Youtube to ban dangerous prank videos

YouTube on Tuesday clarified rules against posting videos of dangerous pranks, as risky “challenges” prompt people to video themselves doing dangerous things.

The move comes in response to so-called "challenges" that have sometimes resulted in death or injury.

The Google-owned video-sharing site said such material had “no place on YouTube”.

“We’ve made it clear that our policies prohibiting harmful and dangerous content also extend to pranks with a perceived danger of serious physical injury,” said YouTube.

It made clear the updated policies ban pranks that trick people into thinking they are in danger, such as fake home invasions or drive-by shootings.

“YouTube is home to many beloved viral challenges and pranks, like Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘Terrible Christmas Presents’ prank or the water bottle flip challenge,” said YouTube, owned by Google’s parent Alphabet.

“That said, we’ve always had policies to make sure what’s funny doesn’t cross the line into also being harmful or dangerous.”

While playful or goofy challenges or pranks have become raging trends online, with video shared at YouTube or Facebook, some “memes” have put people in jeopardy.

Some of the videos had attracted many millions of views. YouTube said it “worked to aggressively enforce our monetization policies to eliminate the incentive for this abuse”.

A “Fire Challenge” dared people to put a flammable liquid on their bodies then ignite it, while a “Tide Pod Challenge” involved people, typically teens, biting or chewing the encapsulated candy-colored laundry detergent.

A “Bird Box” thriller released on Netflix a month ago inspired a challenge for people to do things blindfolded, mimicking characters in the original streaming film.

The site added: “We also don’t allow pranks that cause children to experience severe emotional distress, meaning something so bad that it could leave the child traumatized for life.”

Accounts that post videos violating policies on pranks will get a “strike” that will limit some features such as live streaming.

A second strike within three months will result in even more limited use of YouTube, while accounts getting three strikes in that time period will be terminated.