YouTube set to tighten security worldwide in the wake of HQ shooting

YouTube’s California headquarters was devastated earlier this week, as an armed woman stormed the working grounds, injuring three people before ending her own life. The video platform has since responded, stating that it will increase the security across all of its offices worldwide to ensure employee safety.

Parent company Google released the statement via its Twitter account, outlining that perpetrator Nasim Aghdam entered the property through its parking garage until she reached the scene of the crime, the courtyard. This in itself highlighted a fundamental flaw in how the company handles access to its properties and has since caused YouTube to reflect on further security measures moving forward.

The security procedures already in place were praised for helping prevent further damage from Aghdam, with the police response particularly highlighted as “exceptional,” while the various work from employees to ensure that authorities had appropriate access, as well as tending to the wounded didn’t go unnoticed either.

An update from YouTube. pic.twitter.com/HG4LgCupRi

— Google Communications (@Google_Comms) April 4, 2018

While YouTube is reviewing the incident in detail to increase its security around the world, it is uncertain if Google will be taking the same approach across all of its subsidiaries. In the meantime, affected employees have access to the company’s wellness services and have been encouraged to take time off or work from home while they recover.

YouTube’s focus on the victims is quite clear, however a troublesome trend has spread across Twitter in light of Aghdam’s crusade against censorship, dubbed #CensorshipKills. It’s not uncommon to see violent and horrific incidents used for political gain, however the platform’s priority is the safety of those it employs first and foremost.

KitGuru Says: Whether you agree or disagree with YouTube’s censorship, I think it’s dangerous to justify the frankly unstable actions of Aghdam as a by-product of the platform’s actions. Whatever motivation, her extreme measures are reprehensible and should never be considered justified simply to gain change. Hopefully YouTube will review this delicate trend after it has ensured the well-being of employees.

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