YouTube 'cashes in on footage of beaten children'

Film of playground fights, violent bullying and death threats issued to teachers have all appeared on YouTube and other video websites in recent weeks.

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But Google, which owns YouTube, has refused calls to police offensive material uploaded by its users, saying censorship is not its role.

An investigation by BBC's Panorama programme found that video sites have hosted footage of children as young as 11 or 12 kicking and punching fellow pupils in the head.

The yobs' friends are seen encouraging them and filming the violence on mobile phones.

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Brian Moore, Deputy Chief Constable of Surrey, called for YouTube to report those posting offensive material.

"YouTube and companies like them are responsible for policing themselves," he said. "If they think that the police should be doing this then I should tell you that is not our position.

"They are responsible for what is on their products - they are making a profit from this.

"We would question who is in a financially better position to police the likes of You Tube - those in the private sector, who are earning huge amounts, or police forces which are currently having to stretch budgets."

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Panorama found hundreds of violent videos on YouTube and other sites such as Liveleak and PS Fights.

David Davies, Tory MP for Monmouth, said: "They [the sites] are opening themselves up to accusations that they are cashing in by allowing these violent videos to appear."

Google insists that YouTube's users police the website by "flagging up" inappropriate content.

Spokesman Rachel Whetstone told Panorama: "Actively policing and pre-screening is someone else's censorship and we do not think that is our role.

"We believe it is the job of the police to come to us when crimes have been committed and we will comply with their requests and help them with their requests.

"It is up to the police to take action when a criminal assault has taken place.

"We are very happy to help them do that but the balance of responsibility is with the police."

In the Panorama programme, a 17 year old tells how footage of him being beaten up by three other boys was posted on YouTube. The video, which was watched 1,700 times, was removed only when Panorama raised the teenager's concerns with the site.

A 13-year-old told the programme - screened on BBC1 at 8.30pm tonight - how another website carried footage of her being attacked in front of as many as 15 witnesses.

Onlookers were heard shouting "Kill her". A third website showed a 15-year-old girl from Northampton being knocked unconscious in an attack in which she suffered a detached retina.

Lord Taylor of Warwick, a former judge who appears on Panorama: Children's Fight Club, called for tougher laws to punish those filming fights.

There is no specific law against videoing violence but charges could be brought if incitement can be proved.