YouTube defends video that falsely claims Sydney massacre survivor is 'crisis actor'

A Google executive has told an inquiry that a YouTube video that falsely claims a wounded survivor of an antisemitic massacre in Sydney is a crisis actor blooded with makeup met the platform’s standards and would remain online. Google Australia manager Rachel Lord was testifying at a government inquiry on Tuesday into the spread of antisemitism in Australia including an attack by two gunmen on a Sydney Hanukkah celebration in December that left 15 dead. Lord was questioned about a complaint made by survivor Arsen Ostrovsky about a video posted on YouTube that falsely suggested he had used makeup to fake the head injury he received when he was shot. Ostrovsky told the inquiry last month that he had been targeted by online hate, abuse, vilification and AI manipulation.