YouTube announced it is launching a feature to give uploaders the ability to blur the faces of people in videos—an especially useful tool for journalists and citizens filming in risky environments.
Amanda Conway, YouTube’s policy associate, said in a blog post that the technology can protect people in “sensitive protest footage without exposing the faces of the activists involved” and can protect the identities of children.
“Because human rights footage, in particular, opens up new risks to the people posting videos and to those filmed, it’s important to keep in mind other ways to protect yourself and the people in your videos,” the post reads.
The tool “should disguise the visual identity of everyone on the screen,” said the Committee to Protect Journalists watchdog group.
“Face-blurring can be an important security tool for journalists working in regions where witnesses are punished simply for talking to the media,” the organization said.
In places like Syria, YouTube has played an important role as locals on the ground post videos of government crackdowns against civilians. Almost every day, there are new videos purportedly uploaded showing the regime’s offenses against its citizens or containing footage of rebel fighters advancing on government forces.
Some Syrian regime soldiers have also uploaded their own footage during the 16-month conflict to possibly intimidate activists and rebels.
YouTube’s Conway said that the face-blurring feature is not perfect and might have difficulty detecting the faces of people in videos depending on video quality, lighting, and the camera angle. Uploaders of sensitive content should still take extra caution, she added.
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