It's not perfect but the youtube filtering is pretty good.
Other sites like dailymotion has bigger trouble with violence and pornography.

I don't think they should rely on users. Users are the ones posting this stuff. Some sort of filtering needs to be used for all websites that allow users to post videos.

If we expect YouTube to filter and censor for us then we should expect to pay for it to support all of the time and effort it takes.

I personally don't Youtube. I do believe that there is content on there that children or young adults shouldn't see, but to censor it would a violation of freedom. I know that now you have to register in order to watch certain videos off of there, but that doesn't prevent a 16 year old saying he/she is 20.

Im more concerned about the idiots who walk with their ipods on and just decide to walk freely, without paying attention, in front of my car no where near a crosswalk.

Has YouTube gone too far? No. Have its users gone too far? Yes. YouTube would have to pay a lot of people to go through every video that was submitted to them. It's ridiculous for law enforcement to expect that. YouTube's viewers just need to be proactive in reporting inappropriate videos.

I agree with verily

Censorship = bad. Once you start it's hard to draw the line with when to stop. It's up to parents to keep an eye on their kids.

They're not responsible for filtering and managing videos - what they offer is a service, not media content. It seems like a thin line but they themselves are not hosting video, they're just providing a place for other people to do so.

Should PhotoBucket be responsible for filtering all of the photos they allow people to host? Should Google be responsible for filtering your email or your searches? It's really the same thing.

What if you don't look at is as censorship but more as a website taking responsibility for the content it puts out to the world? Sugar Publishing doesn't allow users to attack each other in the comments section. I don't feel that is censorship as much as them controlling what kind of community they want to have. I think a lot of these sites just let anything go to get the hits which in turn gets bigger dollars for advertising. At some point it will backfire on them where people are making these videos specifically to put on YouTube and someone will get hurt.

Blargh - I wanted to click on the damn video but NOoooooooo. I'm denied looking at people pwning each other.

i think users need to have sekf control and not post things that should need censoring.

i don't think youtube should be a babysitter.
people should take an active role in their kids lives and help them distinguish what is bad and what is good.

Youtube shouldn't censor but then again, how many sick pervs are doing what with these vids? Beating on who wins at the flag pole? Or worse... There shouldn't be censorship but there should also be common sense... like the state that outlaws the motorcycle helmet... they shouldn't have to FORCE people to wear it, people should have the common sense to do so!

i like what macgirl said.

I think asking YouTube to censor its videos is like asking HBO to censor its TV shows. Okay, so maybe it's an exaggeration, but when you think about it - the government doesn't crack down on premium cable, because you're pretty much inviting it to your house. I think internet is the same way. As a user, YOU log on to YouTube. YOU click the link to the video you want to watch. So, in the end, it's really YOUR responsibility (and if you're a parent it's your responsibility to make sure your kids don't watch this stuff)

I agree with Verily too. I have a hard time with Youtube because of all the garbage, some of the posters are just out of control. I don't have to go there so I don't, unless I want to see a specific video that someone has posted a link to. Same thing with cable - they can put all the garbage they want on there but that doesn't mean I have to watch it.

I think they should have SOMETHING that can filter every video before it gets posted. I'm sure that in this day and age there is SOME way to do it.

The main argument for not censoring Internet material is based on "having freedom".. HELLO!? Wake up people! We seem to forget that many simple freedoms MUST BE 'limited' or 'restricted' in the name of "being sensible", "Protecting others" and because "not all people can be trusted to do the right thing" e.g. Speed limits, drink driving, child porn, its the reason why we lockup thieves, motor-cyclists wear helmets, etc...
So why do people get particularly upset when someone says it's a good idea to limit Internet content or YouTube viewing because of the damage it can cause?? - I can only assume people are blind to the dangers of watching something because it hard to measure the psychological changes - but surely most people can at least accept that watching something like a rape is not a healthy activity...??? Right? So why should the line be drawn past grey areas like "Adult porn", "School-yard fights" etc. ?? Why do people seem to get-off on what is essentially 'Bad'??
Hmmmmm - I just don't understand...
I have 2 children I want to bring up in a healthy environment, but I feel I'm fighting a lost cause - innocence had gone out the window for so many already. It makes me sad.