Published
Wed, May 30, 2018, 18:27
- "We have developed policies specifically to help tackle videos related to knife crime in the UK," YouTube said.
YouTube has removed over 30 UK drill rap videos from its platform.
As reported by The Guardian, the videos were removed through ongoing requests to take down around 60 videos from YouTube made by The Metropolitan police over the last two years. The Met has been cataloguing videos that they say encourage or incite violence among youth.
"Drill music is associated with lyrics which are about glamourising serious violence," said Met police commissioner Cressida Dick. "They describe the stabbings in great detail, joy and excitement."
In a statement, YouTube said that they have been working with the police and other government groups to determine how to take action.
"We have a dedicated process for the police to flag videos directly to our teams because we often need specialist context from law enforcement to identify real-life threats," they said. "Along with others in the UK, we share the deep concern about this issue and do not want our platform used to incite violence."
The removal of the videos comes in the wake of a renewed debate around the role of UK drill and grime music in violent crime in London. Last month, Labour MPs invited members of the London music community to the House Of Commons to discuss the issue.
"There's a clear correlation between the success of black music and artists of colour, and the dogged determination of the media to paint young people and their potential role models negatively," said Harjeet Sahota, a member of the London Independent Youth Safety Advisory Board. "It's patronising and damaging. When we look at the subject matter of our favourite genres—such as grime and drill—it's drugs, sex and violence, which is not unique to these genres."