YouTube adds warning to video of Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi speeches; Congress questions platform’s neutrality

New Delhi: Congress slammed YouTube India for adding a warning tagline to a video of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's speeches in Telangana, alleging that the social media platform is playing into the hands of the ruling dispensation.

YouTube India had put a "viewer discretion" caution on the video Congress' YouTube channel of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi's speeches in Telangana on Wednesday, stating that "the following content may contain suicide or self-harm topics".

A user can proceed to the video of the speeches after clicking on an icon saying, "I understand and wish to proceed".

What does the speech say?

In her speech in Telangana, Priyanka Gandhi referred to a woman job aspirant, who allegedly died by suicide in Hyderabad last week. She said: "One girl committed suicide and questions were raised that she did not fill up the application herself. Without resolving the problems of youth, fingers are raised on them and employment is not given to you (youth)," she said.

Congress team responds

In a post on X, Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said, "Only a few days ago, the Washington Post revealed how social media platforms including YouTube were playing into the hands of the ruling dispensation in India. The article also mentioned that the messages of the Opposition were being suppressed."

"Today, YouTube India has vindicated what the Washington Post wrote and what were already our genuine apprehensions. By putting a warning tagline on @RahulGandhi’s and @priyankagandhi’s speeches, made in Telangana yesterday, that the content 'may contain suicide or self-harm topics', YouTube has proved beyond any doubt that it is playing into the hands of India's ruling dispensation which has been desperately trying to block the messaging from the Opposition. Will Google, which owns YouTube, explain what is `suicidal or self-harming" in their speeches’,” Ramesh asked.

"We have written to them in the past and we will keep raising our voice in the future for a level-playing field and an unbiased approach from global social media companies -- a critical necessity today for free and fair elections in India and all over the world," Ramesh said.

What does YouTube policy say?

YouTube does not allow content that promotes suicide, self-harm, or eating disorders, that is intended to shock or disgust, or that poses a considerable risk to viewers.

Letters to Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai:

A few days before, the INDIA bloc had written to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai over their social media platforms' alleged role in "aiding communal hatred" in the country and demanded that the platforms maintain neutrality in the upcoming elections.

The letters had come after the Washington Post newspaper flagged alleged bias of Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube towards the ruling BJP and the Narendra Modi dispensation.