YOUTUBE yesterday broadened its anti-harassment policies to include a ban on “implied” threats along with insults based on race, gender identity or sexual orientation.

“We will no longer allow content that maliciously insults someone based on protected attributes, such as their race, gender expression or sexual orientation,” said global head of trust and safety Matt Halprin in an online post.

“This applies to everyone, from private individuals to YouTube creators, to public officials.”

The video-sharing platform already bans explicit threats, but now, “veiled or implied” ones will be barred as well, he said.

“This includes content simulating violence towards an individual or language suggesting physical violence may occur.

“No individual should be subject to harassment that suggests violence.”

The changes stem in part from YouTube’s July pledge to crack down on “creator-on-creator harassment”, reported The Washington Post.

The site was berated for leaving up videos by Steven Crowder, a right-wing commentator who regularly insulted gay Vox producer Carlos Maza based on his sexual orientation and Cuban heritage.

Maza’s video montage of insults from Crowder over the years – including “lispy sprite” and “angry little queer” – went viral, prompting a YouTube investigation that concluded they did not violate its hate speech policies. – AFP, December 12, 2019.