North Korea propaganda channels shut down by YouTube
This is not the first time North Korean propaganda has been a target of YouTube
PHOTO: REUTERS
Two North Korean propaganda channels, which were monitored by academics to study and assess the regime’s missile programs, have been shut down by YouTube.
Stimmekoreas is the number one YouTube channel on North Korea with more than 20,000 subscribers along with Uriminzokkiri that has 18,000 subscribers. Both channels regularly posted videos of state TV news clips and other footage which attracts millions of views.
However, they were terminated on Friday for violating YouTube’s community guidelines.
In Russia, Japan PM urges 'greatest possible pressure' on North Korea
“I urge YouTube to revoke its decision in the interest of national security,” said Arms control expert, Jeffrey Lewis who uses these channels to analyse missile launch videos and tours of factories that can help him understand better about the regimes nuclear capabilities.
“North Korea is a country with thermonuclear weapons sitting on ICBMs [intercontinental ballistic missiles] that can reach the United States. It is really important to understand them even if we don’t like them,” he added. “That starts by analysing their propaganda. Even though it’s tendentious, you can learn a lot about a country from the lies they tell.”
Apparently, Stimmekoreas is operated by a North Korean supporter who lives outside of the country and posts huge resolution videos of state propaganda in various languages from the Korean Central News Agency.
Whereas, Uriminzokkiri is a part of North Korea’s propaganda wing that targets North Koreans living abroad.
Lewis even said, official footage of missile launches is used by academics to assess how powerful they are, based on their acceleration. The videos also help in learning about the weapons and machinery used by North Korea.
“When he visits a factory in the middle of nowhere and stares at machine tools it provides an important insight into the progress they are making,” added Lewis, who is also director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.
Besides and beyond the missile program, researchers can even learn about the people that are around Kim Jong Un.
“North Korea uses YouTube as a primary distribution network for their propaganda,” said Lewis. “Often you don’t know something is important until later, so having all that information available and searchable was incredibly valuable.”
“Tracking and digitally reconstructing events is going to be more difficult as these accounts get deleted,” added Scott Lafoy, a Washington-based satellite imagery analyst, who spoke to NK News.
Putin, Moon urge swift end to North Korea crisis
There are speculations that YouTube shut these channels down because the advertising revenue generated by these accounts would violate US trade sanctions but YouTube did not immediately respond.
“I know when I click on the videos I get ads,” said Lewis. “So perhaps they are nervous about sending that money on to the North Koreans. But honestly the YouTube ad revenues are not going to make or break the missile program.”
This is not the first time that North Korean propaganda has been targeted by YouTube. KoreanCentralTV1 was shut down by them in November 2016 apart from other channels like Chosun TV, NK Propaganda and KCTV Stream, according to NK news.
This article originally appeared on The Guardian
Stimmekoreas is the number one YouTube channel on North Korea with more than 20,000 subscribers along with Uriminzokkiri that has 18,000 subscribers. Both channels regularly posted videos of state TV news clips and other footage which attracts millions of views.
However, they were terminated on Friday for violating YouTube’s community guidelines.
In Russia, Japan PM urges 'greatest possible pressure' on North Korea
“I urge YouTube to revoke its decision in the interest of national security,” said Arms control expert, Jeffrey Lewis who uses these channels to analyse missile launch videos and tours of factories that can help him understand better about the regimes nuclear capabilities.
“North Korea is a country with thermonuclear weapons sitting on ICBMs [intercontinental ballistic missiles] that can reach the United States. It is really important to understand them even if we don’t like them,” he added. “That starts by analysing their propaganda. Even though it’s tendentious, you can learn a lot about a country from the lies they tell.”
Apparently, Stimmekoreas is operated by a North Korean supporter who lives outside of the country and posts huge resolution videos of state propaganda in various languages from the Korean Central News Agency.
Whereas, Uriminzokkiri is a part of North Korea’s propaganda wing that targets North Koreans living abroad.
Lewis even said, official footage of missile launches is used by academics to assess how powerful they are, based on their acceleration. The videos also help in learning about the weapons and machinery used by North Korea.
“When he visits a factory in the middle of nowhere and stares at machine tools it provides an important insight into the progress they are making,” added Lewis, who is also director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.
Besides and beyond the missile program, researchers can even learn about the people that are around Kim Jong Un.
“North Korea uses YouTube as a primary distribution network for their propaganda,” said Lewis. “Often you don’t know something is important until later, so having all that information available and searchable was incredibly valuable.”
“Tracking and digitally reconstructing events is going to be more difficult as these accounts get deleted,” added Scott Lafoy, a Washington-based satellite imagery analyst, who spoke to NK News.
Putin, Moon urge swift end to North Korea crisis
There are speculations that YouTube shut these channels down because the advertising revenue generated by these accounts would violate US trade sanctions but YouTube did not immediately respond.
“I know when I click on the videos I get ads,” said Lewis. “So perhaps they are nervous about sending that money on to the North Koreans. But honestly the YouTube ad revenues are not going to make or break the missile program.”
This is not the first time that North Korean propaganda has been targeted by YouTube. KoreanCentralTV1 was shut down by them in November 2016 apart from other channels like Chosun TV, NK Propaganda and KCTV Stream, according to NK news.
This article originally appeared on The Guardian