Ofcom receives assurances from BitChute on protection measures

Ofcom’s HQ

UK media regulator Ofcom has received assurances from video-sharing site BitChute that it has improved measures to protect users from videos containing harmful material after being warned by the watchdog under its expanded remit to regulate online video services.

Ofcom raised concerns after online footage of a mass shooting incident in Buffalo, New York appeared on the platform, potentially exposing viewers to terrorist content.

Ofcom already regulates video-sharing platforms based in the UK, a remit that will be expanded through new powers to be granted by the government’s pending online safety bill.

Following news that the Buffalo incident had been livestreamed, Ofcom met with video-sharing platforms to learn what measures were in place to protect users from this kind of content.

It found that BitChute’s measures in this area were potentially deficient, with its on-paltform reporting function only being available to users who had a registered account and its content moderation team being small and limited to certain working hours.

In response Ofcom said BitChute had now tripled its moderation team and increased its hours to provide 24/7 moderation, and had changed the design of its platform to allow non-registered users to directly report potentially harmful content.

Ofcom said it was nevertheless aware of reports lleging that content likely to incite violence and hatred continues to be uploaded to BitChute.

The watchdog said it would closely monitor the implementation of BitChute’s changes and the impact they have, to assess whether they result in tangible improvements to user safety.