Coincidentally the only content I have had censored on the internet was on this very blog! Yesterday! Understandable as I think my comments (along with just plain irritating the blogger) had strayed off topic. In the case of your friend Jim Tucker I think it is just an example of the price paid for a free service. I imagine YouTube censors work around the clock to remove inappropriate material with the attitude of “better safe than sorry”.

Hmmm - tricky one. Obviously seems unfair in this instance - imagine they have a lot of videos that garner complaints though and sifting through each one and investigating would take a lot of time. At the end of the day though the thing to remember is that the content is being put onto someone else's server and into their systems.

Thanks for this post, Luke. I think it involves some key issues about media freedom and the impacts of globalisation of media. I can understand that perhaps if someone stumbled on the video in isolation (ie, not within the context of the 25,000-word blog account) they might think it prurient at worst. I did try to interest mainstream media in this story, but no takers.

My personal experience with copyright battles has been in the media before. Money wins every time.

Youtube is a hypocritical beast and this guy would be advised to set up a new account and reload his peeing video and stop fussing over it.

Having a 14 year old boy in our house I find YouTube to be a menace! The ability to look at any video no matter the rating is ludicrous and some controls should be in place. Yes as a parent I am expected to do those 'controls' but in all actuality parents are not sitting constantly supervising their children and knowing they can get access to any rated video is a big concern. I don't know how many times our 14 year old has used the whole months worth of internet service in the first two days of the month just by looking at YouTube videos.

Putting a block on the YouTube website does not solve the issue as there are many learning videos which the children are directed to see from teachers. I think there should be a separate pay site for any video above PG, that way parents have better control over what may be viewed while not standing over the child. Just making the video "R18" rated does not stop children viewing it, they want to look all the more!

Now that YouTube has been around for awhile it is time to look at changing the way it is run; and protecting our children not just our rights!

@Deb #5- It is not my problem you find the task of censoring your sons internet usage daunting, why should I have to pay for "anything above PG" (assuming there was some way of reliably rating youtube videos, hint: there isn't).

There are plenty of great software packages out there designed specifically for parents in your predicament, I put it to you that you simply have not done the research in securing your PC for your sons usage.

If your monthly bandwidth is getting used up in the first two days, maybe you need a larger plan? One, uh, with more bandwidth?

A more scary example of Youtube censorship is this: http://bit.ly/c9Gahk

Regardless of your views on this specific topic, the fact Youtube is censoring videos that directly influence political policy is very scary.

It makes Google (Youtube) look a bit hypocritical after they start talks of pulling out of China because they don't want to be a part of censorship

It's easy but inaccurate to cast this as innocent web users vs evil, censoring corporates. As George #1 has pointed out: YouTube provide s a free service. It is also a business, not a charity or public amenity.

I won't defend its decision in the case mentioned here – they made the wrong call under their terms of use. However, YouTube can be held liable for its content and is entitled to protect its ability to provide the service it does (and whatever meagre advertising revenue it does generate - which I understand isn't much given its popularity)by imposing and enforcing rules.

Unfortunately, YouTube has to deal with reactionary elements of society who want to make parenting their kids someone else's problem. I thought this mainly affected American society, but apparently this also happens here. Deb #5: It's your job to control your kids, not anyone else's, and there is plenty of software which would help you do that job. Oh, and YouTube require you to create an account and confirm your age to access R18 material. I’m assuming either you or your son has done this.

YouTube also has to stay on the right side of aggressive copyright owners with deep pockets - media congolomerates, movie studios, record labels - while negotiating the minefield of "fair use". YouTube is based in the US along with most of those copyright owners, US law is confusing and arbitrarily enforced, and breaches can generate damages woefully at odds with the harm caused. This is far different to the legal climate in New Zealand, and its hard to blame them for being cautious.

"Now that YouTube has been around for awhile it is time to look at changing the way it is run; and protecting our children not just our rights!"

Oh my god, here we go, YOUR the parent Deb! You should be controlling what your child watches and has access too, not society or You Tube. Do you job!, be a responsible parent instead of palming off your responsibilities onto others. If anything is needed it's a course on 'How to be a responsible parent'. Please find one and go.

@Deb #5: A separate pay site for videos above PG isn't going to work. If you're 14 year old wants to see it, and has unsupervised access to the internet he's probably going to find his way to a few above PG sites.