Gun content producers aren’t the only people who have been unhappy with Google-owned YouTube’s business practices. Plenty of other publishers have seen their income slashed by sudden changes in the site’s polices. But unlike law abiding gun owners, one San Diego woman decided to take up her beef with YouTube directly. Nasim Aghdam, a frequent YouTube poster, shot three people at the company’s San Bruno headquarters yesterday before turning the gun on herself.
From CNN:
The woman’s grievances against YouTube appear to be centered around censorship and revenue.
“There is no equal growth opportunity on YOUTUBE or any other video sharing site, your channel will grow if they want to!!!!!” one post reads. “Youtube filtered my channels to keep them from getting views!”
Another post accuses “close-minded” YouTube employees of putting an age restriction on videos, saying it’s aimed at reducing views and discouraging the woman from making new videos.
Now it’s been revealed that Aghdam’s family was concerned enough about her state of mind that they called the police.
BREAKING: YouTube Shooting: Nasim Aghdam’s Father Says He Called Police Concerned About Her Anger At Company. @tina_patel reports. https://t.co/71u21hmJ36pic.twitter.com/A981rwYGl3
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) April 4, 2018
From CBS Los Angeles:
Aghdam’s father was too emotional to go on camera, but told CBS2 News’ reporter Tina Patel that his daughter had gone missing for a few days. He said he had called law enforcement in the San Diego area because he was concerned about her recent ire towards YouTube.
He said law enforcement authorities contacted him Tuesday at 2 a.m., telling him they had found his daughter safe in her car in Mountain View in Northern California. When the family realized that was near YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, they told police about her recent complaints about how the company was “ruining her life.” They claim police told them they would be keeping an eye on her.
Whatever the case, commenters wasted no time yesterday — long before the facts of what happened were known — making assumptions about who the shooter was and their motivations.
It was ultimately revealed that Ms. Aghdam was a vegan artist, bodybuilder, and animal rights activist. Not exactly the beer-bellied, MAGA hat-wearing NRA member Mr. VanNest had pictured. Anyone want to chip in to buy him a sturdy pith helmet?
And as you’d expect, our dear friend Shannon Watts didn’t pass up an opportunity to take a swipe at the NRA either. She dug up a week-old tweet they posted criticizing YouTube’s content policy.
Bless her heart. Here’s the NRA’s “disgusting” tweet.
After @YouTube said it’ll ban content related to the sale or assembly of #firearms or firearms accessories, @NRAILA‘s @ChrisCoxNRA released a statement slamming the move as political posturing. @stinchfield1776 agrees and says #NRA members must rise up in the face of censorship. pic.twitter.com/Zt7ZGKYl3p
— NRATV (@NRATV) March 27, 2018