Liveleak

Infobox Website
name = Liveleak



caption = Front page as of April 2008.
url = http://www.liveleak.com/
commercial = Yes
type = Video sharing
registration = Optional
owner = Unknown
author = Unknown
launch date =

LiveLeak is a video sharing website that lets users post and share videos, similar to YouTube. Liveleak places emphasis on current events, politics and reality-based footage such as war scenes from various parts of the world. [citenews|url=http://www.sundayherald.com/misc/print.php?artid=1122066 |title=Blair and Bush’s latest weapon of war: YouTube |accessdate=2007-01-13 |publisher= "Sunday Herald"]

The site went live on 31 October 2006. [ [http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b8e_1193855061 Damn, a year already?] "liveleak.com", 31 October 2007] Founded by the team responsible for Ogrish.com, it aims to take reality footage, politics, and world events and combine them with the power of citizen journalism. [citenews|url=http://www.thenewfreedom.net/wp/2008/05/19/interview-with-hayden-hewitt-co-founder-of-liveleakcom/ |title=Interview with Hayden Hewitt, Co-Founder of LiveLeak.com |accessdate=2008-05-19 |publisher= "thenewfreedom.net"]

The site came to prominence in 2007 following the unauthorized filming and leaking of the execution of Saddam Hussein, and was referred to by White House Press Secretary Tony Snow and then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair. [citeweb|title=White House Press Secretary, Tony Snow, plugs LiveLeak|url=http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=829607785c|publisher="liveleak.com"|accessdate=2008-03-23] [citeweb|title=Tony Blair Plugs LiveLeak|url=http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=73d671978f|publisher="liveleak.com"|accessdate=2008-03-23]

Content

Your Say

"Your Say" is the premiere section of Liveleak where users upload their own videos, much like a Vlog. Unlike YouTube, the Vlogs on Liveleak are more political and are known for debate. In the Your Say section, as opposed to many other Vlogging websites, when your material is uploaded it is displayed first on the list.

Liveleak and Fitna

Liveleak was in the spotlight again in March 2008 when it hosted the anti-Qur'an film "Fitna" made by Dutch politician Geert Wilders. Liveleak holds to being strictly non-biased in its approach to members and their content, believing in freedom of speech within the site rules regardless of how certain content might offend them personally. [citeweb|title= LiveLeak, bias, and the eternal quest for personal accountability|url=http://forums.liveleak.com/blog.php?b=16|publisher="liveleak.com"|accessdate=2008-03-23] "Fitna" was taken down after threats were made against Liveleak staff, but (as of March 30th 2008) is back online after Liveleak reportedly improved security. The video was once again removed on April 1st, this time it was removed by the user citing that it was taken down due to copyright wrangles and a new version will be uploaded "soon".

U.S Soldiers

Since 14 May 2007 The Defense Department has restricted access to websites such as YouTube and MySpace in order to prevent violations of Operational Security. [citeweb|title=Defense Department blocks YouTube, MySpace, other sites|url=http://hamptonroads.com/node/266231|publisher="The Virginian-Pilot"|accessdate=2008-04-04] One can easily watch war footage from Iraq and Afghanistan, which many show videos from soldiers of the United States and other countries.

Children fights

On 30 July 2007, the BBC programme "Panorama" broadcast a show about how young people were getting physically assaulted and knocked unconscious. [citeweb|title=Panorama: Children's Fight Club|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/07_july/29/fight.shtml|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-03-23] When Panorama queried the "extremely violent videos" that had been posted to LiveLeak's website, the co-founder, Hayden Hewitt, refused to have them taken down and stated "Look all this is happening, this is real life, this is going on, we're going to show it." [citeweb|title=Web child fight videos criticised|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6920817.stm|publisher="BBC"|accessdate=2008-03-23]

Liveleak states there are relatively few such videos on the site and should the uploaders be found to have been involved in the filming and / or involved in a violent attack they (Liveleak) will aid the police with any prosecutions. [citeweb|title=Hayden Hewitts Response After the Panorama Show|url=http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ca4_1186119784|publisher="liveleak.com"|accessdate=2008-03-23]

References

External links

* [http://liveleak.com Liveleak]