Sanda Dia caseYouTube has temporarily suspended the account of famous Belgian videographer Acid following the publication of a video revealing the names and faces of the Reuzegommers involved in the Sanda Dia case. The platform removed the images in question before more severely sanctioning the Youtuber, who can no longer publish videos or launch lives on the site. “Bullying and cyberbullying have no place on YouTube,” spokesperson Michiel Sallaets told our colleagues at Het Laatste Nieuws.
Writing
01-06-23, 12:31
Last update: 01-06-23, 13:48
Source: HLN, Belgium
“We are going to expose people!” On Wednesday afternoon, the Belgian videographer Acid released a video in which he reveals the names and photos of the 18 members of the Reuzegom student circle found guilty of manslaughter in the Sanda Dia case. The video garnered nearly 200,000 views before being removed from the platform during the evening. “This video has been removed due to a violation of YouTube’s harassment and offensive content policy.”
“Three offences”
The Youtuber can also no longer publish content on the platform. “Bullying and cyberbullying have no place on YouTube,” spokesperson Michiel Sallaets told our colleagues at Het Laatste Nieuws. A measure “consistent with their three offenses policy” which, according to YouTube, “applies to everyone”.
The principle is simple: as soon as a content creator commits an offence, a sanction is taken against him. When a Youtubeur violates the general conditions of use for the first time, his account is suspended for one week. The suspension extends to two weeks on the second offense. The third is the last, since YouTube is permanently closing the videographer’s account. This isn’t the first time the platform has taken action following a controversial Acid post. YouTube has intervened on several occasions, including to shut down the videographer’s main account.
By what right did he publish this video, pillorying these people at the same time?
Walter Damen
“His acts are punishable by law”, have also reacted the lawyers of the Reuzegommers. The decision to take legal action against the Youtuber, however, rests with the persons concerned.
Walter Damen, the lawyer for one of the members of the student circle, believed that YouTube had made the right decision. “Playing the judge without having any knowledge of the case and speaking on behalf of society: this is going too far. It has become a kind of witch hunt, the reason disappears”, he denounced at the microphone of VTM Nieuws. “He fueled the debate in a toxic way. By what right did he publish this video, pillorying these people at the same time?”
Acid wanted to defend itself on the social network Instagram, attacking in particular the processing of information from the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad. “Parents, friends, family, must have read about the endless tortures suffered by Sanda Dia in a national newspaper. The articles generated clicks, earning money for Het Nieuwsblad. But, when I complete the story by revealing the system behind Reuzegom, suddenly it goes too far”, he denounced. Before adding: “Two weights, two measures”.
This content includes cookies relating to social networks and other external platforms. It will not be accessible to you until cookies are disabled. Accept cookies from social networks in order to access this article.
Some clips continue to circulate on YouTube despite the deletion of the original video. The images are also massively shared on other social networks, such as TikTok.
Sanda Dia
On December 5, 2018, the Reuzegom circle, often singled out for its excessive practices, organized a baptism event in which Sanda Dia, a 20-year-old student, and two other blues took part. The activity began in Leuven and continued in a chalet in Vorselaar, where the victim had to spend several hours in a hole in freezing temperatures. The young man’s state of health had deteriorated markedly after he had consumed alcohol and fish oil in excessive quantities on the orders of the members of the circle. Finally transported to the hospital, the victim died there two days later.
The 18 members of the Reuzegom student circle of KU Leuven were found guilty of manslaughter, degrading treatment and breaches of animal welfare legislation. They received 200 to 300 hours of community service and 400 euros in damages.
READ ALSO
Sanda Dia case: the 18 defendants sentenced to community service
Sanda Dia’s father shows off his son’s shoes: ‘It’s all I have left of him’
‘It’s our fault’, ‘I’m sorry’: Defendants speak out at trial of late student Sanda Dia
Free onbeperkt toegang tot Showbytes? Dat kan!
Log in of maak een account aan en mis niks meer van de sterren.
