YouTube receives FTC complaint over videos of journalist’s death
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Nearly five years ago, reporter Alison Parker was murdered live on television. That video was clipped, published, and seen all across the internet over the years, including thousands of times on YouTube alone.
On Thursday, Alison’s father Andy Parker filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission against Google, YouTube’s owner, alleging that the company’s handling of the content deceives consumers. Since Alison’s death, conspiracy theorists have reposted the video across the platform, presenting outlandish theories that have garnered hundreds of views online.
“These videos have been edited in numerous ways—in almost every case to increase their shock value,” Parker’s complaint says. “Moreover, the users who perpetuate this type of...