YouTube has slammed Tesla for child endangerment, following a recent ad video featuring kids being used for FSD beta testing.
YouTube has recently removed a pair of videos from its platform, which showed drivers conducting amateur vehicle safety tests using their own children in the road.
The idea to test FSD with real children emerged after a video and ad campaign posted to Twitter showed Tesla cars failing to detect child-sized dummies placed in front of them. This caused Tesla fans to start a debate about the limitations of the feature.
Whole Mars Catalog, a Twitter and YouTube channel run by Tesla investor Omar Qazi, later hinted at creating a video involving real children in an attempt to prove the original results wrong.
A video titled “Does Tesla Full-Self Driving Beta really run over kids?” was later posted on Whole Mars Catalog’s YouTube channel and involves a Tesla driver testing his car’s Full Self-Driving feature with his own kids.
During the video, he drives a Tesla Model 3 toward one of his children standing in the road, and then tries again with his other child crossing the street. The car stops before reaching the children both times.
Does Tesla Full Self-Driving Beta really run over kids?Thanks to @MinimalDuck and @_tadpark for your help on this! @elonmusk @RealDanODowdhttps://t.co/A1Pq1LkDyQ pic.twitter.com/bR19cVkWcL
— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) August 14, 2022
YouTube speaks out against using children for dangerous content
The controversial Tesla video has since been removed for violating the platform’s community guidelines against content that endangers minors.
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A spokesperson for YouTube, Elena Hernandez, told CNBC: “YouTube doesn’t allow content showing a minor participating in dangerous activities or encouraging minors to do dangerous activities.”
She continued: “Upon review, we determined that the videos raised to us by CNBC violate our harmful and dangerous policies, and as a result we removed the content.”
As outlined on YouTube’s support page, the platform has specific rules against content that “endangers the emotional and physical well-being of minors.”
“Specifically, we don’t allow content showing or encouraging minors in harmful situations that may lead to injury, including dangerous stunts, dares, or pranks,” Elena told the news outlet.
The Tesla video had over 60,000 views before it was removed on YouTube. It remains available to watch on Twitter.