Red Eye on YouTube: How to miss the point
posted at 9:25 pm on February 13, 2007 by Bryan
On last night/this morning’s Red Eye, the gang discussed YouTube and jihad, a conflict the Hot Air family is familiar with by now. Ombudsman Andrew Levy took up the issue during his halftime report, and missed the point entirely.
Yes, I’m ombudsmaning (if that’s a word) the ombudsman. I’m Red Eye’s meta-ombudsman.
So what point did Levy and the Rey Eye crew miss? Well, the problem with YouTube and jihad isn’t so much that jihadi videos get on the site and we can’t use their net connections to track them down. First, since Google owns YouTube and Google has its history of not helping out in the war against the jihadis, that kind of tracking just isn’t going to happen. But even worse than that is that YouTube routinely takes sides in the online jihad, and takes the side of the jihadis. Videos condemning Islamic terrorism or criticizing Islam in any way get yanked off YouTube all the time, while videos in which jihadis celebrate their kills or recruit new members stay on the site. It happens all the time. Just this week, an atheist who has been posting videos criticizing Christians had his videos yanked–but only after he started criticizing Islam. His videos criticizing Christianity are still on the site. And worse than that, YouTube will unilaterally yank videos uploaded by people like us who take on the jihadis, and then lie about how that video disappeared. Twice now, YouTube has yanked our videos. When you try to play them, you get a message that the user (us) deleted the videos. That’s a flat out lie. We didn’t delete them; YouTube did. Google’s motto is “Don’t be evil,” but in my book supporting jihadis and lying about others is pretty darn evil.
So Levy, you got it wrong man. Consider yourself ombudsmaned. If that’s a word.
Blowback
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I like Uberombudsman myself. And you are right,
bbz123 on February 13, 2007 at 9:35 PM
I started using google back in 1998 and I hate that I helped them get so big ( not that I did that much).. and their “no evil” code is a huge lie. One word, CHINA.
Whatever happened to truth in advertising? The biggest baddest online organization is the worst offender. And their stock???? All air, BIG air but still air. $459.00 today, $513 .00 52 week high.
BGLM
Big Guilty Leftist Money doing hurt to America.
shooter on February 13, 2007 at 9:41 PM
YouTube is an annoying place for annoying people who want to see girls having sloppy make outs. I go there all the time.
Savage on February 13, 2007 at 9:41 PM
Yuck, left-wing condescending smugness just dripped out of my screen onto the keyboard.
Now where’s that lysol…
infidel4life on February 13, 2007 at 9:47 PM
Are you serious? You really think Google has done more harm than good for America and the world? Sorry, but without Google new searches, blog searches, web searches, image searches, and of course Google Earth my life and the lives of probably most of the people reading this would drastically complicated. You may not agree with their politics, but I would love to see you try to convince internet users Google is hurting America and should not be used.
JaHerer22 on February 13, 2007 at 9:51 PM
What?
DaveS on February 13, 2007 at 9:56 PM
Bryan, you’re right about what is the real YouTube issue… however in Levy’s defense, he was responding to the segment earlier in the show when they were talking about it, and specifically I think Marsden’s comments. They, as a whole, didn’t focus on the actual YouTube problem as much as they did the “why can’t they track them down” (if they even focused on the real problem at all, I can’t remember), but Levy isn’t at fault. He was simply responding to the nonsensical point Marsden or someone made about using YouTube to find UBL.
RightWinged on February 13, 2007 at 10:14 PM
He’s the ombudsman. He’s supposed to tell them they’re off base, etc. It’s clear from this complete failure at all levels that Red Eye’s ombudsman needs his own ombudsman.
Bryan on February 13, 2007 at 10:19 PM
So,….anybody up for a YouTube DOS?
Coronagold on February 13, 2007 at 10:27 PM
Haha… Again, I agree that the focus was way off… but you’ll notice that the majority of his ombudding is spent making weird jokes and taking digs at the panelists. I agree, it’s disappointing that the real issue wasn’t raised because the problem needs attention outside of the conservative blogosphere, however I grant Levy I still give Levy some slack because he was responding to a ridiculous assertion someone made that implied we could capture UBL using YouTube, IP addresses, etc. As if UBL was himself logging on and uploading the videos. He had a good point to knock down whoever was presenting that flawed logic, but the more important issue of YouTube’s selective censoring should have been top priority.
RightWinged on February 13, 2007 at 10:27 PM
Hopefully they can find someone with an even drier wit who sounds even more like Rainman.
frankj on February 13, 2007 at 10:44 PM
Are you serious?
“drastically complicated” ????
Chuckling incoherently.
hillbillyjim on February 13, 2007 at 11:07 PM
Their mascot must be a Cow named Ard.
(And for all who want to skip over Google, because of their China kowtowing, use the meta-search engine Search.)
profitsbeard on February 13, 2007 at 11:10 PM
We always appreciate google earth when Jihadis have just as good satelite imagry as we do.
It also give me a warm fuzzy when you find google earth printouts on insurgent mortar teams…
“Google Earth. Making things simple… one mortar round at a time.”
BadBrad on February 13, 2007 at 11:15 PM
Google’s declaration to not be evil strikes me the same as Clinton’s vow to run the most ethical administration in American history. Lefty yuppies brag themselves up but when it comes time to make a decision between the bottom line and morality, they opt for the most expedient choice then justify caving in to evil to the pressure they were put under. They don’t realize that doing the right thing requires courage and sacrifice, otherwise everyone would do it.
Tantor on February 13, 2007 at 11:20 PM
Bryan
According to Nick Ginsburn, all of his accounts with videos have been canceled. Presumably, this includes his videos criticizing Christianity as well.
Nick
EFG on February 13, 2007 at 11:46 PM
I was thinking Eliot Carlin from The Bob Newhart Show, but that’s because I’m old.
If you haven’t caught the show yet and you’re curious about what Levy is all about, you can catch up here.
Jim Treacher on February 13, 2007 at 11:53 PM
Sorry to be OT, but i know from reading Hot Air that Bryan is religious and thought he might have a few choice words to say about this disgusting video. A while back, some liberal wrote a book called “What’s Wrong with Kansas”. Well, i’m pretty sure that the people in the vid i linked to are from Kansas, Sam Brownback (Sen. Kansas) does’nt support the troop surge in Iraq and Kansas just re-elected a Dem. Governor. So yeah, what is wrong with Kansas?
forged rite on February 14, 2007 at 12:02 AM
We are “expressing free speech” against a greedy, self-serving, giant corporation.
Rick on February 14, 2007 at 12:08 AM
The way to counter the politics of Google and YouTube is simply to employ their technology, as best we can, in helping spread the word against the jihad. “Information wants to be free”, ya know.
Halley on February 14, 2007 at 12:47 AM
Quick note from Baghdad:
Red Eye is getting a lot of play here b/c it’s on at 10am.
just fyi.
It’s not true that FOX is the majority of news shows watched, but it’s the largest percentage. Most of the chow halls (or DFACs for Army types) here play BBC or CNN during meals.
R/
LT Nichols, USN
MNF-I, Baghdad
Jason on February 14, 2007 at 1:29 AM
So in Iraq, Red Eye is like The View! But with a much lower catering bill.
Jim Treacher on February 14, 2007 at 1:34 AM
New InterTube term coined!
Claire on February 14, 2007 at 2:28 AM
Use ask.com instead, and let google go frack itself–as can JaHerrer22, possibily the dumbest troll ever to soil this site
Janos Hunyadi on February 14, 2007 at 4:01 AM
I understand that Levy was responding to an earlier question but his comments did uncover the leftist trait of thinking they have all the answers and well just buy what he sells. Does he really think that Osama having messengers means that we shouldn’t try to trace the jihadist vids down at all. Does he actually know that the person who uploaded the vid isn’t Osama? This only underscores the problem that apparently the left is working overtime to protect Osama and any other Islamofascists. Shades of Bill Clinton.
Buzzy on February 14, 2007 at 10:06 AM
I’m assuming this is satire, ’cause most of these capabilities where available to us in one for or other well before Google was every dreamed up.
Google did a great job of combining these capabilities and improving on some, but they didn’t invent it.
Lawrence on February 14, 2007 at 10:08 AM
Don’t give Levy too hard a time here–he’s a comedian and I’m mostly just trying to pick a fight with him with this post, and play up my favorite part of Red Eye. But shhhh. Don’t tell him that. It’d go straight to his head.
Bryan on February 14, 2007 at 10:41 AM
You’re right, Al Gore did (but that’s an “Incovenient Truth”).
Rick on February 14, 2007 at 12:01 PM
Oh, it’s on, Bryan!
Let’s see… I didn’t get it “wrong,” I just didn’t address your point. And I didn’t address your point for two very good reasons:
First, the point I made was in response to what I took to be the general consensus of the panel that we should be able to capture bin Laden by tracking al Qaeda internet postings. Since this seems to be a commonly held belief – only by people who possess absolutely no technical knowledge whatsoever – I thought it was important to point out that it’s just not that freakin’ easy. It both cracks me up and pisses me off that people who don’t even know what an IP address is see fit to casually throw out statements like that, as if NSA, DHS, CIA, DIA, etc., never thought of this.
The second – and more important – reason I didn’t address your point is that until I read your post I didn’t know that youtube did that! So thanks for learnin’ me – and keep doin’ it!
What else – oh, I don’t understand the commenters that think I’m a “leftist” because I pointed out that it’s not easy to track al-Qaeda through their uploaded videos – if anything, it’s the LEFT that keeps whining about us not capturing bin Laden, as if we’re not trying. Oh, and Buzzy, please tell me at what point I said, or indicated, or insinuated, or implied, that we “shouldn’t try to trace the jihadi videos down.” Never said it, never thought it. And I have no doubt that we HAVE nailed some very bad people by doing so – the dumber ones, anyway.
That said, I think it’s great that some people think I’m a leftist! Keep those cards and letters comin!
Levy on February 14, 2007 at 1:34 PM
Levy the Leftist…That’s a good name for an ombudsman. You freakin’ hippy.
fmragtops on February 14, 2007 at 1:48 PM
For the record Levy, I have been backing you up for the exact reason you stated… as for not being aware of the problem, smack Greg around for that, because the research should have been done making that the real issue for discussion, because to this crowd it’s what we would have assumed the discussion was about, given Malkin’s history with YT, among others. Malkin just mainstreamed (as far as blogs go) the issue a few months back.
RightWinged on February 14, 2007 at 3:27 PM
Research?? Have you WATCHED the show??
Seriously, though, I think you and Bryan are absolutely right that that’s a great topic. I think we discussed something similar in talking about Amanda Marcotte last night – i.e., if she had made similarly inflammatory comments about Islam, would her defenders still be defending her, etc..
However, I think our topic – whether or not it’s a good thing for us to have these videos on youtube (the “yes” answer meaning it’s good for us because it shows how disgusting these people are)is also a valid issue for discussion.
All that said, I really appreciate that y’all are watching and giving your two cents – and that you’re calling us on things you think we need to be called on. Thoughtful critiques can only help us become better as the show progresses.
(If anyone from Newshounds is reading this, note that I said “thoughtful.” Look it up if you have to!)
Levy on February 14, 2007 at 3:44 PM
Fight picked! Woo-hoo. For the record, Levy, I never thought you were a leftist. You’re not profane enough (at least on the air) and never publicly called anyone a “godbag.” That’s some sort of requirement on that side now, isn’t it?
My take on YouTube: A) It ain’t that frickin’ easy to track down terrorists who use the site. They do use messengers, among other highly technical issues with that idea. B) YouTube needs to knock off the one-sided censorship. If they’re going to yank us for criticizing Islamist terrorists, they should at least also yank the Islamist terrorists’ snuff films. Or leave them both up.
Bryan on February 14, 2007 at 4:22 PM
Hey, Bryan – I never thought YOU thought I was a lefty! I was referring to a couple of unintentionally hilarious comments by other commenters!
Levy on February 14, 2007 at 4:47 PM
Heh. Yes you did!
Seriously, you guys look like you have a pretty good thing going on over there. Love the “graphics” in your segments.
Bryan on February 14, 2007 at 5:11 PM
I don’t have a problem with Google’s motto of “Don’t be evil.”
I just have a problem with what they define as evil.
Faith1 on February 14, 2007 at 7:22 PM
but remember google and youtube aren’t over run with leftists.
One Angry Christian on February 14, 2007 at 8:00 PM
Bryan, you should be nice to Mr. Levy, just in case he can score us some footage of Rachel Marsden in the World’s Shortiest Skirt. That’s the sort of thing that needs to be thoroughly ombudded, I’m sure.
ReubenJCogburn on February 14, 2007 at 9:48 PM
It’s a pretty solid assumption, considering we’re not all living in an episode of “24.”
For the record, I never thought Bryan thought I thought Levy thought Bryan thought Levy was a lefty. Whew!
Jim Treacher on February 14, 2007 at 10:43 PM
Aha. Gutman went to Berkeley. Now I understand.
Connie on February 15, 2007 at 2:28 AM
Progress? That sounds awfully close to “progressive” which is a 4 letter word around here… actually it’s an 11 letter word like it is everywhere else, but you know what I mean. Seriously though, I’m sure NewsHounds is having a field day with you guys… I try to stay away from those obnoxious sites.
Speak for yourself.
RightWinged on February 15, 2007 at 3:53 AM
WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR???
Jim Treacher on February 15, 2007 at 12:16 PM