make up the majority of the top ten channels on YouTube.  
We must all do our part to keep the community healthy and alive and a big part of 
that is controlling the abuse that is going on.  Not only the abuse that directly 
squashes the little guys, but the abuse that inflates the numbers of the big guys.  I 
know that may be a lot to ask for as that abuse directly increases the revenues 
generated by Google, but one can at least hope that something will be done to 
counteract the abuse and fix this system. 

Fix it, this is probably the worst thing about this site and can be more than
maddening at times!.

There are literally millions of people complaining about this right now and have been
for a number of years, please listen to your audience, where right!.

this would not take a lot of effort to incorporate into your next overhaul, so just
get it done please for the benefit of all who use this site!.


Peace

Youtube - please address this request.  I dig this site more than television programming.  I know you will 
surprise us. Thanks.

It might not be a life and death decision, but it is still extremely important. I
hope you do the right thing and go through with reformation.

YouTube and their lack of cooperation in this manner has been horrible. I hope giving
this issua a star will convince Google and YouTube that something needs to to be
done, however my faith in that is all but non existent. 

Agree.

Preserve an open forum and end censorship on YT

quality of information can only happen on a fair playing field 

Ditto.

Those who are affected by false flagging, false DMCA claims, and votebots are REALLY
affected by these problems (as are their subscribers).  As one of their subscribers,
I beg you, *please* make the system more fair and honest.

If you want to continue harvesting your advertising money from our use of your service, 
you would do well to make it worth our patronage.  

Also, doesn't it seem rather stupid of you to claim to support the IP rights of 
legitimate DMCA filers on one hand, then, on the other, you build a system that can 
knee-jerk a TOS punishment on an account holder when someone files an unlawful DMCA 
notice, and by doing so, violating THEIR IP rights?  FIX. NOW.

YouTube's failure to protect the expression of its users is insulting..every day they
seem more and more like the generic, soulless corporation that acts lazily and
selfishly at every turn.

Religious zealots are vote-botting science videos, giving them one-star ratings.
YouTube has become a forum for expressing opinions and debating issues: keep it that
way please. FIX IT NOW!

This really does need to be addressed.

Fix it, this is probably the worst thing about this site and can be more than
maddening at times!

Vote botting on all video's i feel undermines the fairness of youtube as a hole

Good that someone is trying to make things a bit better.

It shouldn't be THAT hard to prevent vote-bots..

yes indeed, the dmca-system must be changed.
you guys have my support!

you tube: you have been dragged unwillingly into a fight.  make it really hard for
the unscrupulous to do this!  (big tech challenge and kudos to the solver)

Don't be evil! Fix this now!

Vote botting isn't even that big of a threat... It's the DMCA that are the bigger
problem.. Does youtube even listen to the accused? 

This needs to be done.

False DMCA claimers should be prosecuted and preferrably hanged after conviction.

I am tired of my favorite YouTube personalities being distracted from their usual
work due to these silly accusations. 

YouTube needs to be updated and be more fair to the users 

Don't be evil!

Let's bring YouTube to the same mindset we have for Google, please G, put the 
knowledge we know you have into the loudest platform of ideas.

This is clearly an important issue that has gone unaddressed for a very, very long
time. Please fix it intelligently, now.

Abusive censorship must stop!

Youtube needs to get this sorted out. Fix your damn system.

As the number of subscribers grows, you have an increasing responsibility to keep these 
glaring loopholes from being exploited. Fix YouTube.

About time this is fixed - get on with it YouTube!

It doesn't take rocket science to fix this. . .it's more like paper airplane science.

It is long past time for this issue to be addressed. Allowing the site features of
YouTube to be misused in this way, by people whose only goal is to silence voices
that disagree with theirs, is inconsistent with Google's vaunted "don't be evil"
ethic. It's overdue, it's easy to achieve, and it's time. Please fix this forthwith.
Thank you.

A system where a few people are given so loud a voice, by enabling them to silence 
others, needs fixing. Aren't people allowed to flag videos and rate them in order to 
get rid of bad videos and promote good ones? Well, if that was the original idea, 
clearly, something has to change to make it work.

Flagging DMCA and vote systems are being abused daily to remove free speech from
Youtube.  Please do something about this.  Don't be evil.

It's time that Google/youtube show some integrity and consideration. It has been a
battle for too long, and a shame that Google/Youtube shows no motivation to fix this
problem. Censorship should not be an option on this forum!

I could not agree more. I hope they will see this problem as the first-priorety it is.

Please fix this.  Google/YouTube should do no harm.  Not fixing this profound error
amounts to severe harm to our access to information. Fix it.

YuoTube is broken.

The concerns raised in this issue are serious and significant and need be given 
proper attention.

Please address these important issues.

Very important. Thank you for your consideration.

im sick of this! please get it sorted!!

Addressing actually this is not technically difficult. Besides some of the options 
already mentioned it's should be possible to only allow users from file a DMCA, that 
have been authenticated (via credit card for example) to file a DMCA.

If somebody files a DMCA an Youtube reviewer should review the case and put the 
mentioned video ofline for an amount of time to give time to the other party to 
refuse the accuse if that's the case.

Thanks
Andreas

This issue shouldn't even exist. From what I hear, absolutely nothing is done to
prevent abuse of this system, which has become the de facto standard for video
sharing on the Internet. As such, Youtube is one of the most popular fora in the
world and its freedom of access (free registration to post videos, viewing of videos
without restriction) makes it an embodiment of free speech on the Internet. That
speech, however, is no longer free. Everyone loses when speech becomes no longer
free, but subject to the whims of fools.

For free speech!

It's a shame that such a large company would even have this problem.

Hi,

I am a science teacher for the Louisville school system. I appreciate how YouTube 
allows me to develop concepts and share ideas.  The biased censorship system is 
hampering my abilities to reach all students with multiple viewpoints.  Thank you 
for reading this.

Sincerely 
Charles Wade

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading
them. -Ray Bradbury 

Fix this, or something better will come along and that will be the end of youtube.

Sorry to say this, but this looks like a classic attempt to send the rioting crowds a
pacifier.

Google/YouTube doesn't need feedback from us the users to know what's wrong or how to
fix it.  They have all the data they want on the issue available to them.  If they
cared, they know just how bad of a job they are doing far better than any of us, or
even all of us collectively.  There is little else to conclude:

They. Don't. Care.

This comment forum is just a way for them to laugh at us, to watch as we pathetically
plead for them to do one of millions possible extremely obvious, trivial and
necessary fixes.  To believe that they need for us to give them feedback to explain
how to fix their site is just a twisted, cynical joke on their part.  It is
impossible to believe that they are *THAT* thoroughly incompetent.

Let's try the most obvious suggestions that some extremely junior programmer could
have come up with in a few seconds:

1) Probationary periods for any new accounts: an account cannot flag unless or until
it has watched 4 hours worth of videos on YouTube, and been active for at least a week.

2) Any account that was caught false flagging (even once) will have its flag votes
weighted at 0 for some preset period (say 3 months.)

3) Accounts cannot be opened unless they have answered a captcha at filing and any login.

4) Using a pure data-driven technique, simply observe the percentage of votes, or
flags on a single video originating from either the same IP address or from logins
without having viewed the video.

5) You can only flag the video, after some percentage or minimum time of it has been
watched (say 5 seconds.)

6) DMCA filings require a digitally scanned image of a handwritten signature (so
FAXes are acceptable) with an accompanying date (none of this modern digital
signature crap -- we need handwritten images) as well as a text-form readable version
of the same name.  Something that definitively puts the person in a position of
committing wire-fraud if they file a false DMCA.

7) Make the process for counter-filing as easy as possible for the video accounts. 
They get digital signatures.  If the resolution looks like it should be taken to the
courts outside of YouTUBE's perview, YT should favor the videographer by doing as
much of the paper work automatically as possible, and give pro-BONO legal advice in
the form of help on how to fight the lawsuit effectively on the assumption that it is
a frivellous claim.

The point of suggestions 1 through 5 is break any bot-based activity on YouTUBE for
the purpose of exaggerating the number of votes or flags, via "ballot stuffing" bot
based abuses.  They are extremely well known, obvious, and used very successfully in
various forms by other sites.  It is truly impossible to believe that these have not
*ALL* already occurred to the YouTUBE developers.

The point of 6 and 7 is clear.  Favor the videographer without seriously impeding the
copyright claims of others.  Anyone with a legitimate copyright claim will have the
law on their side and will *NOT* be deterred by YouTUBE trying to assist the other
side in legal ways.  Only people willing to risk their own legal standing in the face
of seeing many *FAILED* attempts at false DMCA filings, would be motivated to attempt
to abuse the system.  Again, the logic of this should have long ago occurred to the
YouTUBE developers.  The DMCA so obviously favors the filer regardless of their
standing (thanks, Clinton).  There's no way that YouTUBE could have missed the fact
that the DMCA is device just asking to be abused, and which naturally would be
dominated by abusive use.  Favoring their own contributors by assisting them, while
putting up only the most minimal roadblocks that would not stop an entity such as
ViaCOM, should have been an obvious deduction on their part.

I've been on the site for 3 years, and shocked at just how truly amateurish the abuse
system is.  Its not a system for managing abuse.  Its just for quick-flagging porn
and otherwise just there to given a false impression that they care about quality
content (they don't -- obviously they only care about commercial content, which I am
sure has never been flagged.)

The people at YouTUBE have not moved in anything resembling the very obvious
directions I have outlined above.  How could they be serious computer programmers who
made the YouTUBE site and yet be so totally incompetent as to be unable to implement
some of those suggestions (or something similar)?  I just don't see how that is possible.

Its impossible to avoid the conclusion that they just don't care.

So why waste the time to write all this then?  Hopefully someone else will just take
this to other websites where this sort of thing can be dealt with properly.

--
Paul Hsieh

Very important i totally agree

This shouldn't be so terribly difficult to fix, should it?

I'm sick and tired of some of my favorite videos being removed by youtube due to 
frankly boorish attempts a censoring by those opposed to an idea presented by the 
creator. An idea should NEVER be removed simply because of the personal feelings of 
another.

Please google, this should not be hard to fix.

This is a broken system; a abandoned administration; a management that is indifferent
to upholding the law, the welfare of free speech, and it users. This beadledom must
be changed and overturned, or we fear the move back into the caves.

Fix it.

Please don't ignore us. We really need your help!

Thanks for putting this issue out in front.  I hate to see these things happening and
for this service to work and free speech to remain alive and well, I stand behind you.

This is something that really needs to be addressed. The system is broken and the
Youtube administartion has blatantly ignored our concerns, while simultaneously
limiting our ability to to do anything about it.

As Youtube continues to ignore this issue, their reputation continues to degrade.
Please make this a top priority.

Youtube wouldn't know a favorite if it blew up a plane (not an endorsement).

Youtube can be fixed and must. We will work through you, or around you.

Censorship in any form is wrong.  Remember: Don't be evil!

False flagging and DMCA abuse has gone on for far too long on YouTube. Please step up to the plate and put and 
end to this malicious practice and support free speech and the open exchange of ideas without the fear of 
censorship. It's the right thing to do.
Thanks,
Jim McCarty
YouTube user.

Censorship in any form is wrong.

Let ideas stand or fall on there own, without resorting to censorship. Again "Don't
Be Evil!"

You know you want to do the right thing for your members, don't you google?  

Get it sorted. Now.

I have two account on Youtube one for my business and one for participating in the
very important debates that are happening around theism, atheism, separation of
church and state, and all the currents effects of an over confidence of
fundamentalists around the world who seem to think that their worldview needs to be
reinforced by silencing others - sometimes by stoning, sometimes by getting people
fired, sometimes by abusing YT features to silence an argument they can't win.

Google prides itself both on doing no evil and being full of terribly bright people.
Well - PROVE IT. Make it count for something. 

Appreciate the effort to get this on their radar. This must be fixed to provide the free exchange of ideas that is 
being quashed by abuse of this system.

YuoTube is broken.

I feel that people who are not willing or capable of carrying on a debate often resort 
to spamming, false flagging and even bots. Please do something about this - or the 
community will sooner or later be outraged.

I feel that this issue should take priority over all others.

Net neutrality is an incredibly important issue, vital to the way we out economy and 
online culture will evolve. We need to worm out problems like this that represent 
people who abuse the system, rather than the many who create great content.

Ignoring the issue has only made it worse. Time has come to fix it!

This has to be addressed!

It is a simple fix, please help make youtube a better place.

YouTube is broken, please address this issue, Cheers.

The system as is supports corruption, please fix this.

-Thanks

Must fix this...

Free Speech! 

"Don't Be Evil!"

Lets be fair here.

Come on Youtube, you have the resources to sort this out.  Do no evil!  Remember that, 
you are doing evil by letting this happen.

C'mon YouTube, you owe it to your users to protect them from censoreship of a few 
misguided trolls.

Stop this.  Stand up for free speech.  Thanks.

It's most absurd how such a thing can happen on the most popular video sharing site
on the planet. Imagine if everyone went around flagging and hacking (votebotting)
videos with content they disagreed with. This is nothing short of censorship and to
not try to enact some kind of effective reform of said system would be nothing short
of irresponsible.

Google,

If you have an ounce of business sense; you'll do a "T. Boone Pickens Jr."-style 
guttting/replacing of your WHOLE YouTube executive and management tiers.

Their incompetence is matched (quite disgustingly) only by their time-/capital- 
wasting ineffectiveness.

Below are delineated just SOME of the many and various ways that they directly and 
indirectly (but ALWAYS out of a business-/service- -destroying-type laziness) 
achieve and contribute to censorship.

They:
...do NOT take retributory action against false (and VERY ILLEGAL)DMCA claims (that 
have some value-destructive users, VIOLATING YT's "User Agreement/TOS" to censor 
honest, value-productive users.)
...do NOT take action against false-flagging campaigns.
...do NOT obey their own "community guidelines" NOR do they apply them unilaterally 
(to the abusers as well as the abused -- AND THEN when they attempt to do so; they 
botch it and do so wrongly to the detriment of all.)
...ARE hypocritical (eg. will scold someone for lewd content (which it is not) AND 
THEN turn right around and post their own lewd content(which it is.)
...ARE lacking in integrity and accountability when they do something wrong (until 
they are forced to correct it.)
...ARE oxymoronic (eg. they have wanted to "partner-up with"/"share revenue with" 
the very same people FOR THE VERY SAME VIDEO THAT, they JUST GOT DONE BANNING [the 
video] AND SUSPENDING [the person's account.] Talk about the left-hand not knowing 
what the right-hand is doing! (And you let THIS type of incomptence represent YOU 
and your interests/advertizer's interests???)
...do NOT stop/monitor-for-later-dismisal the abuser's vote-botting.
...[BUT,] most unfairly and fustratingly and irresponsibly and CRIMINALY; do NOT 
respond to requests for help, greivances and complaints (even after stating that 
they do -- preferring instead to let an "auto-responder" do it for them.)

And you pay hefty salaries for these impotent clowns and their do-little/do-nothing, 
millstone-around-your-neck atrocities to you (business-wise) and us (service-wise)???

I've got an idea. Why don't you give ME the money (if you're just going to throw it 
away anyways) and I can GUARANTY that AT LEAST I WILL NOT be a liability to YouTube 
as they are!!!

Google,

If you have an ounce of business sense; you'll do a "T. Boone Pickens Jr."-style 
guttting/replacing of your WHOLE YouTube executive and management tiers.

Their incompetence is matched (quite disgustingly) only by their time-/capital- 
wasting ineffectiveness.

Below are delineated just SOME of the many and various ways that they directly and 
indirectly (but ALWAYS out of a business-/service- -destroying-type laziness) 
achieve and contribute to censorship.

They:
...do NOT take retributory action against false (and VERY ILLEGAL)DMCA claims (that 
have some value-destructive users, VIOLATING YT's "User Agreement/TOS" to censor 
honest, value-productive users.)
...do NOT take action against false-flagging campaigns.
...do NOT obey their own "community guidelines" NOR do they apply them unilaterally 
(to the abusers as well as the abused -- AND THEN when they attempt to do so; they 
botch it and do so wrongly to the detriment of all.)
...ARE hypocritical (eg. will scold someone for lewd content (which it is not) AND 
THEN turn right around and post their own lewd content(which it is.)
...ARE lacking in integrity and accountability when they do something wrong (until 
they are forced to correct it.)
...ARE oxymoronic (eg. they have wanted to "partner-up with"/"share revenue with" 
the very same people FOR THE VERY SAME VIDEO THAT, they JUST GOT DONE BANNING [the 
video] AND SUSPENDING [the person's account.] Talk about the left-hand not knowing 
what the right-hand is doing! (And you let THIS type of incomptence represent YOU 
and your interests/advertizer's interests???)
...do NOT stop/monitor-for-later-dismisal the abuser's vote-botting.
...[BUT,] most unfairly and fustratingly and irresponsibly and CRIMINALY; do NOT 
respond to requests for help, greivances and complaints (even after stating that 
they do -- preferring instead to let an "auto-responder" do it for them.)

And you pay hefty salaries for these impotent clowns and their do-little/do-nothing, 
millstone-around-your-neck atrocities to you (business-wise) and us (service-wise)???

I've got an idea. Why don't you give ME the money (if you're just going to throw it 
away anyways) and I can GUARANTY that AT LEAST I WILL NOT be a liability to YouTube 
as they are!!!

fix this power to free speech

This is absolutely necessary and long overdue.  The abuse by those who want only to 
stifle open debate has become a systemic problem.

It seems to me that YT has set their ship on auto pilot while they have gone to the 
toilet. If you choose to ignore this issue of false flagging and vote botting, to 
name but a few of the abuses, don't be surprised when people retaliate in kind. 
Venomfangx in particular, is an example of cowardly misconduct that has gone 
virtually unpunished, propelling him to further and more egregious acts of 
vandalism. To allow this to continue would be to invite anarchy.

We are with you Cipher.

Fix Youtube.
The censorship is broken and unfair.

Censorship has no place in a "free country". Fix it, now.

False flagging, votebotting and filing false DMCA's should be adressed.
Improve youtube.

Existing comments fairly outline reasonable suggestions.  Failing to implement
reasonable safeguards in support of free speech is supporting censorship, which blows
the "don't be evil" mission statement.

Why there has been no news as to the solving of this is a mystery to me. Google is
supposed to to this big company with tonnes of money.
Maybe they shouldn't have bought youtube. (Maybe = Definitely)
Google just can't handle the responsibility.

in time the public WILL hold youtube responsible for the censorship which is
currently displayed on the website. 

Freedom of speech should be absolute.

It makes me sad to see my favorite youtubers have to constantly battle falce dmca's and 
votebotting and the time. I want them to be able to focus on making great videos! Come 
on Google, you are the most brilliant company in the world. FIX THIS!

It is time to ensure that censorship can no longer be used as a method of silencing 
those with differing opinions. Fix this, please.

The same cynicism we find in western politics and the use of 'dirty tricks' to affect
the outcome should not take root in the only semi-democratic system we have left. 
YouTube has a responsibility to protect it's membership from the abusive cynics.

Fix the problem, youtube, alright it is not that hard. Just do it.

Youtube, your failure to fix these problems condones censorship.

Far too important to ignore these issues.

No Censorship of science 

No Censorship of science 

No censorship fullstop.

Google/Youtube please fix this situation.  It is unbelievable that you have not taken
action sooner.  What happened to your ethos of never covering the light?

5,000 stars would make Issue 1743 the number one issue to be addressed by the whole 
Google site, according to Censortube. Well, here we are with over 4,100 stars and 
more than 1,800 comments, and YouTube's silence is deafening.

"There are two possibilities. They are unable to respond; they are unwilling to 
respond."

Think I'll go and bang my head against a brick wall for an hour. At least I can be 
sure that it's there, and I'll get more response.

On the remote offchance that any YT exec or whatever they call themselves happens to 
read this - if nothing is done about this issue, even a simple statement one way or 
the other, the users who generate the content that ultimately lines your coffers are 
going to vote with their feet. Just thought you'd like to know.

"Don't make me angry... you wouldn't like me when I'm angry..."

No censorship period.

Freedom is speech is not negotiable.  It is understood that Google provides YouTube mostly free for it's users 
and at some level has a right to control content on it.  But at some point, when a service gets to be dominate in a 
service, especially one fundamentally tied to a basic right such as free speech, that service assumes a 
responsibility to the people who rely on that service.  Free speech attacked by those who don't like a message 
don't have a right to stop it.  Those who want to say something, through this service which has become so 
prevalent in our society, have a right to have their say without wondering if someone who disagrees can 
frivolously have it removed.  Google/YouTube; you have taken on that responsibility to provide fair and open free 
speech.  Get it right.

Please fix this Youtube. Keep your product excellent by looking after your user's 
requests

YouTube is an amazing place to have your voice heard. If this keeps going, we are 
losing one of the greatest bastions of free speech and self expression in the world.

Usually I wouldn't care, but this is VERY important. Youtube as we know it is in 
jeopardy. We need to put a stop to this before it expands. The damage already done is 
unacceptable.

Usually I wouldn't care, but this is VERY important. Youtube as we know it is in 
jeopardy. We need to put a stop to this before it expands. The damage already done is 
unacceptable.

Google needs to accept responsibility in their ownership of the most popular video
site on the Internet and put in safeguards to prevent the gross violation of free
speech that is occurring.  Please take the steps to protect your content providers.

This is an issue which has been a thorn in the side of many youtube users for a long
time. The broken system can be fixed, but only if Google takes action. Unfortunately
Google has been neglecting and/or ignoring the pleas of those affected and have opted
for focusing their efforts on pushing unwanted content on users instead of fixing a
problem identified by many.
Hopefully this will raise awareness.

Dear google, accoriding to the thunderf00t channel, PERSONAL DATA, gained by filing a
FALSE DMCA, was used, to throw shit at the owner of the dprjones channel, accusing
him a pedophile.
As you and your legal team certainly now, EVEN SLIGHTEST SUSPICION COULD RUIN CARRERS
AND LIFES!
 I suggest further investigation, by your legal advisors, if this kind of action
could result into lawsuits against google for defamation and/or complizity in there of.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dbmzzd87uE

Do they hate free speech or something, this is so easy to fix.

Do they hate free speech or something, this is so easy to fix.

I could only echo the comments and suggestions made above.

Easy to fix this, silly not to.

ridiculous they can let something like this go on so much with no consequences, whats 
the point of their pages and pages of legal crap you have to agree to just to join if 
when someone clearly violates the rules they do nothing

It is about time you people do something about this serious breach of privacy.

Do no evil what?

Youtube is an important battleground for free speech and the free expression of ideas.  
It has become something to be proud of - please make sure that the mechanisms intended 
for legitimate purposes cannot be abused to silence differing opinions.

This issue NEEDS to be addressed!

“Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to 
adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable 
people.” 
George Bernard Shaw

It is time for change....and the 'unreasonable people' are waiting.
 

I am tired of having the people I want to hear more of censored.  I think their
censors are causing more harm than any words of those they censor have to say.

How much louder does the message need to get?

Time to change the way youtube is handled. 

I'm surprised that this hasn't been fixed yet.

Please fix YouTube 

Please fix YouTube.

Please fix YouTube.

This has been a problem since I came to Youtube.
One of the first people I was subscribed to was banned for false DMCA claims.
It needs to be addressed. 

Do no evil.  SRSLY.
KTHXBAI!

The users are sick and tired of having to put up with this abuse of the system. We
shouldn't have to ask people to mirror videos to stop them being falsely censored and
accounts should not just be kicked whenever someone feels like accusing them of
breaking the DMCA. What ever happened to the right of reply?

Please fix this and restore youtube to what it's meant to be: a forum to broadcast
yourself.

For such a large and prominent company it is disgusting to see such a lack of
investment in the community that makes it money. 

This needs to be fixed.

we need to fix this. free speech is too important to ignore. it is a right that is been 
striped from us. plz fix the system

we need to fix this. free speech is too important to ignore. it is a right that is been 
striped from us. plz fix the system

we need to fix this. free speech is too important to ignore. it is a right that is been 
striped from us. plz fix the system.

Voted. Good job. I hope this gets attention.

This needs to be fixed ASAP. Starred!

This is especially important now that people have discovered the DMCA loophole that 
allows access to a user's personal information. 

On a business level, Google should consider that people like me hate visiting YouTube 
to see videos from a favorite user like dprjones only to find the account suspended 
because another user got DMCA-happy. 

Spamming false DMCA notices to have opinions you don't like or agree with censored is
just plain evil, and YouTube (and by extension, Google) is enabling that evil.  I
thought you wanted to "Do No Evil", Google.

Fix your broken DMCA takedown system.  

fix the loopy system!

YouTube has many advantages over other video sharing sites but this issue is a
potential deal breaker. And please bring the old style channels back.

This is utterly absurd. It needs to be fixed. It is all well and good to have 
something in place for people to complain legitimately about copyrighted material but 
some new process needs to be in place.

I might suggest that the account making the claim needs to be ACTIVE, and more than 6 
months old and never made a false claim in the past. Any subsequent claims should 
need to be proven FIRST before anything is taken down. Now part of this is the DMCA 
itself, which people should also address. Copyright ownership needs to be proven, not 
disproven. What ever happened to due process?

This is both an issue of privacy and free speech. The system needs to be fixed.

let reason prevail.

Normal person + Anonymity + No accountability for censorship flagging = Pretty much
what you'd expect

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/

The use of votebots should be able to be detected by YouTube and have the IP of the
source recorded for investigation and later channel take downs. What's the point of
being able to rate a vid if this is happening. It is completely out of line to use
this method to cheat ratings.

Rickymjam

Votebotters should be treated like spammers.  This is malicious behavior, it should 
be criminally prosecuted as computer tampering.  I realize this will not happen, but 
I am certain YouTube admins can put a stop to this abuse.  Thank you.

False DMCA claims are very annoying at best and plainly abusive at worst...

This has been a long time coming.  Votebots are easy to use and because Youtube is a
forum for free speech, this needs to be addressed.  Anyone's opinions or even
presentations of the facts can easily be silenced by these tactics.

There are many problems endemic to content flagging and a total lack of a dispute
process.

Just fix it, don't be evil...
We're all sick of it...

Google, you are a company that I respect and look up to in the business world. Please
take notice of this serious issue, where people who wish to silence others can abuse
legitimate channels of moderation to achieve their goals.

YouTube is not just for funny cat videos, though I sincerely enjoy those, but is
also, and most importantly, a forum for open discussion and debate. Free speech is
our civilization's greatest hope. Please don't let it be comprised by those who wish
to silence their critics.

I'd love to see this flaws fixed

It's getting worse and worse. I'm starting to suspect YouTube encourages it.

This would be an awesome updATE!!

please address this issue urgently!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

This issue is coming up more and more often.  Please prevent it as YouTube is a
wonderful resource for all that should not be abused.

If youtube does not fix this flawed method of censorship, I will move my videos to 
another website.

This issue is really ruining YouTube for a lot of people, come on guys its not a 
such a big ask, please please fix it.

This issue is really ruining YouTube for a lot of people, come on guys its not a 
such a big ask, please please fix it.

Please fix this!

This is a pervasive problem that has affected every channel that I watch in some way
or another.

I demand free speech on youtube!

Youtube has several problems.  Please do something about them. A few suggestions:

* Youtube, please do not allow people to send you a DMCA notice if it is not
accompanied by verifiable indentifying information: name, address, city, country.
Filing a false DMCA claim is an offense punishable by law. The victim has a right to
sue any person who files a false DMCA claim. Please do not give the claimant the
option to hit and run by posting the DMCA notice presenting nothing other than a
throw away e-mail address as identifying information, behind which they can hide in
anonymity.  Please ensure that a person who files a DMCA claim also provides
information of the nature of the copyright infringement: a serious copyright holder
can provide detailed information about the intellectual property: title, date,
picture (photography), page and paragraph (book/document), frame or timeslot (video,
film), etc. Without such details, a DMCA claim should be worthless.  Please report
every incident of DMCA claims, that were not followed by legal action, to the police
as potential cases of perjury.  

* Please don't allow flags to lead to strikes on an account unless they are clear and
unambiguous violations of the community guidelines. Borderline cases should at most
lead to warnings on a video first, and removal of the video without repercussions to
the account second. Only in clear cases of abuse should the result be a strike
against the account, and it should be something agreed on by at least 3 different
reviewers (you should be able to do a preliminary investigation on IP-address to see
wether they are so-called sock puppet accounts). A strike against a long standing
account is a very serious thing to receive. Don't allow abusers to hijack this process.

* Try to implement program changes that will attach real consequences to abuse of
these systems. Right now, people can just hit and run.

* A lot of websites offer the possibility to add contributions, comment on these
contributions, and give them a rating with a number of stars or just a number.  Two
have done this rather well: IMBd (Internet Movie Database, see http://www.imdb.com/ )
and Perl Monks (see http://perlmonks.org/ ).  Only subscribers can vote and rate
here.  They can vote and rate only once per contribution.  The subscribers sometimes
can change their vote or rate and the vote or rate still counts as one vote or rate.
 Don't allow anonymous votes, stop votebots.  Technically, it's possible: IMDb is a
very big website too, with a very large amount of subscribers; when they can do it,
so can Youtube.

* Youtube earns money with the content provided by their content providers.  Not just
the big companies are content providers, the "little (wo)man" (all of them combined)
is also important.  People build a reputation on the content they provided on
Youtube.  Sometimes they earn money with it.  They help Youtube earn money.  It is
only fair that Youtube protects the people that help Youtube earn money, that help
Youtube to be successful.  Instead, Youtube makes it possible for people to cowardly
destroy reputations and income of sincere hard-working people.  Please protect the
honest people and stop the fraudulent ones.  You have the means, you need to have the
will to do it too.

* Please, defend free speech.  Debate should be open and free and not censored.  Stop
fraudulent people abusing the possibilities that Youtube offers.  These possibilities
were undoubtedly once implemented to increase visitor numbers, and to increase
interaction and fun, but by now you should realise that it has backfired on you. 
Youtube can definitely profit from free speech.  The alternative is a bland website
with just entertainment and nothing more.

YouTube, and its parent company Google, is profiting off our videos.  It's past time
both stopped paying lip service to the idea of free speech.  Being too lazy to enact
reform is not an excuse.

I have serious concerns about how the DMCA notices can be used to censor videos and
obtain personal information about video posters which can then be used to threaten
them either physically or by reputation. Thank You.

Please promote progress don't delay it.

You need to make sure small special interests groups are not able to censor
dissenting opinion.  These practices are anti-free speech

If youtube is to have any future this issue must be fixed

Until recently I had no idea such a thing was happening on youtube. It is absolutely
disgraceful and even more so knowing how easy it would be to stop people from abusing
it. The money and the power is there. 

This flawed system must be fixed if free speech is at all important to youtube.

please fix this issue, it's being falsely used too silence free speech, thank you

please do fix this...

I was just thinking same thing today about Youtube beinhg f$#k up and nobody cares.
Thank God I was wrong on 2nd part.

This should be an easy fix. Please do so. The presumption that a video is NOT in
violation is a good first start.

This needs to be fixed.

Please consider fixing this for all mankinds!

All for free speach I say. Life or Limb.

This is an issue of free and fair speech.   Don't ignore our collective voice.  We 
only want what is fair.  

Freedom of Speech is in danger on Youtube with Votebotting, false DMCA, and false
flagging. Youtube has become a battleground for people of opposing views and people
are doing illegal actions(for example making false/illegal DMCA reports). Please fix
this corruption A.S.A.P!

We need to do something about abuse.  An example of this abuse is the user VenomFangX filed a false DMCA 
against DPRJones.  DPRJones had to file a counterDMCA.  VenomFangX then used the personal information to 
falsely reportDPRJones as a pædophile.  ¡A false allegation like that could destroy someone!

We also have voteboting.  Certainly, Google can detect voteboting.  Google should detect the accounts and 
shut them down.

False flagging is easy enough to fix:

Have an human volunteer investigate every flagged video.  If the video violates the terms of use, remove it.  If 
it is a false flag, suspend the flagger.  As it is now, a false flagger can flag all day long, removing perfectly 
compliant videos without any repercussions.  The falsely flagged videos automatically disappear.  Google 
automatically suspends the accounts of the falsely flagged.  This is as crazy as Sharia-Law which states that 
raped women must be stoned to death for adultery.

DMCA abuse must be stopped.

We need to work together to get this fixed.

WE NEED FREEDOM!!!... How many people have died for the sake of Freedom?
Google inc. STOP doing everything for the money, and DO what you can to make Youtube
an FAIR and OPEN forum... Thats what people want...
CENSORSHIP IS FOR COMMUNISM, AND WILL LEAD TO GOOGLE's COLLAPSE...
his must be fixed.... or else...

BTW....

Atheism For the Win !!!!! :D

People having their accounts shut down, suspended or otherwise reprimanded in any way
due to false flagging or false DMCA abuse cannot be tolerated. Users work hard on
videos. 

Despite threat of perjury (and other crimes) individuals are discovering that filing
false DMCA claims is a quick, easy and mostly risk-free form of censorship against
critics and ideological opponents.

Google, has not been entirely silent on the issue, but is so far relying on the
letter of the law as something like an excuse not to deal with the problem. They seem
only capable of reminding us that copyright claims are tricky, that users have the
right to file a counter-notice, and that accusers file notices under the penalty of
perjury... all of which are true. But Google is acting as though the law prevents
them from adding their own layers of security and user-assurance to safe-guard free
speech while still complying with the DMCA rules.

Google has yet to acknowledge, or possibly even to recognize, that VERY FEW people
have the means to file a law suit against an accuser. Even if one has the money for
council there are serious logistical issues that carrying costs of their own. Thus
the threat of perjury to an accuser is a rubber knife.

In addition, accusers have learned that their actions accrue no penalty from YouTube.
They may file as many false DMCA claims as they wish with no risk of suspension. So
what we have is a situation where innocent accounts are suspended (sometimes
permanently) while the accuser’s account is left untouched despite not following up
to counter-claims which evidently YouTube must track in order to reinstall the
accused video(s).

Of course the problem is not limited to users vs. users. Accusers can also come from
the outside. However the problem with outside accusers doesn't seem as rampant.

Given these facts, I believe Google can begin to address the problem by threatening
accusers who own YouTube accounts with permanent suspension if they fail to file a
lawsuit within the 14 days of a counter-notice. 

Additionally outside accusers who fail to file lawsuits in this same set of
circumstances should be flagged as "Suspicious" and all subsequent claims should go
into a queue for expedited review and personal attention by YouTube's legal staff.
This should be accompanied by a bevy of legal questionnaires, including other means
of proof of ownership, and reminders of the legal ramifications of a false DMCA claim.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act is NOT to blame. The act is well written.
Companies who lack the creativity to handle DMCA claims in the requisite manner while
simultaneously safe-guarding free speech, are to blame. Does Google lack such
creativity? 

I'll withhold judgment for now, but it’s fair to say I am pessimistic.

Please take action to address this serious issue and live up to your name and the
principal for which YouTube was supposed to have been founded.

YouTube needs fixing in many areas, I've abandoned a channel in the past due to false
flagging-it's hard to stay motivated to post and upload when some jackass can ruin it
with a few clicks.  Even the worst of criminals get a trial!

I have taken time to see videos of humble free thinkers voice their opinions on the 
state of youtube, in relation to the DMCA Abuse. I fully support all these people 
above me here.

Youtube needs to wake up to these people who in desperation abuse the law silence 
the free thinkers - This is a disgrace! :(

I am outraged that the creationists can abuse the legial system like this - 
something needs to be done sooner rather than later - Free thinkers are suffering! :(

I'm amazed that YouTube continues to risk liability by tolerating and facilitating DMCA 
Abuse. What happens when someone's identity gets stolen because YouTube gave away 
someone's personal information to anyone who falsely DMCAs my videos and asks for it?

Posting a false DMCA claim is a much worse offense than posting a non-profit video 
using someone else's IP. In the absence of hard evidence, Youtube needs to side with 
the posters of videos every time.

I hope this isn't another dead end.

Fix it.

YouTube is more than just music videos and cute kitty clips. Its a community, and
false DMCAs and flase flagging are ruining it. 

I would like to ditto the 1907 comments above me.

Welcome to corporatocracy. Money is what these people now respond to.

Just ban the internet already.

Fixfixfix!

This is an issue that needs to be addressed.
thanks

Youtube's current policy seems to be "guilty until proven innocent" with few (if any)
consequences for the people making the false accusations.  That seems rather
inconsistent with "don't be evil".

Considering the recent publicity with China, I would think it embarrassing that you 
still have not dealt with this issue.

No video should be removed until it is proven to be a DMCA violation. Furthermore,
users should be temporarily restricted for making false accusations. With each
occurrence increasing in penalty.

Please YouTube, fix this issue. Free speech must prevail.
This is a very serious issue and the fact you have not addressed
the problem is inexcusable. Instead of making aesthetic changes
to the channels and what-not, you should be working hard 
on solving the censorship abuses! YouTube can't go around
bragging about free speech just yet!

These problems should have been fixed when they were discovered. it shouldn't take
thousands of concerned users asking for a fix. to me that shows a lack of concern for
the end user.

Broadcast yourself is not applyng anymore on youtube with that thing of flag system,
i think that you should chance the meaning of youtube or get down the flagging system

Stop censorcism!

This problem should have been addressed before the site even went live in the very 
beginning. Fix your shit google. Get us what we need now!

This needs to be fixed.  It is a freedom of speach issue.  

The system is easily abused and the voice of the people have spoken.
By fixing this, Google will have a chance at redemption and show through actions and 
not lip service, that Google will continue to make it's services through evolution 
and REFORM, a medium where people from all across the globe will be able to receive 
and share information unfettered by censorship and unencumbered by false accusations 
and illegal tactics which prove to the world Google's true intentions and connections 
to the globalist ideology's and corporate stronghold on the American people. If this 
is not fixed, then I will launch a tireless protest of non compliance and systematic 
un subscribing to Google services through ALL social media available on the internet.
The options are this: fix it and keep the people subscribing to Google services, or 
ignore the the task at hand and continue to loose the confidence of the very same 
people who allow you to exist. We are the consumers, your the provider of the 
service. without US there is no YOU! I hope this is clear and expect a full inquiry 
into fixing this matter and on behalf of the great people of the internet I call for 
reform in a transparent and expeditious manner. If Google cannot or will not fix 
these matters then it will clearly show the disingenuous nature of Google and descend 
into black abyss of the cyberspace bone yard making way for true revolutions to come 
forth and replace old systems and infrastructures. Never underestimate powers in 
numbers and never forget it is as easy as logging off indefinitely. A few clicks and 
Google employees will be standing in Obama's un employment line. Get it done! 

The system is easily abused and the voice of the people have spoken.
By fixing this, Google will have a chance at redemption and show through actions and 
not lip service, that Google will continue to make it's services through evolution 
and REFORM, a medium where people from all across the globe will be able to receive 
and share information unfettered by censorship and unencumbered by false accusations 
and illegal tactics which prove to the world Google's true intentions and connections 
to the globalist ideology's and corporate stronghold on the American people. If this 
is not fixed, then I will launch a tireless protest of non compliance and systematic 
un subscribing to Google services through ALL social media available on the internet.
The options are this: fix it and keep the people subscribing to Google services, or 
ignore the the task at hand and continue to loose the confidence of the very same 
people who allow you to exist. We are the consumers, your the provider of the 
service. without US there is no YOU! I hope this is clear and expect a full inquiry 
into fixing this matter and on behalf of the great people of the internet I call for 
reform in a transparent and expeditious manner. If Google cannot or will not fix 
these matters then it will clearly show the disingenuous nature of Google and descend 
into black abyss of the cyberspace bone yard making way for true revolutions to come 
forth and replace old systems and infrastructures. Never underestimate powers in 
numbers and never forget it is as easy as logging off indefinitely. A few clicks and 
Google employees will be standing in Obama's un employment line. Get it done! 

The system is easily abused and the voice of the people have spoken.
By fixing this, Google will have a chance at redemption and show through actions and 
not lip service, that Google will continue to make it's services through evolution 
and REFORM, a medium where people from all across the globe will be able to receive 
and share information unfettered by censorship and unencumbered by false accusations 
and illegal tactics which prove to the world Google's true intentions and connections 
to the globalist ideology's and corporate stronghold on the American people. If this 
is not fixed, then I will launch a tireless protest of non compliance and systematic 
un subscribing to Google services through ALL social media available on the internet.
The options are this: fix it and keep the people subscribing to Google services, or 
ignore the the task at hand and continue to loose the confidence of the very same 
people who allow you to exist. We are the consumers, your the provider of the 
service. without US there is no YOU! I hope this is clear and expect a full inquiry 
into fixing this matter and on behalf of the great people of the internet I call for 
reform in a transparent and expeditious manner. If Google cannot or will not fix 
these matters then it will clearly show the disingenuous nature of Google and descend 
into black abyss of the cyberspace bone yard making way for true revolutions to come 
forth and replace old systems and infrastructures. Never underestimate powers in 
numbers and never forget it is as easy as logging off indefinitely. A few clicks and 
Google employees will be standing in Obama's un employment line. Get it done! 

Just seconding (4473rding?) the comments regarding abuse of DMCA takedown notices.

freedom of speech on youtube is dying....

If these kinds of censorship problems keep occuring; the popularity (and revenue) of 
youtube will decline.  The bottom dollar always gets a corporate entities 
attention.  I would hope this gets the needed attention, quickly!
 

Please provide a solution to this problem.  Thank you.

Flagging and DMCA notices are open to abuse by intolerant people. These people are so
insecure about their own opinions that they are ready to muzzle others and deny the
others their right of free speech. I disagree with many opinions, but I will not
stoop to the low level of these people by attempting to censor other's opinions.
Youtube's system has to be reviewed. The internet is the ONLY place where real free
speech is possible and every attempt must be made to keep it thus. 

Seriously, Google. False flagging and false notifying on YT has GOT to stop.

I'm here to say that because I exercised my first amendment right for Freedom of Speech and because some 
hater flagged my video, I've got a strike against my account. I followed guidelines, but because someone didn't 
like my content videos were removed and now my account isn't in good standing. I can take criticism, BUT don't 
take it that far, it's not fair to the people who work hard. Someone needs to fix this problem.  

YouTube is so important in the ideas as well as arts field.  It is absolutely vital that this problem gets fixed.  The 
solutions I see in the comments already offered seem like a superb plate for YouTube powers to get moving 
on.

YouTube is so important in the ideas as well as arts field.  It is absolutely vital that this problem gets fixed.  The 
solutions I see in the comments already offered seem like a superb plate for YouTube powers to get moving 
on.

I think this is a serious problem. Whether the DMCA take-down notices are intended to
be used in this manner or not, they are being used as a tool for censorship. One of
the reasons given by Google for potentially leaving China was because of concerns
over censorship by the Chinese Government. I do not think that they should treat peer
censorship any less seriously. Please look into this issue. Please.

"NOTE: This issue tracking system is for developer products only."

Gee thanks for that, Google...

No really, thanks a lot, Google, for copping out and just posting a letter at the top
of this issue -- REDIRECT this to the appropriate place for all of us! We've already
showed you that almost 5k people (and counting) care enough to come here and star
this as a real issue affecting our experiences here at YouTube! Don't let one
person's mistake tear down our effort in building up this sort of movement.

YouTube is REALLY broken. False flaggnig and DMCA's are destroying it. I'm really
mad, because THIS VIDEO CONTAINS WIN was deleted.

We are unable to provide specific detail regarding your account suspension or your
video's removal.

This is a violation of personal rights.

To receive such a non specific email on such a serious matter for me was devastating
and ruined 3 years of work not to mention my income.

Dam YouTube

Youtube, please fix this.  It's an absurd and unfair for your legitimate users.  

Kind Regards

YouTube has changed in so many ways since the Google takeover- and as a regular user
I must say most of these changes have been far more irritating than helpful. To
further add to these frustrations, it appears that neither Google nor YouTube seem to
care one bit about what their users think, not only regarding these changes but
freedom of speech and security issues as well. The DMCA and flagging systems are
obviously flawed, and YT users have been crying out for some time for a major
overhaul on rules, etc.
It saddens me to know our opinions seem to mean nothing, and that the only users
Google or YouTube seem to care about are the ones who make money- nevermind the fact
that most of the actual users and enjoyers are not of this group. Please Google,
please YouTube, please show you are not just another corporate gig without heart.

Please fix the issues with the DMCA filing and the setup for flagging people's videos.  

One of the many effects of the this issue is many people on youtube are not willing
to make videos due to the drama and hassle that the DMCAing/Flagging can cause or are
leaving youtube for other forums that are better setup or have other ways handling
matters like this one. 

While I do not make videos myself I enjoy having the ability to see others voice
theirs. Please fix this issue before it's too late.

Signed AnotherHopefulVoice 

Everything that needs to be said about the importance of free speech has already been
voiced in the comments so I'm only adding this comment to show my support for these
measures.  

Please Help! 

Mike

Freedom of speech is what is at stake here. In the non-digital world, if an author
wishes to write a book on a controversial subject, he/she can do so under a
psuedonym. This allows people with unconventional points of view to share their
opinion without the fear of others knowing who they are. This cannot happen in the
video forum we know as YouTube. If someone files a false DMCA claim against you, you
will have to give them personal information about yourself. This information can then
be used against you. This is completely unacceptable.

James MacPherson, Edmonton, Canada

I am clearly not the only one who sees that this issue urgently needs to be addressed.

DMCA Notifications, votebotting and Terms of Use Violation mave all been major parts
in the loss of many channels both popular and those wish to speak out against these
issues.

I myself have been affected as one of my videos - where I pretended to be asleep for
three minutes and claimed it to be an episode of "24" - was removed due to "Terms of
Use violation". The video contains no footage from the show, the reason YouTube found
it was because it managed to get 50k views in one year, making me eligible for a
YouTube Partnership. I applied in good faith, citing the video as reason, to which it
was then rejected and my video removed.
I quickly sent a counter-DMCA claim, citing Fair Use (as it is a Parody), to which I
soon received an automated reply stating that the video would stay rejected due to
its "Terms of Use violation" I have now sent a second counter-DMCA claim, citing Fair
Use once more, as well as requesting, in full detail, how the video violates the
Terms of Use. I will continue to challenge your decision to remove the video until
the video is back up or I simply reupload it.

Let me give you the worst case scenario, YouTube:
Let's say I had a video removed. I filed a counter-DMCA claim and I got a reply
stating that video would stay removed. I would then take legal action against you,
making it class-action, meaning that everybody who was affected by this obviously
broken system would join in. And we would win no two ways about it.
You don't want that happen, but it will soon. It's only a matter of time.

---
Here are my suggestions for fixing it:
- For voting, make it so that the user would have to enter a CAPTCHA for every vote.
You practically do that when someone makes too many YouTube comments in a short space
of time.
- For flagging, have the video rendered "invisible" (and the user notified by email)
until the user can prove that the video does not violate Terms of Use. Same goes for
Copyright claims - this way, the user is presumed innocent until proven guilty, as
opposed to vice versa.

YouTube/Google, you can do so much better than what you are doing now. Sort out these
issues before they get way out of hand. It's only a matter of time before we, the
users, make a legal stand against you. And none of us want it to come to that. But if
it does, you know which side I'll be fighting for - and it isn't going to be yours,
YouTube/Google.

--Daniel McKnight "Neotails8762", United Kingdom.

this is very important and an easy fix

Me, randomdce, and countless others are victims of this.
May google read, and understand.
Peace!

Since the DMCA was implemented, it had become a weapon for those intolerant people
who can´t stand criticism, opposing views and opinions and so they use it to silence
anyone who don´t share they´re View.
This combined with the false-flagging campaign and the numerous votebot attacks, had
cost the community many good and popular channels.
Not to mention countless small ones as well.

If this continues some of us may take legal action to prevent DMCA abuses in the
future. Perjury is a crime and someone is going to pay.

To my understanding the Law in most, if not all even half-civilized and/or democratic
nations itself say´s "innocent until proven guilty".
Google may see this the other way around.

The reputation of Google is already severely damaged.

Most Websites which falls under the DMCA juristiction are taking measures to ensure
the validity of the claim of copyright ownership to be verified within reason before
any action is taken.

The modification itself is easy enough to establish!
A lot of very good suggestions how to fix and modify this Problem had already been
made here.

-Michael H. "Thareen79", Germany

This definitely needs to be changed as right now there are too many people that are 
getting assaulted by people trying to censor opposing viewpoints

YT needs a serious update that helps protect the populace from false claims and flagging.

YouTube won't care until their money makers: SxePhile, ShaneDawson,
RayWilliamnJohnson, ShayCarl etc all leave. Face it, no one could post a single thing
on YT and they'd rake in cash from these guys from various sponsors etc. 

Google is an evil empire. Once founded as supposed to be some revolutionary search
engine is now just a corrupt organization that hires mods to "yes" spam every flag
that comes in.  Those mods didn't care when they were ignoring their peers accounts
with copyrighted stuff did they? So Viacom took them to the cleaners. Fix it YouTube,
al lthe little attention camwhores i mentioned earlier are nothing without the people
who view them. 

Youtube, I hope that you'll work to protect our free speech.

-Thank You.

youtube, of many things you now fail to the power of 50 at, this is THE SINGLE MOST 
IMPORTANT TOPIC i have seen yet. im willing to ignore the video error problem to fix 
this problem

I'm sick and tired of talented people being taken down by trolls that abuse a system
that can be easily fixed 

Hello Google, Diana Boston is calling you. You need to stop this false flagging and 
false DMCA stuff. Three of my videos were taken down a few days ago because a clique 
of people don't want me to respond to them when they come after me. I have so much 
work as a feminist on YouTube. I even have a feminist group on YouTube called 
FeminisTube which is popular. People are allowed to abuse other people's accounts 
and take them down without a word from you. Is it the system whereby you want to 
make someone fight to regain their flagged videos? Freedom of Speech is crucial to a 
healthy society. Maybe someday it will happen to someone you care about and then 
you'll do something? Please help us.

Please fix this.

this is a feature that has been exploited as a means of preventing logical arguments 
and fair debates by suppressing the viewpoint of people one doesn't agree with. That 
too with generally minor consequences. The issue of false DMCAs, vote-botting and 
flagging must be resolved to uphold free speech.

Hello Google. Please change this system. It is obviously broken. Ignoring your income 
base like this when unfair, unjust, immoral acts can happen through your policies is 
horrible, unfair, unjust, and immoral! And what's worse is you seem to be ignoring the 
problem. If this was fixed it would be a great enhancement to YouTube. By turning your 
users away from your site you are making your computer worse off. Honestly. FIX THIS. 
It's COMPLETELY ruining one of the things YouTube has great potential for, and that is 
freedom of speech, and having everyone being able to say how they feel. 

FIX THIS PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY, IT CAN BE CORRECTED VERY SIMPLY

False flagging, Issues with community guidelines, not being able contact anyone 
regarding disputes.  Please help!

this issue is open since January -- and still has the status new (and nothing has
been done). 

It's a shame, Google, it's a shame!

I believe there is a very strong case for the repair of the broken system og DMCA
claims. Its understood that there are very legitimate DMCA claims and Youtube and
Google at all time have to adhere to current legislation. But when DMCA claims can be
made by anybody without any form of proof of ownership, it is actually against the
intellectual property rights law because the starting a normal copy right claim you
first have to prove you actually owns the rights or are entrusted to oversee theese
by the rights holder before any claim can be taken to court. In the Youtube case, it
works in the complete opposite. Anyone can make an DMCA claim with any proof of
ownership, and its then the accused that has to prove ownership or non-violation. The
Youtube practice is therefor in clear violation with current law, and should be
changed. Of course Youtube is a company that needs to make money from adds and a very
big part of Youtube revebue comes from the very company that make most of the DMCA
claims it is understandable that there is a conflict of interest. But the Google
motto is "Do no harm", and I really do believe that they try to follow that every
single day and Im villing to let them have the benefit of the doubt that Google and
Youtube actually do not suppoprt the mountain of false DMCA claims. On the other hand
it must be as least costly to Youtube and Google to run the site a having several
hundred employees just to verify DMCA claims is not going to happen. I believe that
the economic burden have to be placed on the entity that files the DMCA claim to
Youtube to verify proof of ownership to the extend that it would be admissible in
court, thereby transferring the economic cost from Youtube to the plaintee.
Furthermore if you have to go through a somewhat lengthy documentation of the DMCA
claim and legality of your copy right claim it will rule out most fake DMCA claims by
people who just want to misuse the DMCA claims. With a shot Youtube verification of
the facts stated a DMCA can therefor more fairly be put forward. Most big companies
with believe their copy right is violated like TimeWarner or Disney already have
legal departments who handle other copyright claims anyway all the time. Youtube is
NOT the only outlet for information in the world and therefor they deal with this
every days. But if you cant make a youtube account in five minutes and then file a
completely false DMCA claim against someone without having any copyright to the
material there is a major problem with the system and when Youtubes procedure is in
clear violation with normal copyright legislation it cant be very hard to reverse the
burden of proof to the entity making the claim.

Please fix the DCMA claims system to stop people from filing false claims.

Do it!

Fixing this problem would be appreciated

It's obvious that you have no intent to fix this conflict, Google.

I agree. Google you need to fix the youtube censorship problem.

Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat (the burden of proof rests on who
asserts, not on who denies) - or to put it simply - presumption of innocence. From
what I understand anyone can file a DMCA claim on any YouTube video, or claim that
any video can be reported as breaching the code of conduct. Since I`ve heard of
people abusing this system, and seen some videos that allegedly breach a DMCA or the
code of conduct but having watched them I do not see this justified in any way, I
would want any such claims made to be verified before any action is taken against the
author of the video. Please assert firstly if the person can claim any copyright to
the material, whether its use goes against the DMCA (for example, does not fall under
fair use), or whether the video was breaching any point of the code of conduct. If
every such claim is taken with a healthy dose of doubt (the one that makes you check
the facts, not the one that makes you ignore any proof), then most of the abuse of
the system will be mitigated. Don`t let the programs automate this process, since any
system that does not involve a human to monitor and correct it is prone to loopholes,
misuse and abuse, and there is yet a system to be devised that can analyse human
intentions with any level of certainty.

Education is the greatest tool to fighting the worlds injustices.  Freedom of Speech is imperative to a full understanding of all questions, ideas, truths, and facts.  When we silence voices we leave ourselves in the darkness of oppression not only blind, but deaf.

Just adding my voice. I stand in total agreement with CipherSon.

This is super mega important

Every vote counts. Every voice counts. This is mine.

"Don't be evil" is not enough; be remarkably good. Standing up for freedom of speech in China while allowing user abuses of false flagging, vote-botting, and DMCA claims to erase the words of others is hypocritical.

Yes, I agree, this is becoming a really big worry on YouTube now. Even watching it gives you a feeling of unease, you feel something is not going right here. This needs a solution, without making YouTube devaluating user-opinions.

This is relly a issue and i, for one, think that Google and the YouTube staff should take action to prevent the system from beeing abused. After all, YouTube is one of the worlds biggest sites and an important center for free speech

DMCA's seem to be a commonly abused tool used by individuals to attack other users whom they disagree with, and it appears they've gotten away with it all too easily.  Given that videos not violating the DMCA are often taken down quickly after DMCA notices are filed, is it safe to assume that the DMCA violation policies have served to censor, rather than enhance, free speech?  If so, a few more hurdles for anyone issuing a DMCA notice is a good place to start.  Account restrictions and other measures for repeat DMCA notice abusers may be another solution.  In summary, the DMCA policy currently reads: "potential violators are guilty until proven innocent."  Hmmm.  That doesn't sound quite right. 

I hope you-tube can remain a stable platform for any idea to be expressed and commented on. Simply disagreeing with an idea does not give anyone the right to make accusations against that idea. Disagreement is healthy for both sides of the argument as long as it is handled properly. People need to be able to freely express their thoughts and opinions. Silencing one side of any argument does to resolve the issue, it only hides it at best. It has been made apparent to me that several users within the community are abusing the DMCA policy to eliminate anyone who has a strong opinion or argument against their ideas. Please help make you-tube a fair environment for any one.

There are enough obstacles to free thinking and education. Don't be one of those obstacles You Tube. Clearly the entire concept of free sharing was meant to promote freedom of thought, speech and ideology. Do something about those who try to take that away from us all

I for one would like to see YouTube take the lead in taking legal action against those using false DMCA requests. Such requests damage YouTube's reputation as well as cost it money. Taking a few of the most blatant abusers and having them charged with making false DMCA requests might make others stop and think.

"Do No Evil" includes not allowing others to do evil through you.

This MUST stop!! Freedom of speech is of the UTMOST IMPORTANCE to have ANY kind of successful society that benefits WE THE PEOPLE as well as the society as a whole! It is VITAL! YouTube is the world's biggest and best video sharing site in the world and we CANNOT allow for people to abuse the current flawed system by falsely flagging, using votebots, and filing false DMCAs in order to silence those with opposing views! YouTube's very own Community Guidelines state "We encourage free speech and defend everyone's right to express unpopular points of view." AND YET THEY AREN'T UPHOLDING THAT PROMISE TO DEFEND!!!!! This is OUTRAGEOUS and we need reform! The users of YouTube DEMAND REFORM from "You"Tube!!! I KNOW it isn't terribly difficult to fix this problem, so why hasn't YouTube addressed this issue?? Why isn't YouTube fighting to defend the most important quality that is of essence to it especially when it isn't nearly as hard to fix as it is important??? If this continues and YouTube doesn't do anything about it, it is inevitable that a new Video Sharing giant will emerge that TRULY values free speech!! So how about it YouTube? WE, YOUR USERS, YOUR LIFEBLOOD, DEMAND CENSORSHIP REFORM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

This is an issue that needs to be addressed.
thanks

FIX IT!

They think they can just ignore this problem and let people falsely accusing others of false copyright claims? THINK AGAIN!!!!! We need to get Google arrested for the crimes they committed over the years.

This is an issue that affects everyone, and still desperately needs to be addressed. 

Please Google, live up to your motto.

I simple support this idea.

I agree this needs to be fixed.

However, I would like to point out the following:

YOUTUBE IS PRIVATELY OWNED.  Therefore, Google can censor WHATEVER THEY WANT TO.  It's a free country, and they have the freedom to determine what can be seen on their website!  

This is not much different than if someone came up and put a bunch of political signs on your front lawn, you took them and threw them out, and they got mad at you for preventing their free speech.  

The only real difference between the above example and what YouTube does is that YouTube, I believe, says somewhere that it won't remove videos based on any sort of opinion, only removing videos when required to by law.  If you gave the public in the above example explicit permission to put whatever they wanted on your lawn, promised not to remove it, and then only removed the stuff you/the general public didn't like, then there would be a problem.

That's my 2 cents.

Please fix youtube, too many people are getting away with doing bad things.

Free Speech, Freedom of (and from) Religion, These are the values that ALL humans share, and all humans Deserve.

"Without Freedom, their is no difference between Submission and Rebellion" ~James Johnson, Fictional President in Metal Gear Solid 2.

I hope that this pointless, and gross destruction of Human Rights is addressed and Repaired.

Your's for Freedom
~BlankPicketSign

This is incredibly important.

This is one of the most important things that have to be done!

Free speech must be protected!

Too many people have had their accounts deleted/suspended because some opponent of free speech had their precious feelings hurt and has taken it upon themselves to censor any views they don't like. Something has to change!

I'm Anzwertree on Youtube, I was falsely DMCA'd by the Christian channel NowYouSeeTV. No action has been taken, as of the date of publishing this comment, to restore my video. The channel who filed the DMCA knew that it was illegal. They knew what they were doing. It was my video, I owned the copyright. But it was taken down due to a false DMCA. I filed the counter claim the day it happened. Still no word from Youtube. I doubt the channel who falsely DMCA'd me will see any consequences to this, and thus it will happen again to someone else.  

yes, we need more liberty

Google: Stop Encouraging Censorship. Please.

Show you care google/youtube by defending free speech listen to the people we made you what you are today you owe all of us so very much for are continued support toward all of you now return the favor please thank you.

fix youtube

fix youtube

Are we still waiting on this?

Come on google, until now I could always say that your company cares about these things. Please don't disappoint me.

this has been top of the list of most starred for like 8 months why the shit has nothing been done. the fact that you tube accomadates the legal fraud in where users claim ownership on videos THEY DO NOT OWN in order to remove content should be taken very seriously. since youtube allow people to fill out LEGAL FORMS with obviously fake information (eg numbers in names) is even putteng them at legal risk since the videos are a form of income to partners.

google is allowing illigal acts to take place on its site and any other site where this were to happen would be taken down so FIX IT.

For freedom of expression, here's my vote.

This must be fixed ! Free speech !

Youtube is an open forum where people should be allowed to speak their mind without fear of being censored. Youtube and Google need to take action to make sure these people know it is unacceptable to false DMCA, votebot, or do anything else that is against the terms of service just to silence the opposition. 

I agree.

Certainly YouTube users have the right to speak their minds, but they don't have the right to basically perform illegal acts like false DMCA reports etc and votebots.  

The system needs to be fixed, so that channels and videos aren't automatically removed without some sort of even cursory verification of criticisms or verification of TOS violations

STOP youtube censorship!

I'm pretty tired of seeing my favourite channels temporarily banned from YouTube because people, who simply cannot handle the fact that people have different points of view, go out of their way to file illegal/false DMCA complaints against said channel. If you can't handle opposing views then you shouldn't be on YouTube, please perma-ban people who file false DMCA complaints.

It's far too easy for abusers to file false DCMAs, false flagging and the use of votebotting! I hope Youtube will finally be responsible and take action to stop this form of censorship! You have put that power in the hands of people who are irresponsible, and will use, or misuse the methods just mentioned, to inflict their own form of censorship when someone voices a view they don't agree with. This is an outrage and I hope Youtube will finally do the right thing and put a stop the abuse.

As much as it is understandable that youtube is a website which is accessed by people of all ages. 

There is a considerable difference between putting up disclaimers saying that some videos contain contain adult content and the option to flag a video because it carries an expression or opinion it doesn't suit some people's eyes and ears. 

This flag has been weaponized so ecessively that YouTube can barely grasp the foggiest notion of the implications this whole issue alone can have on it's very own credibility.

what they all said!

I agree with this

Please resolve this issue.  

Please help prevent people from abusing your system!

macaraegrhapian@yahoo.com

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Completely required. I wholeheartedly agree that the capacity for bots, not to mention the lack of proper support in un-flagging a video means those who are against free speech can wage a pitched battle against those in favor of free speech. For the largest video sharing website, this is completely unacceptable. 

Google I have respect for you but please fix this issue people keep flagging videos (mostly about science, experiments and electronics) on my favourite channels and I don't want to have to lie about my age just to watch a video. 
I'm 15 I try to watch educational videos from users like PhotonicInduction and all I get is "This content may contain material flagged by YouTube's user community that may be inappropriate for some users." 
We need your help Google we need you to do this it will improve your business and I'm sure all the users on YouTube would appreciate that.

By not fixing this problem, Google supports digital terrorism. Fix it, bitches.

Dear Google, just fix this issue, please! It would be very appreciated. Many thanks in advance! Viva la libertà di parola!

C'mon Google, sort it out please....

 DMCA requests took down a couple of my favorite channels.

Please resolve this problem.

DMCA abuse is EVIL. Live your motto or adopt a more accurate one.

DMCA abuse is EVIL. Live your motto or adopt a more accurate one.

DMCA abuse is EVIL. Live your motto or adopt a more accurate one.

Very important, I wish goggle address this issue promptly.. 

Pessoal Temos Muitos Problemas Entao Teremos Que Resolver Todos Na Medida do Possivel.

This is still a problem even tough, this report has been sent about 1½ years ago. I hope google and youtube would fix this problem.
Tämä on yhä ongelma, vaikka tämä ilmoitus on lähetetty noin 1½ vuotta sitten. Toivon, että google ja youtube korjaisivat tämän ongelman.

My channel is restricted and I cannot find help

My channel is restricted and I cannot find help

Im really hoping you're actually looking into this, i've seen many videos taken down that only had the persons own voice and video in it, what does that say about the system?

This still hasn't been fixed.  You allowed a false DMCA filing to be issued by amenakin.

Do it.

What kind of people allows censorship in youtube???

Please do not allow the intellectually dishonest to stifle free and open debate.