Deplatformed

at

The video was removed by YouTube and she was served with a seven-day suspension, which prevented her from uploading new content on her channel, which has more than 26,000 subscribers.

However, [Ms O’Doherty] appeared to circumvent the ban by posting a series of new videos under a second account bearing her name with 14,000 subscribers, which is a violation of YouTube’s rules.

A spokeswoman for Google – which owns YouTube – confirmed that both Ms O’Doherty’s accounts have been removed for “repeat” breaches of its rules.

YouTube terminates Gemma O’Doherty’s account over breach of ‘hate speech’ policies (irish Times)

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169 thoughts on “Deplatformed

    1. Rob_G

      Censorship is something that governments do to its citizens. Google is a private company, they can decide to host (or not host) whomever they like.

      1. flipper

        Google is a private company operating in the public realm.

        If Gemma was someone who’s views you supported you’d be up in arms.

        1. Rob_G

          “Google is a private company operating in the public realm.”
          – what sort of a meaningless tautology is that?

          Youtube is not obliged to publish the videos of anyone. G O’D can pay to host her videos on a server and stream them from there if she wishes, literally no-one is stopping her.

    2. Padraig

      It’s not censorship when ban evading is against YouTube’s ToS.
      But sure, Gemma will spin this in her favour.

      1. flipper

        Does a privately owned company setting the terms of engagement in a public forum sound like a good idea to you?

          1. Dr_Chimp

            Not really because newspapers traditionally reported on news and had opinion pieces. This is about a multi national deciding what you can and can’t broadcast directly at someone or at the world at large. In a world where the big 4 or 5 control almost all of the internet, it’s not just as simple as saying “it’s a private company”. They’ll and up being regulated like a public utility in the future

          2. SOQ

            Actually no, they do not control the internet- they provide platforms which most people choose to use and- they do so to make money. There is nothing stopping any individual or group from setting up similar and there are already a number of both left and right wing sites springing up.

            But this crowd LOVE playing the victim. Bottom line is- just like Broadsheet- their site their rules. You don’t like it then go elsewhere because when all is said and done, they are liable if anything is published which causes undue harm or distress.

        1. Padraig

          It doesn’t matter if they are a privately owned company or not. Any and all sites can have their own terms of service and they can remove you from their platform if you break their rules. “Corruption”, “Politics”, “Religion” has nothing to do with this. Find me one site that doesn’t have “Ban evasion” as part of their rules/ToS.

          1. SOQ

            As above Bodger- it is only the public square because people choose it to be.

            Take google search for example- they reached saturation to the point where the band became intertwined with the function- Hoover/Vacuum Cleaner etc. but now that privacy issues have been raised, other engines are really starting to gain traction.

          2. Bodger

            SOQ, we have a constitutional protection on the right to ‘express freely’ our ‘convictions and opinions’ and the right to communicate. YouTube represents a dominant marketplace of ideas. Can you deny an Irish citizen that platform?

          3. millie st murderlark

            Absolutely. Denying someone access to one platform to promote their views does not mean they are denied the right to air their views at all.

            There are plenty of internet soap boxes from which to shout your diatribe if you so wish. But if you’re going to be using an internet service to do this you need to comply with their rules. I don’t see that this infringes on the right to free speech of anyone.

          4. Batty Brennan

            @Bodger

            Speaking of deplatforming…

            Are you aware of any reason why Broadsheet would be blocking traffic to IPs from Blacknight Hosting today?

          5. Bodger

            Batty, No idea. I’ve passed this on to our hosting people and will come back. Thank you.

          6. SOQ

            @ Bodger- and there you have the dilemma- but, if I was to post something slanderous about an individual right here and now, broadsheet would be liable if it was not removed. Free speech only goes so far and even here has a code of conduct.

            You were never able to say what you liked.

            It is the politically right who are permanently complaining about how THEIR rights are being infringed despite the fact that at core, the capitalist tech companies are by nature, very much bed fellows.

            I have asked this before- Is Gemma willing to write a piece for Broadsheet? Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. We are grown ups so why not?

  1. Kim

    Serious question. What happened to her. She did some brilliant journalism, and then in the last two years she seems to have gone loo la.

    1. Jésus

      She went too far down the rabbit hole. She found the rabbits.

      I actually wondered the exact same thing though. How does someone go from such a professional high to a personal low?

      1. Janet, I ate my avatar

        I believe her grief has sent her into an unhealthy spin, I don’t think she’s well at all

          1. martco

            @dav her husband died

            there’s swathes of internet covering this exact question…the forensic examination of the why/where/when she left the rails

            I’d speculate a grief link too but really who knows

        1. Dan

          People say that all the time, but it’s a completely absurd notion. I’m sure all of us have witnessed people cope with grief. They become sullen and withdrawn and apathetic. In bad cases, they stay in bed and don’t answer their phone. They may even drink too much. I’ve never seen anyone set up a YouTube, hang out with Justin Barrett and start harassing school children in Longford.

          What Gemma has done is horrific, but it isn’t illogical. She has followed, word for word, a far right play book that has worked for activists in other European countries. What it seeks to do is first to unite various strands of crackpot opinion at home (Racists, anti-semites, conspiracy theorists etc.) then, and more importantly, draw support and funding from far right donors in America.

          1. McVitty

            “Racists, anti-semites, conspiracy theorists etc” live on the left as much as they do on the right – with race, they just play it differently just like they do with homophobia, sexism etc.

            If a member of any of their protected groups goes up against them, you tend to see how racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-semitic etc they really are – or should I say, how much contempt they have for anyone who challenges them. They use these marginalised groups as tropes. Wakey wakey.

    2. Spud

      Yep, I had a fair bit of time for her as did this site where I first really heard of her work.
      It seemed to go pretty odd pretty quickly though.
      Someone wrote a good article somewhere detailing her ‘demise’ if you want to call it that – by looking at who she was following on her social media and at what point it started to shift.
      Can’t find it now but someone may know it?

      1. millie st murderlark

        I think it was a twitter thread, posted here actually.

        I read it and thought it was a very interesting take on it. Combine that with how vulnerable she must have been after her husband’s death.

        I want to have sympathy for her, and I do, but it’s tested when I hear the utter diarrhea she spouts on social media.

        1. Daisy Chainsaw

          Mental illness can’t make you a bigot. Don’t blame it for Gemtrails being a racist gowl.

        2. Rich Uncle Skeleton

          Gemma’s demise has been like an empathy test – it seems to be a result of her husband’s death alright, and who knows what other factors, but one glance at her feed and any attempt at being understanding goes right out the window.

          It’s a bit of a paradox – the only way to help people in these situations is to empathise to a point, but would doing so be a bit too close to ignoring the hateful messages she is spouting?

          Sure who knows where it all ends. I hope she comes to her senses some day, if only so she can atone for all the pain she has caused before trying to address her own. Seems like a case where family would step in at some point, but maybe that’s not an option.

          1. SOQ

            Social skills are obviously not her strong point so just ask her to write something for Broadsheet? Do we all have to be perfect all the time?

            My last attempt at hairdressing resulted in a kitchen roll being applied.

  2. Jeffrey

    Ahhh GoD … what a disappointment… I listened (tried to) to a few minutes of various live streams recently… total loony and certainly on the fringe of “hate speech” – This last ban will only feed into the loonies ideas that virtually everyone is against them. I’ve never seen someone with so much prospect fall so low and so quickly. We are talking chemtrails, area51 or even no Tuam babies story…. run!

    1. ciaran

      “We are talking chemtrails, area51 or even no Tuam babies story”

      Where is this “Hate Speech” you are shrieking about then?

      1. Jeffrey

        It would be a whole chapter on how bad the migrants are, violent and thuggish, rapist, I spare you the details, proper hate rants going for hours. She had several videos like this, I suspect these got reported and of course she was also using an alt account while suspended…

        1. ciaran

          No offence, but it sounds like you’re full of poo when you cant provide proof of your claims.

          1. millie st murderlark

            By all means, engage your brain and look it up then. One of the nicest things about the internet is that if you ask, it will almost always provide.

            Otherwise… Gemma, sweetie, is that you??

        2. Daisy Chainsaw

          And there’s the one about Irish women who sleep with black men being sluts and whores who don’t even deserve to keep their Irish citizenship for having mixed race children.

      2. flipper

        Hate speech is when you suggest that it might be an idea to keep Ireland populated by Irish people.

        1. Kdoc

          Whatever about hate speech, it would be just totally ridiculous to argue that a modern developed country should only be inhabited by an indigenous population.

        2. Janet, I ate my avatar

          at least we have stopped being used as a European case study for inbreeding and disease, I’d call that progress

          1. shortforbob

            I thought that was only because it was easier to study the population of Iceland.

  3. class wario

    Great news but the softly softly approach of social media platforms to these people means she will probably get a reprieve and in any case will be able to continue unabated on other platforms until she crosses the line again.

        1. scottser

          i’m only guessing here, but i’d say you have a very impressive ‘slogan’ t-shirt collection.

          1. millie st murderlark

            Make a conspiracy video and post to youtube. That should get the message across nicely

        2. flipper

          Hate speech is when you suggest that it might be an idea to keep Ireland populated by Irish people or when you show pics that prove that it’s being populated by people that aren’t Irish.

    1. McVitty

      what if the social media monopoly platforms suppressed your views? you might feel differently.

    1. Jeffrey

      I believe this is the end of the road of MANY reports of live streams containing hate speech – not just one incident. Youtube will remove your account once you have been warned 3 times I think.

        1. Jeffrey

          “Hate speech is not allowed on YouTube. We remove content promoting violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on any of the following attributes:

          Age
          Caste
          Disability
          Ethnicity
          Gender Identity
          Nationality
          Race
          Immigration Status
          Religion
          Sex/Gender
          Sexual Orientation
          Victims of a major violent event and their kin
          Veteran Status”

          Gemma has breach many of the above, many times, on most videos over the last 6 months. Rules are rules, I dont make them but she agreed to abide by them when she created the YT account. Stop the victimisation.

          1. Jeffrey

            @Freespeech if you think some are also breaching the rule: report them, its exactly what happened in Gemma’s case. I think you dont understand how YT works, they dont have people watching the 300 hours of video that are uploaded to YT every minute :) – instead viewers report videos they think are in breach.

          2. pedeyw

            Youtube isn’t public discourse, it’s a private platform with its own TOS. The argument that there are “worse things on youtube” doesn’t mean she gets a pass, it just means youtube is bad at filtering.

        2. flipper

          Correct, hate speech is an accusation that you can level at someone when they’ve logically shown you to be incorrect but when you don’t want to accept it.

          You can say someone is engaging in hate speech and if enough people agree with you you can get the person silenced and then pretend that you’re actually the right one.

        3. Sham Bob

          Ever seen the comments under her live streams? Posters regularly advocate genocide. But sure I suppose genocide’s just an idea, what are people afraid of?

  4. Spaghetti Hoop

    Zero interest in her. Politically I don’t believe she has any potential – we’re not living in the 1930s here thank goodness (not Godness).

  5. Mr.Fart

    so will she be camping up in the youtube office with her weird fans outside saying hail marys?

      1. Lilly

        Gawd but that guy is a bell head. He can disagree with GO’D without harassing her. He’s just a thug peppering for a fight.

          1. B9Com From No

            They wouldn’t let me use it in my username :)
            Peter made a series of valid points there though in fairness! Entertaining stuff whatever

  6. Fergus The Magic Postman

    Can’t even be racist anymore on your own youtube channel. It’s outrageous.

    1. flipper

      I challenge you to provide the oxford definition for racism and show where she has fulfilled it.

      1. flipper

        I challenge anyone to provide the oxford definition for racism and show where she has fulfilled it.

    2. McVitty

      Fergus The Magic Postman:
      Refreshing to see a users’ ideas and your profile pic so perfectly in sync…

  7. The Dude

    As others observe, it’s a pity G O’D has become a caricature of an attack persona, plying unsubstantiated theories, and demeaning whatever is left of the notion of Irish ‘investigative journalism’. The hour long waffles with John Waters about unicorns etc was the last straw for this reader / viewer. Her recent performance on Channel 4 news was also a real cringe-fest – seemed quite unhinged.

    The first few lines of the second verse of Yeats’ Easter, 1916 seem quite appropriate –

    That woman’s days were spent
    In ignorant good-will,
    Her nights in argument
    Until her voice grew shrill

  8. Bruce Wee

    Hate Speech – Definition: Abusive or threatening speech or writing that expresses prejudice against a particular group, especially on the basis of race, religion, or sexual orientation.

    Quite clear really. Passed glory does not condone current behavior. Her fall from grace is perplexing due to the rapid speed of her views. The Link sent on earlier in the comment tread is worth reading as I highlights the rapid change in her personal and political views.

  9. eoin

    Sad to see her go, she’s a talented presenter and the issues she tackles are of interest to many. I can see the damage she does, with anti-vaxx and immigration and racial harmony for example, but in a healthy and mature democracy with a free media, surely harmful messages can be challenged without resorting to censorship and de-platforming?

    Also, this highlights the power of a small group of profit-seeking US tech giants, whose platforms are really the utilities of the 21st century, to stifle free speech. It’s no accident that #1 amendment to the US constitution protects free speech.Censor Gemma O’Doherty today, censor Eamon Ryan tomorrow.

    1. McVitty

      Agree completely.

      Gemma O’Doherty’s arguments are like the common cold – they will either kill you or make you stronger…but make no mistake, she’s tapping into the zeitgeist and it’s been a while.

      Censorship is not the answer, unless you are afraid and/or totalitarian-leaning.

  10. kellMA

    I feel uncomfortable watching GOD rants so I dont anymore until something like this comes up and then i dip back in and it just reaffirms my decision. It is like watching someone’s mental health crumble before your eyes. Feels a bit voyeuristic.

      1. A Person

        An again MOF, why the eff do you only comment on me, without offering any opinion? Sorry, I forget you have no intelligence. Grow up.

        1. Man On Fire

          Yea ok Brian, still whinging about hate speech whilst throwing insults around..

          Try harder..

          1. A Person

            When did I once mention hate speech – merely asked why Bodger gave her so much support previously. When are you going to offer a real opinion on any issue except for tracking people who comment on this forum.

          2. Man On Fire

            By asking bs for an explanation you are implying she doles out hate speech.

            Your response to my comment was hate speech.

            Try harder.

          3. A Person

            Oh child where did I accuse her of hate speech. By disagreeing with you and calling you out on inept remarks is not hate speech. It is a direct criticism of you, not a race, gender, religion etc. I am certainly not a FGer and never will be.

            How was mammy’s dinner last night?

        2. B9Com From No

          He does that to a few different people
          Few sandwiches short of a picnic
          Harmless oul divil though

    1. Jeffrey

      At the time BS supported her, so was I. I wouldn’t question BS or Bodger on this personally as I fell for the same tricks – but was it tricks?

  11. Dr_Chimp

    The simple solution: remove all “hate speech” legislation and t&cs. Let the people be truly free to say whatever they want

      1. A Person

        MOF’s true colours. Let me guess your’re one of those idiots in dark glasses and fake army uniforms at Easter weekend, but are home in time for mammy to cook you dinner.

          1. A Person

            Really – where did you come from? As for insults – your previous post:

            “He does that to a few different people
            Few sandwiches short of a picnic
            Harmless oul divil though”

            I have never had a go at any individual on this forum, except for the child MOF (even his name!) who always wants to comment on anything I say and accuses me of being a FGer as opposed to offering an opinion on anything.

          2. B9Com From No

            It’s a free forum, he is entirely within his right to comment in any way he sees fit on any post.
            Only one person here is coming across as juvenile

          3. A Person

            Really, why am I the child, please explain? Are you and “man”OF the same person. The whole point of commenting on an issue is actually to offer and discuss an issue as opposed to constantly diss and pick on another person making a comment. +1 is not an opinion. This should be a debate not: “you’re a FGer”, you are Brian, you are short of a picnic. Otherwise try Instagram.

    1. Jeffrey

      That ends in violence more often than not as some people way of supporting certain ideas is to physically do something.

    2. ReproBertie

      Let the people say what they want so they can spread the lies about Muslim controlled no-go areas in Dublin like the Blanchardstown shopping centre?

  12. SOQ

    GOD mentioned something of interest to me in one of her rants- That she was a journalist and journalists are entitled to special protection. Now I get that in for example, a war zone but it doesn’t entitled anyone to do a Katie Hopkins and say what they like either- because look what happened to her.

  13. V

    The thing about a Free Speech Democracy is that sometimes you will have to listen, see and hear stuff that you don’t like
    That is the price we all have to pay to be treated equally in it
    Likewise with the results of an election
    Not everyone can be pleased

    But that’s what a Democracy is
    and thats the beauty of it
    The Voters get their say at the end of it all
    Vote for who you like, or Don’t, or Spoil
    likewise with free speech, say it or don’t
    If you don’t like it, don’t listen

    Learn to Tolerate
    That’s what Democracy and Free Speech expects and is entitled to from all of us
    Tolerance
    In order to work equally for all of us

    This Deplatforming
    has nothing do with Democracy or Free Speech

    Google are not a party in our Constitution
    They answer to their shareholders and the regulatory authorities they are obliged to
    In this case
    Google provide a free service to all and everyone
    subject to conditions, what we all tick I Accept to and recognise more locally as Terms and Conditions,
    The small print
    In this case
    Terms and Conditions were broken, too many times for this company to tolerate any more
    It has nothing
    NOTHING
    to do with Censorship or Silencing or any of the other bull…. I’m reading here or on twitter
    This lady broke her commitment to observe the rules attached to their, Google, services

    How dare anyone defame Democracy or Free Speech by saying anything other than that

    Learn to be Citizens ffs

        1. SOQ

          Yeah but as a written piece- not running around shouting people down in the streets?

          Your’e a wordsmith and there is obviously something that Prep H cannot reach so- let’s hear from you Dharling?

          1. SOQ

            I’m not in anyway connected to this site Gemma.

            Focus- no distraction- sit on your own and type- I am certain you have valid points. Then, we’ll probably argue until next Wednesday week but is that how Irish society works?

            If you are mad then you are mad but- I very much doubt it.

          2. B9Com From No

            Why are you writing to me as “Gemma”?
            And referring to “Prep H” ( I had to look that up)
            If I made some “crack” like that to you as an out gay man, no doubt you’d be bent over in paroxysms ( of virtue-signalling “out” rage)

          3. some old quare

            I wasn’t, I was posting directly @ GO’D

            John- would you have a problem with Gemma writing a piece to set out her stall on BS?

            Here is my tuppence- I generally don’t have a problem with the Nigerians because from personal experience I usually get them. I have serious issues with SOME eastern Europeans mind- stroppy, aggressive, arrogant even- does that make me racist?

          4. B9Com From No

            you put two replies under my post addressed to “Gemma”
            Some geriatric quare?
            The point about Prep h stands, regardless

            As for your comment, in my opinion it should be deleted, and if there was any sort of consensus on modding here, you’d be in the permanent watchlist ( where I am because of my aggressive badgering of other commenters, excessive posting and name calling)

          5. Lilly

            I’ve never met a white South African I liked. I have no idea if that makes me racist.

          6. some old quare

            I never met an Australian that I liked either.

            Don’t get me started on those of stroppy attitude and indiscernible fake tan race working in Dundrum shopping centre.

          7. bisted

            …worked in the wine business once, hated the south africans,,,boers to a man…and they were all men…

      1. ReproBertie

        Broadsheet isn’t shy about bold stepping people. Why should YouTube be different?

        1. eoin

          Because Alphabet (parent of Youtube/Google etc) has around $150 billion of revenue each year, which is at least 10x Broadsheet’s ;-)

          And in Ireland, as a publisher, you can find yourself shouldering €25k of direct costs in the most bull-poo of cases (see the comment a while back about Graham Norton’s Irish defamation case after he said something on BBC Radio 2).

        2. bisted

          …omg…lectures on democracy while ignoring the fundementals…52:48…very clear result in the direct democratic result in UK referendum on brexit yet the result is being betrayed…

          1. SOQ

            And that was a party political broadcast from Ladybrook Park, Andersontown SF HQ- Belfast.

            All of which well be hopefully permanently scarred and blistered by a very high sun while marching in Belfast Pride after prioritising a language nobody gives 2 flicks about

          2. ReproBertie

            Result is being betrayed claims busted despite Sasamach being the only topic the UK government has worked on for going on 3 years now.

            Turns out it wasn’t as simple as the Sasamach simpletons claimed.

          3. bisted

            …the UK referendum was an exercise in direct democracy where a clear majority voted to leave the EU…the arguments over the past few years in the UK parliament have been between members of the democratically elected representatives who have a majority in favour of staying in the EU…stay in the EU they shall and the will of the electorate will be ignored…they will be betrayed by their own elected representatives…

          4. SOQ

            Give it up Bisted- you have already admitted that your arguments in support of Brexit are only to hasten a united Ireland.

          5. bisted

            …true…I live on the border and brexit would provide the impetus needed to precipitate change…long since given up on brexit happening but people persist in arguing for and against it…status quo (aka stagnation) will remain…

    1. SOQ

      +1

      I actually knew someone who spend her work days reading software terms and conditions- she loved it- she was also a very funky dancer. Scary.

  14. Pip

    Isn’t the GO’D arc a bit like the Boeing 737 Max 8 MCAS incidents?
    Powering into the dirt at full speed.

  15. McVitty

    Liberal Irish people think that all this control of “hate-speech” is great, as though the world should be like Electric Picnic with colourful plastic fruit hanging off trees and nothing to offend or challenge you existentially.

    Well, what if the social media monopoly platforms did a 180 and started to suppress your noble views? You might feel differently. Do you not realise that this precedent that you support is dangerous? More dangerous that what any single individual has to say. And let’s say GOD’s ideas take hold, well in that case, give her a bigger platform like RTE and crush her there – crush her good and proper, if you can. But maybe you can’t and that’s why we are defaulting to group-think and mob behaviour.

    This is a valid argument against deplatforming: https://youtu.be/MOo9iJ8RYWM

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