The indefatigable Harrison Sonntag of Dartmouth notifies me that Google has removed the video of my talk at Dartmouth, with this explanation:
As set forth in the Terms & Conditions, Google Video is not required to host or display uploaded content. Google Video may refuse to host content that violates its policies, including:
illegal content
invasions of personal privacy
pornography or obscenity
hate or incitement of violence
graphic violence or other acts resulting in serious injury or death
violations of copyright. Please see our DMCA policy for more information.
Please note that we also reserve the right to not show mature content to users with their safesearch activated. This includes content that would typically not be shown to users under 18 years of age.We may change these policies at any time without notice.
Of course, my speech was none of those things. It just caught the attention of someone who disagrees with it politically, and rather than engage in reasoned discussion or debate, or mount a rebuttal, he or she just made sure I would not be heard.
The fascist thugs aren’t just at Emory. Some of them apparently work for Google.
UPDATE: Charles at LGF kindly vouches for me:
I watched the video, and there was absolutely nothing in it that violated these terms of service. It was a calm, well-reasoned speech that contained nothing hateful, no incitement to violence, no invasion of privacy, no pornography or obscenity, and certainly no violation of copyright.
Thanks, Charles. I’m glad I decided to take out that bit about Paris Hilton, but obviously it didn’t do any good anyway.
SECOND UPDATE: Harrison has now kindly made the video available here.