YouTube restricts viewing of People Power anthem

CAVITE, Philippines (Updated 5:08 p.m.) — Video sharing platform YouTube has imposed restrictions on the viewing of a video of the People Power Revolution anthem “Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo,” barring users under 18 from watching it.

When viewing the video uploaded by the song’s composer, Jim Paredes, a prompt will appear saying that the “YouTube community” identified it as “inappropriate or offensive to some audiences.”

Twitter user @unlawyer was among the users who flagged the restriction of the video on the platform. Philstar.com verified this on Friday morning, during which the restriction was still in effect.

According to YouTube, it regularly screens videos as part of its flagging system. In the case of violent or graphic content, like those documenting war zones, YouTube may impose age restrictions instead of taking it down if the video provides enough context.

YouTube’s policies state that videos may be age-restricted in the interest of child safety or if it features harmful or dangerous activities, nudity and sexually suggestive content, violent or graphic content, and vulgar language.

Age restrictions on YouTube videos can be appealed.

Paredes said on his Facebook account that YouTube might have restricted the viewing of the video due to a clip showing Martial Law detainee Chino Roces and others being hosed down by the military.

“Someone must have reported it as 'violent' kaya nagbigay ng warning,” Paredes said.

One of the most popular social media platforms in the Philippines, YouTube has also become a cesspool of misinformation and disinformation that critics say it has failed to curb.

Among the false narratives being peddled on the video sharing site are rosy tales of the Martial Law regime of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who was ousted 36 years ago through a military-backed popular uprising known as the People Power Revolution.