Intellectual Property Law

YouTube Should Permit Amy Greenfield Art

By kurt

Today EFF and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) wrote to YouTube, asking the video hosting giant to reconsider its removal of the work of internationally recognized video artist Amy Greenfield.

Amy Greenfield received notice from YouTube that her works, which contain some artistic nudity, did not conform with YouTube?s "community standards." Under YouTube's policies, "films and television shows may contain [full nudity]; however, videos originating from the YouTube user community must abide by the YouTube Community Guidelines and are not permitted to include such content." (emphasis in original). The Community Guidelines purport to allow nudity with ?some educational, documentary and scientific content, but only if that is the sole purpose of the video and it is not gratuitously graphic,? but does not recognize the value of nudity in art.

When video artists present works that have clear artistic, political or educational merit, YouTube should allow the artist to post the material with at least the same freedom as major studio films and television. If a user community video is flagged as inappropriate, YouTube should at least have an appeals process to allow an artist to explain the artistic merit. While we understand YouTube's desire to keep pornography off its servers, it must also understand that not all nude art is pornographic.

Full post as published by Electronic Freedom Foundation - Deep Links on February 22, 2010 (boomark / email).