https://boingboing.net/2022/07/01/youtube-removes-criticism-of-dangerous-fractal-wood-burning-instructions-but-leaves-up-the-lethal-tips.html * BoingBoing MENU SEARCH STORE MENU * SEARCH * STORE * Blog : The posts * Forums : Read the rules * Store : Wonderful Products (Contact Support) * About Us : Writers and staff * Contact Us : Get satisfaction * Advertise : Thank you for reading * Privacy Policy : The data you generate * TOS : What you agree to YouTube removes criticism of dangerous fractal wood burning instructions, but leaves up the lethal tips Rob Beschizza 4:33 am Fri Jul 1, 2022 [Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-7] "Fractal wood burning" refers to using hacked microwave power supplies to char Lichtenberg figures into wood. It is extraordinarily dangerous, and dozens of people have been killed following instructions contained in viral videos. Ann Reardon recently posted a thorough debunking of the method, which quickly became popular in its own right--a timely and essential remedy to a lethal problem that social media companies are under no obligation to deal with themselves. But YouTube has removed Reardon's video, claiming it is harmful and dangerous--while leaving up fractal wood burning videos demonstrating methods that have killed, at latest count, 34 people in America. The presumed "explanation" is that YouTube's moderation is automated, and that this removal was likely triggered by keywords or abusive flagging by the viral (and often outright sinister) "crafts" channels that Reardon's video implicitly criticizes. But that's not what YouTube says in its takedown notification, and you can still get served these completely lethal instructions with obvious search terms there. Dead before you hit the floor. Reardon simply reposted her well-researched debunking again with an explanation: "your life is more important than my channel". [Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-7] * TWEET * COMMENTS * censorship * dead before you hit the floor * mistakes * youtube * Here's a hilarious look at the future of video essays on YouTube [Screen-Shot-2022-06-21-at-8] I miss Jerry Seinfeld. Since it's not like he's dead or anything, I should probably clarify what I mean. I miss his brand of observational comedy. Granted, Seinfeld's setups and style did become the formula for hack comics, but I think observational humor could still connect today. Part of what made Seinfeld a phenomenon wasn't... READ THE REST * "Fake" YouTube welding videos denounced [Screen-Shot-2022-05-04-at-9] Forget deepfakes. Plain old fakes are still in business: videos cleverly edited or manipulated to give a false impression to viewers. Welding is one of the genres thusly afflicted, and here The Fabrication Series explains how it's cooked--and how MIG welding works in the first place, so you understand what the fakers are up to... READ THE REST * Need a new alarm for the morning? Morning Alarm I'm going to say something that's bound to get some hate, but I'm a morning person. Yep, that's right. I'm that chipper guy you see bouncing to the gym at 5 am with a pep in my step and the sunshine in my pocket. As a result, it's always disheartening to have my gleeful morning... READ THE REST * The VacOne Air Brewer Uses Vacuum Pressure To Make Perfect Coffee Every Time [VacOne-Air-Brewer-FEATURE] For years coffee experts have recommended pourover as the best way to make coffee at home. But now, thanks to an ingenious design that was recently perfected, the traditional pourover has some serious competition. If you're the kind of person who thinks life is too short for bad coffee, say hello to the all-new VacOne... READ THE REST * This iPhone app lets you scan your problems away, and it comes at a discount! [sale_297719_article_image] Let's face it. Most people need an assistant. Who doesn't want a little bit of help from time to time with things like organization? Unfortunately, especially with our current technology surplus, it can be a bit easy to fall behind and feel disorganized. When scanning documents, in particular, it can be tough to figure out how to... READ THE REST * Grab a refurbished MacBook for the best of work and play for under $500 [sale_20031_primary_image_wide-1] Some computers blast their fan the second you open Excel, but not MacBooks. As compact as they are, MacBooks are workhorses you can put through the wringer for years. That's what you'd get if you picked up this refurbished 11.6-inch Apple MacBook Air. For a limited time, this beautifully refurbished laptop is on sale for $499.99, down... READ THE REST Read the rules you agree to by using this website in our Terms of Service. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Boing Boing uses cookies and analytics trackers, and is supported by advertising, merchandise sales and affiliate links. Read about what we do with the data we gather in our Privacy Policy. Who will be eaten first? Our forum rules are detailed in the Community Guidelines. Boing Boing is published under a Creative Commons license except where otherwise noted. * + Mark Frauenfelder + David Pescovitz + Rob Beschizza + Carla Sinclair Editors * + Jason Weisberger Publisher * + Ken Snider Sysadmin * + About Us + Contact Us + Advertise + Forums + Shop + Report a Bad Ad + Shop Support * [p] Quantcast