"Flurry of E-Mails, Blog Posts, and Complaints from the Pro-Life Community Pressured YouTube into Reversing their Decision"

14 February 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Michael Hichborn, Director of Media Relations
540.226.9178
mhichborn@all.org

YOUTUBE CONCEDES ERROR IN BANNING AMERICAN LIFE LEAGUE'S PRO-LIFE VIDEO

Censored Video Restored After Objections from Pro-Life Media and Supporters

Washington, D.C. (14 February 2008) – After numerous articles and pressure from Catholic and online media, Google-sponsored YouTube cited a “technical malfunction” as the reason American Life League’s pro-life video was censored by YouTube staff.

"Once word got out that YouTube had allowed the Planned Parenthood ads our report was based on to remain on their site, while at the same time censoring our report, a flurry of e-mails, blog posts, and complaints from the pro-life community pressured YouTube into reversing their decision," said Jim Sedlak, vice president of American Life League.

The original notification e-mail sent to American Life League by YouTube reads, "After being flagged by members of the YouTube community and reviewed by YouTube staff, the video below has been removed due to its inappropriate nature."

Three days later, American Life League received a second e-mail that said:

"This email is to inform you that a video was recently removed from your account due to a technical malfunction. The issue has since been remedied and we appologize (sic) for any inconvenience or distress this may have caused. The following video(s) have been reinstated and your account has not been penalized."

According to YouTube's user guide:

"When a video gets flagged as inappropriate, we review the video to determine whether it violates our Terms of Use—flagged videos are not automatically taken down by the system. If we remove your video after reviewing it, you can assume that we removed it purposefully, and you should take our warning notification seriously."

Praising the YouTube decision, Sedlak commented “We are pleased that YouTube has reversed their decision to remove our video. Our ALL News Report was neither objectionable nor inappropriate. While it is unfortunate that YouTube chose this tactic in the first place, it is encouraging to note that they corrected their poor decision in a timely fashion.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

· American Life League's reinstated "Planned Parenthood Sells Sex" report (link)

· Alliance Defense Fund (link)

· Catholic News Agency (link)

· EWTN (EWTN)

· Inside Catholic blog (link)

· News Busters (link)

· Catholic Answers blog (link)

· Pro Life Blogs (link)

· Catholic Fire blog (link)

· Google-sina medical, health articles, (link)

· Digg (link)

· The Brown Pelican Society blog (link)

· USA Partisan blog (link)

· Fred Martinez’s Monitor blog (link)

· Weasel Zippers blog (link)

· St. John Valdosta’s blog (link)

· Theology Online (link)

· Some Have Hats blog (link)

· Casusa Nostrae Laetitiae blog (link)

· Major Autem His Est Caritas blog (link)

· Bob Enyart Live (link)

· Free Republic blog (link)

· Clip Marks (link)

· Café Theology blog (link)

· The Boondocks blog (link)

· The Curt Jester blog (link)

· Katoliko blog (link)

· Aussie Coffee Shop(link)

· Per Christum blog (link)

· Missa’s Place blog (link)

· The Divine Source of Motherhood blog (link)

· The Source Daily (link)

· Vital Signs Blog (link)

· Truth Seeker 24 blog (link)

· Political Party Poop blog (link)

· Birth Story blog (link)

· Steve’s Serendipities blog (link)

· Tim Blair News blog (link)

· Moonbattery blog (link)

· AP Check blog (link)

· L.I.F.E. blog (link)

· Political Vindication blog (link)

· Dyspepsia Generation blog (link)

· Alyeh blog (link)

· Dog Supplies Blog (link)

· News Unfiltered (link)

· Yahoo News (link)

· Bio-Medicine (link)

· MichNews (link)

· Individual.com (link)

· Examiner.com (link)

· Buzz Tracker (link)

· Street Insider (link)

· Power Blog (link)

· Clip Marks (link)

· One News Now blog (link)

· Freedom Zone blog (link)

· Blog Net News (link)

· Red Tram International (link)

· DMN Forums (link)

· Day Life (link)

· Pew Sitter blog (link)

· Jill Stanek (link)

· Catholic Blogs (link)

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____________________________
Michael Hichborn
Director of Media Relations
American Life League
1179 Courthouse Road
Stafford, Virginia 22554
540.659.4171 (w)
540.226.9178 (c)
mhichborn@all.org
http://www.all.org/