Responding to the Rutgers University tragedy

At YouTube, we pride ourselves on creating an accepting, open and diverse community, and consistently strive to promote these ideals — both online and off. Tyler Clementi’s death, as well as similar tragedies, have sparked questions about privacy and harassment that will only increase as access to the web grows. So let us be clear: Intolerance is not OK. We will not stand by and allow for egregious violations of user privacy to threaten a vibrant and creative online community. YouTube will always prioritize the safety of our users — we encourage you to reach out and let us know if you or someone you know is in need of help.

In the wake of this tragic event, we’d like to take a moment to remind our community of the many resources available to individuals dealing with cyberbullying and online harassment. We understand that the internet can be a very tough place to navigate, and we want you to know that you are not alone in dealing with issues of privacy and harassment. If you or someone you know is at risk, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. We also encourage you to visit YouTube’s Help & Safety Center to learn about tools to deal with abuse and harassment online.

Finally, check out the It Gets Better Project, a venue for individuals to share and hear stories from the LGBT community about the difficulties of coming out in what can be an often judgmental society.

We hope you take some time to think carefully about your responsibilities to yourselves and to the online community as you continue to use YouTube and other social media websites. Remember that public videos can have many unintended consequences - as a result, we encourage you to consider the possible effects your videos and comments may have on the people around you.

YouTube Policy Team recently watched "It Gets Better: Dan and Terry."