YouTube users in the US and South Korea who watched Monday’s livestreams of the burning Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, were greeted with a small gray panel titled “September 11 attacks”, which contained a snippet from an Encyclopedia Britannica article about the 9/11 event.
YouTube was quick to explain in a statement that the platform “launched information panels with links to third-party sources like Encyclopaedia Britannica and Wikipedia for subjects subject to misinformation”.
READ MORE: WATCH Heartbreaking Moment When Notre Dame's Spire Collapses
“These panels are triggered algorithmically and our systems sometimes make the wrong call. We are disabling these panels for live streams related to the fire,” the statement pointed out.
Many Twitter users have, meanwhile, expressed indignation about what some described as YouTube’s “crazy” move to install its knowledge panel feature underneath the Notre Dame Cathedral livestreams.
This is so crazy! When I looked up videos of the Notre Dame fire in Paris, YouTube put links to an encyclopedia entry on the September 11 attacks.
— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) 15 апреля 2019 г.
This was on multiple channels: France 24, CBS, and ABC.
We have no evidence this is an attack. But YouTube linked it to 9/11. Why?! pic.twitter.com/UIxpPCQAqx
Others called YouTube a “joke”, adding that the platform has turned into “a parody of itself”.
Their algorithms are garbage
— Devin Nunes’s Neighbor’s Uncle’s Beagle (@MrChrisWinner) 15 апреля 2019 г.
Why in the world is @YouTube putting information about 9/11 underneath the Notre Dame livestream from @FRANCE24?
— Joshua Benton (@jbenton) 15 апреля 2019 г.
(Especially since it seems like, at least right now, ongoing renovations are the most likely cause, no indication of terror) https://t.co/A3HP36epxx pic.twitter.com/ZheCMC5pcG
YouTube has attached an info panel on 9/11 to France 24's streaming coverage of Notre Dame. Deeply strange decision, especially given there is no indication as yet of terrorist involvement. When you click on the menu you get the explanation on the right: "topical context" pic.twitter.com/jb3kMrXQb5
— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) 15 апреля 2019 г.
Man YouTube used to be funny videos and music. It’s gone to hell. More bad than good on that Hellsite
— 🦂 Vince 🦈 (@TripNippleKing) 15 апреля 2019 г.
YouTube is honestly such a joke now
— y-𝑽𝑰𝑹𝑻𝑼𝑨𝑳 kassie 🏒 #CarlSwagelin【=◈︿◈=】 (@sad_ex_machina) 15 апреля 2019 г.
YouTube has turned into a parody of itself
— Stacy (@SJ_1283) 15 апреля 2019 г.
What the hell? Is YouTube owned the by Trump administration?
— Stephanie Marie 💜🦄🐘🐞🌻 (@St3ph3rs_83) 15 апреля 2019 г.
YouTube is a joke
— beta cuck (@CntGetTheCapOff) 15 апреля 2019 г.
Another day another YouTube mess up. What's new.
— oh look, BTS actually (@Dumblucktechie) 15 апреля 2019 г.
I'm so glad we let tech platforms eat the journalism industry.
— Ryan Broderick (@broderick) 15 апреля 2019 г.
Now, I can sit and watch a live stream of Notre Dame burning while YouTube's fake news widget tells me about 9/11 for some reason. pic.twitter.com/FhAtE4DqtB
Moderating livestreams remains an issue for YouTube, which, in particular, disabled comments on a livestream of the US congressional hearing on white nationalism and social media.
