Video sharing turbulence: Alternative platforms hosting hate speech and misinformation

The Buffalo shooter livestreamed his rampage on Twitch, a platform owned by Amazon, which quickly removed it. But the gruesome footage was reposted on BitChute, where it stayed for days. — Photo by Leon Bublitz on Unsplash

Continued from ‘New breed of video sites thrive on misinformation and hate’

Since 2020, under rules enforced by the British media regulator Ofcom, BitChute must protect the public from “harmful content”. This means, primarily, content that would be deemed a criminal offense under laws relating to terrorism and child sexual abuse, or content that incites violence or hatred against particular groups. Ofcom can impose heavy fines or even suspend a platform.