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Unclear on the concept

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YouTube

* AP…

At the end of a brief online video promoting an Illinois agency’s training summit, the picture faded to black and, several second later, a pornographic clip appeared.

Emails obtained by The Associated Press show the Illinois Emergency Management Agency scrambling in late August to disable the video, and its chief of staff ordering an investigation into how the salacious footage was added.

Officially, the agency, whose conference last month included a session on cyber security, insists no one “hijacked” the website to tag the lewd material onto the end of director James Joseph’s video invitation promoting the summit in Springfield. Agency spokeswoman Patti Thompson blames the foul-up on an unfortunate but random circumstance created by YouTube, the platform storing the IEMA clip, which was ultimately viewed more than 900 times.

* That’s a very weird way to begin that story because if you scroll way down you’ll see what actually happened…

Initially, Thompson said under YouTube’s design, the pornographic feature automatically loaded as the random “next choice” following the IEMA video. Later she said that when Brooks responded to Ricker’s order, he found that what followed IEMA’s video was a choice of four other videos, featured in “thumbnail” photos.

Thompson said Brooks didn’t review the offerings for lewd material. Rather, he unchecked a box allowing suggested follow-up videos and set the system to return the IEMA video to its beginning, Thompson said.

* As anybody who has ever posted a YouTube video embed knows, you’re offered a few choices…

I almost always uncheck the “show suggested video” feature whenever I post a video.

So the real story here is the hilarious cluelessness of some folks at IEMA.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 3:29 pm

Comments

Well, the “suggested” videos are based in large part on what you’ve watched in the past. So w/r/t IEMA, make of that what you will.

Comment by Reality Check Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 3:31 pm
IEMA porn video viewed 900 times.
One outsider files complaint.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 3:36 pm
Should have known when the red sweater dude from the debate gave it a good review.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 3:40 pm
Mike Madigan and the IEMA videos he controls.

Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 3:45 pm
Meanwhile, I’m all like “how pornographic is pornographic?”

It’s youtube. Some folks might be a bit over sensitive.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 4:15 pm
Who could have guessed that the suggested video would be so suggestive…

I’ll see myself out.

Comment by Chicago_Downstater Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 4:15 pm
This training video was so informative I watched it all the way through. Twice.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 4:17 pm
And these are the people charged with handling emergencies in our State???

Comment by siyotanka Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 4:22 pm
I can’t complain: in general, I oppose abstinence-only curriculum. /s

Comment by Earnest Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 4:26 pm
DoIT just Did It.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 5:09 pm
Had this been an actual emergency …

Comment by Dave Dahl Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 9:17 pm
===So the real story here is the hilarious cluelessness of some folks at IEMA.==

Nailed it. Although when you work among them and need your IT needs met and are crushed under a never ending work load, it is just plain maddening.

Comment by The young gov Tuesday, Oct 18, 16 @ 11:56 pm
If you do not uncheck the box, YouTube will select a video which sometimes is chosen based on video title and words in the description. In 2008, embedded a video for a judicial candidate on his website. The group who did the video had the word “head” involved in the video’s description. Pornogrpahy ensued. Did not know to verify the box was unchecked. Never made the mistake again.

Comment by LakeCountyOG Wednesday, Oct 19, 16 @ 12:22 am
One way to make sure folks watch until the end….

Comment by Oneman Wednesday, Oct 19, 16 @ 7:34 am
IEMA - The agency that brings happy endings

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Oct 19, 16 @ 8:59 am
I’m confused for a couple reasons. First, I didn’t know there was pornography on YouTube. Second, I thought there was a warning screen before YouTube would show you anything more than a little racy. I’ve watched a fair amount of YouTube and can’t comprehend how this could happen.

Comment by Twirling Towards Freedom Wednesday, Oct 19, 16 @ 9:09 am