Crucial video evidence of war crimes is being deleted – how can it be saved?
Crucial video evidence of war crimes is being deleted – how can it be saved? Where’s the evidence? metamorworks via Shutterstock Roisin Costello , Trinity College Dublin From Syria to Myanmar and beyond, many of today’s most intractable and brutal conflicts are being documented by everyday internet users equipped with smartphones. But even though they’re documenting vital evidence that could one day help convict perpetrators of atrocities, their footage and photos are at risk from the very platforms that host them. YouTube has deleted millions of video files and thousands of user profiles deemed inappropriate or extremist. Many of the removed files documented events in Syria , including evidence of alleged international crimes and content that could make a significant contribution to the historic record of the conflict. Then there’s Facebook. This year, UN Special Rapporteur Fionnuala Ní Aoláin asked the company to make its guideline