The College Fix

Notches a victory over Big Tech

YouTube reinstated a video by Canadian Professor Gad Saad that mocked criticism of voter ID laws.

The video, called “Voter Photo ID Has Sent Me Into Hiding,” showed Saad sitting in darkness and listing a variety of services that require photo ID, such as buying alcohol or entering a nightclub or obtaining a driver license.

He said there were “13 trillion” other examples of when voter ID is required and said he “just found out” that Georgia was “setting up concentration camps” because the state also planned to require photo IDs for mail-in ballots.

The video apparently upset someone at YouTube, which removed the video on either April 4 or 5, after it said the Concordia University marketing professor violated “Community Standards.” The Big Tech company said that the video broke its policy against “glorifying or inciting acts of violence.”

“Today is one of those days when I feel like quitting. When they can be so brazen and duplicitous,” Saad wrote on April 5 and tagged YouTube in a tweet in the afternoon.

Thank you. Again, let me reiterate that there is NOTHING in my clip that "promotes violence or engages in harassment or cyberbullying." I'm arguing using satire that photo IDs are an essential part of protecting the integrity of an election. Frankly, I'm owed an apology. https://t.co/Z41tobHouU

— Gad Saad (@GadSaad) April 5, 2021

“Update – we’ve confirmed that the video doesn’t violate our guidelines and have reinstated it. When an error is brought to our attention, we act quickly to address it. Thanks for your patience as we sorted this out!” YouTube said in a tweet on April 5 about 30 minutes afterward.

Saad asked how his video violated the standards and YouTube said it must have been a mistake, but did not elaborate much beyond that.

“Occasionally, a video flagged by users is mistakenly taken down,” its Twitter account said. “We’re sorry this happened and feedback has been shared with the right team.”

“Again, let me reiterate that there is NOTHING in my clip that ‘promotes violence or engages in harassment or cyberbullying,’” Saad said. “I’m arguing using satire that photo IDs are an essential part of protecting the integrity of an election.”

“Frankly, I’m owed an apology,” the professor said.

It seems that @TeamYouTube has reposted my “dangerous” clip, which they had deleted. Thank you. No explanation given nor any apology offered. @SusanWojcicki

Here it is: https://t.co/CYNqpETOsP

— Gad Saad (@GadSaad) April 5, 2021

About two hours later, he reiterated his criticism of YouTube’s lack of an explanation or apology.

“It seems that @TeamYouTube has reposted my “dangerous” clip, which they had deleted. Thank you. No explanation given nor any apology offered. @SusanWojcicki,” Saad said, tagging in YouTube’s CEO.

More: YouTube censors COVID lockdown skeptic

IMAGE: Elliott Stallion/Unsplash

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