"We are at an
evolution point where pictures and video are the most powerful ways to get our
stories across, but people need to have the option to protect themselves."
-Sam Gregory
YouTube introduced a new feature that allows its users to
blur, or obscure, faces in their videos. Face
Blurring will allow users to have a bit more privacy once uploading videos.
This new feature was built to help dissidents worldwide. Protests and riots
nationwide have given government forces countless reasons to arrest activists;
Face Blurring will give the protestors the upper hand so they aren't bothered
by government and non-governmental troops.
If you are unaware, there are riots going on everywhere in
the world more recently in Syria which is now in a full out civil war. Journalists in Syria have started to
record events including protests which have caused rage to Assad forces.
According to
Al Jazeera's blog post many of his friends have been detained and punished
because the Assad forces have proof, video proof, of them protesting.
YouTube's new feature will help protestors not only in
Syria, but worldwide. Violence doesn't seem like it's going anywhere soon, but
it's a good move on YouTube's part to protect its videographers that help us
(the outsiders) know what's going on in their part of the world.
If you need to use Face
Blurring for your YouTube video follow these steps:
- Log in to your account with YouTube.
- Located on the top right corner of your page
you'll see your username. Click on that and select Video Manager.
- Find the video in which you want to edit, click
the Edit button.
- You'll be redirected to the edit info page for
the chosen video. Click Enhancements.
- Choose Additional
Features.
- Below the Blur All Faces, click the Apply button.
- Preview the video and if you're OK with it,
click Save As.
The Face
Blurring feature does have a con as well; police enforcement has used
YouTube to help find criminals in the past. Uploading surveillance footage of
stick ups and robberies has allowed viewers to help in the chase and pin point
the crooks. The most notorious YouTube crook was this
dumb@$ who decided to post a YouTube video using the camera he stole. Face
Blurring could have helped this guy.
-But probably
wouldn't have helped.
I'm sure Face
Blurring will be used to make silly cat and dog parodies, or some weird
baby videos. Just remember that YouTube allows Face Blurring to help those
oppressed by their country. YouTube has always stayed true to its users; what
do you think of YouTube's new Face
Blurring feature?
Share your thoughts below.