YouTube has introduced a new policy that allows individuals to request the removal of synthetic content that imitates their face or voice.
Under the new policy, individuals can request the removal of AI-generated content that violates their privacy, rather than citing concerns about misleading or deepfakes.
YouTube's updated help documentation outlines the process, which requires a first-party claim unless the affected individual is a minor, does not have access to a computer, is deceased, or falls under other specified exceptions.
However, submitting a removal request does not guarantee removal. YouTube will evaluate complaints based on a number of factors, including whether the content is presented as synthetic or AI-generated, whether it is personally identifiable, and whether it is parody, satire, or in the public interest.
The company also considers whether the AI content features public figures or celebrities, as well as whether it shows people engaging in sensitive behavior, such as criminal activity, violence or endorsing a product or political candidate.
When a complaint is filed, YouTube gives the content uploader 48 hours to respond to the request. If the content is removed before the deadline, the complaint is closed. Otherwise, YouTube will start a review.
The company also warned users that removal would mean removing the video from the site entirely.
YouTube's approach to AI-generated content has been nuanced, and the company has experimented with generative AI itself, including a comment summarization tool and a conversational tool for asking questions about videos and getting recommendations.
In the case of privacy complaints about AI content, YouTube will not penalize the original content creators, instead the company will focus on resolving privacy violations separately from community guideline strikes.
