YouTube has agreed to ban footage which shows weapons being used to intimidate people or glamourise violence on its UK website.
MPs in the UK criticised video-sharing websites, including YouTube, in July, saying they should be doing more to vet content and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, whilst welcoming the YouTube ban, has called on other internet sites to follow suit.
YouTube said the introduction of the new rule on weapons and intimidation would be the first time the site had made a policy change targeted specifically at the UK. There are, however, already some other country-specific rules, including a ban on Nazi-related footage in Germany.
You Tube also stated that direct threatening of any groups or individuals has always been banned worldwide and strict rules already exist to vet content. The change in policy is just viewed as tightening those rules to reflect ‘local laws and sensitivities’ in certain countries.
The move comes amid growing concern about knife and gun crime among young people in the UK.