YouTube Issues Monetization Restriction for Privacy Violation
Channel Owner Keeps Video Public, Appeals for Support
The YouTube channel that sparked controversy by disclosing the personal information of the perpetrator in the so-called "Busan Roundhouse Kick Incident" has reportedly received a notice of "monetization restriction." As of 9:00 a.m. on June 5, the video in question remains publicly available.
The YouTuber "Karakula Detective Agency," whose channel is nearing 750,000 subscribers, uploaded a nine-minute video titled "Busan Roundhouse Kick Man" on June 2.
This video revealed detailed personal information about the perpetrator of the Busan Roundhouse Kick Incident, including the perpetrator's real name, date of birth, occupation, and height. The video has garnered approximately 4.69 million views, 230,000 likes, and more than 35,000 comments, reflecting a strong response from viewers.
However, it was reported that Karakula received a notice of "monetization restriction" not long after uploading the video.
On June 3, he stated, "Forty-eight hours after disclosing the roundhouse kick man's personal information, I received a notice restricting monetization. It is discouraging, but there is nothing I can do. I ask for your support in running the channel. I will do my best until the end," he appealed.
The email from YouTube, disclosed by Karakula, stated, "We are notifying you that a privacy complaint has been filed regarding your content. We are giving you an opportunity to delete or modify the reported content. Forty-eight hours after this email is sent, YouTube will review the report and, if a violation of the privacy guidelines is confirmed, will consider whether to restrict the content."
The monetization restriction clause allows YouTube to limit monetization on videos that violate its guidelines, as well as on all videos on the channel where such content is posted. If Karakula does not delete or set the personal information disclosure video to private, the entire channel's monetization could be at risk. However, as of the morning of June 5, two days after the video was posted, the video remains publicly accessible.
Previously, Karakula explained the reason for disclosing the perpetrator's personal information, stating, "There are certainly concerns that this may be an excessive form of private punishment," but added, "The victim strongly desires the disclosure of the perpetrator's identity, which the investigative authorities failed to do, and as a YouTuber, I concluded that sharing the perpetrator's information was the only way I could share in the victim's pain, who is living in fear of retaliatory crime."
Police and prosecutors only disclose the identities of suspects in specific violent crime cases where the methods are brutal and serious harm has occurred, and only when public interest requirements are met, such as guaranteeing the public's right to know, preventing repeat offenses, and crime prevention.
Meanwhile, the Busan Roundhouse Kick Incident refers to a case in May of last year in which a man in his 30s, referred to as Mr. A, assaulted a woman in her 20s whom he did not know in Busan. In the first trial in October last year, Mr. A was sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempted murder. In the appeal trial, prosecutors changed the charge from attempted murder to attempted rape and murder, seeking a 35-year sentence. The verdict for the second trial is scheduled for July 12.
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